Greek Tuna Salad -- Something Simple for the People Who Keep the Lights On

Late October. Week six. We won, twenty-four to seventeen, in a tough game against the team that had given us trouble all year. Marcus had a TD. Tyrese had two catches and the game-winning TD with two minutes left. Calvin had a sack. The defense gave up two scores and held in the fourth quarter. We are six and oh.

The pattern of this season is similar to last year's. We are good but not as dominant as last year. We have replaced Diego and Daquan with kids who are still developing. The kids are showing up. The kids are buying in. We are not the team that won the championship. We are a different team. We may or may not win another one. The work continues.

I made pulled pork on the smoker Saturday. I sent half of it home with three booster moms who had asked. The booster moms are the lifeblood of the program. The booster moms know things about every kid on the roster that I do not know. The booster moms run the snack shack. The booster moms organize the team meals. The booster moms call me when a kid's family is going through something. I have come to depend on the booster moms in a way I did not expect when I started coaching twenty-three years ago. The road bends. Feed your people. The game is won at the table.

The pulled pork on the smoker was the main event, but honestly, a recipe like this Greek Tuna Salad is what I think about when I think about the booster moms — something honest, something that doesn’t ask too much of you, and something that actually feeds people well. They don’t need a show. They need to know someone thought of them. This one comes together fast, travels well, and holds up at a folding table in a school parking lot just as well as it does at a kitchen counter.

Greek Tuna Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in water, drained
• 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Drain and flake the tuna. Open and drain both cans of tuna thoroughly, then transfer to a large mixing bowl and break apart any large chunks with a fork.
2. Add the vegetables. Add the diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, red onion, and sliced kalamata olives to the bowl with the tuna.
3. Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, and garlic powder until combined.
4. Combine and season. Pour the dressing over the tuna and vegetables and toss gently to coat. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
5. Finish with feta and herbs. Fold in the crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. Serve or chill. Serve immediately over greens, in a pita, or on its own. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 210 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 5g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 480mg