Sometimes I get a craving for tuna and avocado! Which usually means I’m making Healthy Avocado Tuna Melts for the whole family!
Why is it that when something is off limits, you want it more than ever! Life is a joker I guess.
Being preggo I have a few things that are either off limits or that I can only have occasionally. Obviously alcohol is big NO! Which has been pretty easy to give up. The only time I really want a nice glass of red wine is when we eat pasta. Or maybe white wine with fish. But overall not a big craving.
Coffee is another one. This one was hard to give up at first but after a week of small headaches, the craving was gone. However, now that my kid decided she is not into sleeping… coffee is calling me back. So I’ve been half-caffing it to keep me going during the day.
Tuna. This is a weird one. I can have tuna while pregnant, just not too much of it (due to mercury level in tuna). But for some reason, I want it all the time! When I wasn’t pregnant I rarely craved the stuff, but of course now I want it ALL THE TIME!
My solution for this craving, are these fabulous and easy Healthy Avocado Tuna Melts!
Let me start off by saying I do not like throwing the word healthy around lightly. To make something healthy there needs to be a good balance of all the things that make a meal truly healthy. Meaning protein, healthy fat, veggies & starch.
In this case, every ingredient in this recipe makes it truly wholesome and healthy 😊
Combining my favorite things – crusty bread, cheese, avocado and tuna! Amazing! This lunch, snack or easy dinner hits the stop every single time!
And luckily both the hubs and my tiny tot are into them too 😊
To elevate this simple humble meal, I would urge you to buy some better quality tuna. The key things I like to keep in mind are:
- How tuna was caught – Check the label to find if tuna caught by troll or pole-and-line, or look for the blue Certified Sustainable Seafood.
- Mercury Level – Chunk light skipjack and tongol generally have lower levels of mercury than albacore and yellowfin.
- Go with BPA-free cans or pouches.
With those things in mind, go out and get yourself some good tuna! My favorite grocery store brands include:
- 365 Everyday Value Chunk Light Tongol Tuna Packed in Spring Water
- Trader Joe’s Tongol Chunk Light in Water
- Trader Joes Skipjack Tuna in Water
- Wild Planet Skipjack Wild Tuna
So although I can’t overdo it on the tuna, I have been making these tuna melts about once a month and savoring every last bite when I do 😋 Seriously I love’em so much that I secretly hope Poppy won’t eat her’s so I can eat it instead! HA!
Yields Serves 1-2 (1 big portion or 2 smaller ones). Can easily be doubled.
Ingredients
- 1 (5 oz.) can good quality tuna, drained
- 1 small ripe avocado, pitted
- 1 tablespoon red onion, finely chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (or mayonnaise)
- 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3-4 slices crusty bread
- 1 medium ripe tomato, sliced
- 1/3 cup mild cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pinch of crushed red peppers (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Soak chopped red onions in bowl with cold ice water if using. Let them soak as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. I do this to take the pungent and lingering aftertaste away from red onions.
- Place bread slices on baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes until golden crisp, flipping halfway.
- Add drained tuna and avocado to a bowl and mash with a fork or muddler breaking up any large chunks.
- Add yogurt (or mayo if using) and lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red peppers, to taste. Drain and add the onions (if using). Mix to combine.
- Top each toast slice with the tuna mixture, 2 slices of tomato, and cheese.
- Broil for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Serve immediately with a lovely side of fruit or veggie chips.
Notes
When mixing the avocado with the tuna, I find it doesn’t get as brown so makes a great work lunch. Instead of open-face, make it a full sandwich.
Originally posted 2017-03-10 07:00:10.
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