Chickenless Waldorf Salad

Ever since I became a vegetarian, I've experimented with different ways to enjoy the foods I once loved, but without the meat. That has the potential to be difficult, especially when animal protein is the main star of the dish. I have tried several different meat substitutes, like Morningstar and Boca and tofu and tempeh, but I have decided that none of those are for me. I even tried Tofurkey brand polish sausage (I was craving sausage with sauerkraut and mustard) but it gave me the worst stomach ache in the world! Turns out, the primary ingredient in it was wheat gluten, a big no no for me. That was all fine and good, though, because it helped me to get away from the notion that I had to have meat-like substances.

I have seen a few recipes floating around the internet about a mock chicken/tuna/egg type salad, made with chickpeas. I have grown to love those little orbs of vegetable protein goodness, so I thought I'd give it a shot! As with many meat dishes that I used to love, I've found that it isn't always the meat that lends the dish a specific flavor, it is more the seasoning used to flavor it.

Yesterday was another of those dreadfully busy days that left me little time for food preparation. I completed my order of 30 dozen tortillas, delivered them, made after school snacks for the kids, and hurried off to see the high school volleyball team play, where my 7th grade daughter's team was to be introduced. This left me a window of about 15 minutes to make something to eat, eat it, and rest. HA! Daddio made sandwiches for himself and the kids and I made this amazing Chickenless Waldorf salad. It did NOT disappoint! My oldest daughter really loved this. (Please forgive the lack of fancy servingware...it was all I could do to fold the dang paper towel in fourths!)

Chickenless Waldorf Salad

 

For two sandwiches, you will need

 

1/2 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 T minced celery

2 t minced onion

8 grapes, halved

2 T chopped walnuts or pecans

1-2 T vegan mayo (I used the soy-free Veganaise)

celery salt

pepper

 

In a bowl, lightly mash the chickpeas with a fork. They should be coarse, not mushy. Add the celery, onion, grapes, and nuts. Mix in the mayo, starting with 1 tablespoon (add more to your liking, if desired). Season with pepper and celery salt, which is the seasoning that lends the salad its own distinctive flavor. Mmm I love celery salt!

 

You can make a sandwich out of this, serve it with crackers, eat it on a bed of lettuce, in a pita, stuffed into hollowed out tomatoes. Whatever you like! I had mine on a slice of sprouted sourdough toast, which is the only way I can tolerate wheat.

 

Enjoy!