This recipe means so much to me. I have some old internet pals, Jess and Beth, and we’ve spent a lot of time talking to each other. I lived in the back of a bookstore the entire winter before I moved to Montreal and it was their company that kept me warm. A lot of things have happened to the three of us since then and they’re always with me. There really aren’t words to express how much I love them and how much they mean to me, so I’m just going to have to blog this recipe and know that they know what it means. I lived off of it for many months, along with twizzlers, hummus and taco salad, so just remember that even people who seem to be the most creative with their food go get stuck in ruts.
You can totally throw this in a sandwich, but I’m partial to eating it with lots of vegetables to dip in and a few crackers to round out the meal. Crispy and creamy, savoury and a fantastic contrast of a textures, consider this the un-fishiest tuna salad you’ve ever had. I’m not even going to pretend that this isn’t also a vehicle for my favourite underrated vegetable: celery.
(No) Tuna Salad
Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
1 540 ml can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise, use your favourite (I like Veganaise, use a soy-free one if allergic to soy)
2 tablespoons mustard, your favourite (I like dijon)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill (optional)
1 stalk celery, diced
2 tablespoons bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons red onion, diced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped fine
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Mash the chickpeas in a large bowl with a fork, to your desired level of mash-iness. Add the vegan mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice and mix together. Add the seasonings, if using. Add the diced vegetables and mix to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings to your taste. Serve with fresh slices of cucumber, large celery sticks, crackers, bread, pickles, olives and whatever you else you like.