Avocado Tuna Salad

July. I have been helping Dr. Ochoa write up the preliminary findings from our research for a conference presentation. She is the primary author but I am second author, which means my name is on the paper. My name on a paper. I keep saying that in my head and it does not become ordinary. My name on a paper that will be presented at an academic conference on early childhood education.

The research finding is this: in our sample of toddlers who entered childcare before 18 months, those with higher secure attachment scores showed significantly larger productive vocabularies at 24 months than those with lower secure attachment scores, controlling for home language exposure. Language is not just about input. It is about feeling safe enough to speak. I knew this from living it. Now I can demonstrate it in data.

I have been making cold brew coffee all summer because hot coffee in July in Birmingham is a choice I cannot make. You steep the grounds in cold water for twelve hours in the refrigerator and the result is smooth and concentrated and not at all bitter, which is because heat is what pulls the bitter compounds out of coffee. Cold extraction leaves them behind. This is a useful fact and also a useful metaphor for more things than coffee.

Sunday at Gloria was hot and good. We ate cold things mostly, chicken salad, cucumber salad, sweet tea, store-bought pound cake that she apologized for and I said do not apologize, it is July. She laughed. July is the only month that earns store-bought anything.

Sunday at Gloria’s had me thinking about cold food all the way home — how the right dish for a July afternoon isn’t a triumph of technique, it’s just something cool and honest that doesn’t ask too much of you. This avocado tuna salad is the version I make when I want something that feels like it took care rather than effort: ripe avocado instead of mayo, a little lemon, a little crunch, done. No heat required, which is the only real rule in July.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 2

Ingredients

2 cans (5 oz each) chunk light tuna in water, drained
1 large ripe avocado, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Optional: lettuce leaves or whole grain bread, for serving

Instructions

Mash the avocado. Scoop the avocado flesh into a medium bowl and add the lemon juice. Mash with a fork until mostly smooth but with a little texture remaining. The lemon juice keeps it from browning and brightens the flavor.
Add the tuna. Drain the tuna thoroughly and add it to the bowl with the mashed avocado. Break up any large chunks with a fork and stir to combine.
Mix in the vegetables. Add the red onion, celery, and parsley. Stir everything together until evenly distributed.
Season. Add the garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If you want a little more brightness, add another squeeze of lemon.
Serve. Serve immediately over lettuce leaves, scooped into avocado halves, or spread on whole grain bread or crackers. Best eaten the same day.

Nutrition (per serving)

Avocado Tuna Salad — Cold Things for a July That Earned It