I have a confession to make. I love chickpeas. I mean I really love chickpeas. I would eat them at every meal if I could. Actually, I’ve done that before. They are without a doubt one of my favorite foods on this planet. They are so healthy, so filling, so versatile. You can roast them, saute them, mash them, eat them out of the container, stir fry them, dehydrate them, puree them…the list goes on and on. There is evidence that they date back to 3500 BC, proof that our ancestors knew a good thing when they saw it.

In addition to chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) being supremely tasty and versatile, they also have massive health and dietary benefits.

A 2 ounce (1/4 cup) serving provides the following (1):

• Calories: 92

• Carbs: 16 grams

• Fiber: 4 grams

• Protein: 6 grams

• Folate: 24% of the RDA

• Iron: 8% of the RDA

• Phosphorus: 10% of the RDA

• Copper: 10% of the RDA

• Manganese: 28% of the RDA

Thankfully, my daughter, Josie (almost) loves these legumes as much as I do, so we are always trying to find new ways to incorporate them into our meals. In honor of our Meatless Monday commitment, I found a recipe for a vegan tuna salad that looked really interesting. But I knew my family wouldn’t like some of the ingredients. So, Josie and I made our own and the results were AMAZING! If you decide to try it at home, let us know what you think!

VEGAN “TUNA” CHICKPEA SALAD

(makes enough salad for 4 hearty sandwiches)

• 1 x 15.5 ounce can of chickpeas, drained

• 2 large celery ribs, diced

• about 3 TBSP scallions, chopped

• about 3-4 TBSP cornichon pickles diced (dill pickles also work great)

• 2 tsp azuki miso paste (if you can’t find azuki miso paste, regular miso paste works great too)

• 2-3 TBSP tahini (ground sesame seed paste)

• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice

• olive oil (to thin the mixture if it’s too thick for you)

• sea salt to taste

• black pepper to taste

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp onion powder

• 2 tsp sesame seeds

• 2 TBSP nutritional yeast

• fresh dill, minced

• 8 thick slices of your favorite gluten-free or whole grain bread

1. in a large bowl, mash the chickpeas up with the back of a large fork or a potato masher. Don’t over-mash, as you want to keep some of the chunks in tact. It should start to resemble a tuna fish texture.

2. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Drizzle olive oil in at the end only if the mixture is too thick for your liking.

3. Toast the bread and then top with the chickpea salad and some lettuce (optional).

4. Serve with sliced veggies, potato chips or your favorite side!

Don’t forget, let us know what you think!

With love,

Jane