Did you know you can make a vegan tuna salad with chickpeas? Here’s how.
In a bowl, add a can of chickpeas or if you want you can cook some dried chickpeas as well. I find that cooking the dried chickpeas yields more than what you get from the can. Dried chickpeas are much more cost effective and it also creates less waste. If that’s not winning at this whole vegan game, I don’t know what is.
Anyway, back to the dish that has become my lunchtime staple.
Mash the chickpeas up by hand. Add some chopped red onion, carrots, celery, tamari, lemon juice, and kelp granules. Kelp granules are a low sodium salt alternative that is high in iodine and gives the chickpeas a slight taste of the sea that may remind you of eating tuna fish without the tuna fish.
So, why don’t I just eat tuna if I like the taste so much, you may ask? Because, fish are friends and the human rights issues in the fishing industry are worrying.
You don’t even need to eat fish to get the health benefits. Omega-3s can be gained through a fish-free vegan diet. Much the same can be said for the taste and texture of seafood. I’m amazed by the power of the spices in this dish – it takes a chalky chickpea sandwich to flavorful wonderland which could easily be mistaken for something off a seafood restaurant’s menu!
Not to mention, “clean meat,” also known as lab-grown, isn’t on the market yet. Although – lab-grown tuna is coming! My opinion on clean meat in my diet stands to be determined, but the catch-free aspect is certainly appealing to many people in the market for more ethical food.
Add nutritional yeast, black pepper, and vegan mayonnaise and combine all the ingredients. You can serve it with some bread or on a bed of lettuce if you’re looking for a gluten-free or low-carb option.
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:112]This recipe was republished with permission from Rican Vegan.
Image Credit: Flickr
