Lemon Tuna Avocado Snack

It all starts so innocently. You're going along, happy with your life, having no urges at all. Soon you find yourself sneaking quick looks when no one else is watching, hastily turning away if they make eye contact; you don't want anyone to think you're a weirdo! You peek in the windows of "those" stores but aren't brave enough to go in yet. You might buy a magazine or two but you hide them under a stack of books next to your nightstand, only taking them out when your husband is working late. Eventually you have to admit it to yourself...you want to have a baby!

This was me 12 years ago after we had moved into our first house. I had the baby bug bad. I bought every Martha Stewart Baby magazine that was published and pored over the pages anticipating knitting little sweaters (I didn't know how to knit then), embroidering little shirts (I didn't embroider then, either), mentally filing details of nursery decorations (this was pre-Pinterest, people), and dreaming of what kind of pregnant woman I would be.

About now you're probably asking what on earth my gestational longings have to do with tuna and avocados! Hang in there, it's all a rich tapestry. This recipe was in the very first Martha Stewart Baby magazine I bought and I pictured myself as a madonna of glowing health, eating only the "right" foods and having a fit baby "bump" which would of course always be very stylishly dressed. Yeah, the reality of it wasn't really like that (high heels in my 15th month of pregnancy, what was I thinking?!). I never made this recipe EITHER of the times I was pregnant, but 12 years and 2 babies later, I finally got off my procrastinating tookus (what was I so busy doing back then!?) and made this.

This is not only a great meal for an expectant mother, but also a great light lunch for anyone. It's also lightning quick to throw together and whether you're an expectant mom, a sleepless mom of a newborn, or a taxi-service busy mom, that is a welcome recipe indeed. If I want this to be a more substantial meal, I add some fruit or cheese and crackers on the side. I also usually double or triple the recipe 'cause Lord knows someone in this house is always needing to be fed! ;)

Lemon Tuna Avocado Snack

only very slightly adapted from Martha Stewart Baby, Spring 2000

Serves 1

1 ripe avocado

1-2 Tbls. lemon juice

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 six-ounce solid albacore tuna, in spring water

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Drain the tuna and set aside. Cut the avocado in half and scoop out some of the inside leaving about a 1/4-inch shell of avocado in the skin. Mash the scooped out avocado in a bowl, then gently mix in the tuna, olive oil, lemon juice, and sunflower seeds. Salt and pepper to taste. Scoop the tuna filling back into avocado shells and serve.