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NEXT MAIN MENU PREVIOUS Chickpea-Jackfruit Free the Tuna Salad I’ll admit it: I never ate fish growing up. Not for any highfalutin ethical reasons but I was just always disgusted by the idea. (Meanwhile, I ate cows, chickens, pigs, etc. so you can draw your own conclusions.) Because I never even liked anything remotely fishy, seaweed was off the table, but my son’s love of veggie maki rolls and miso soup taught me that they were acceptable. I’m always looking for more sandwich filling material and ways for using jackfruit so I came up with this recipe. I am kind of doubtful that it tastes like tuna salad for those of you who were fans but if you use the optional seaweed and just enjoy this spread on its own merits, I think you won’t be disappointed. Crunchy with veggies, packed with satiating protein and full of zesty, rich flavor, this quick-to-make and affordable recipe is a tasty mash you can enjoy anytime.     Chickpea-Jackfruit Free the Tuna Salad 10-oz. can jackfruit, water-packed, drained and rinsed 15.5 oz. chickpeas, drained and rinsed ½ cup curly parsley, stems removed, minced 2 ribs celery, diced ¼ red onion, diced 2 tablespoons dill pickle, diced 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise, commercial or homemade (looking for low-oil/fat? This one may work.) 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard 1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons celery seeds 1 teaspoon garlic granules 1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder 1 teaspoon or more kelp or dulse seaweed powder, optional 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, optional Salt and pepper to taste Pulse the drained jackfruit in a food processor until it is broken up into smaller strings. Add the chickpeas and pulse together until incorporated together and the chickpeas are broken into crumbles. Do not over mix! This will create an unfortunate mush. Remove from the food processor and place in a large bowl, Add the parsley, celery, onions, and dill pickle. In a mixing cup, stir together the rest of the ingredients with a spoon and add to the bowl with the jackfruit-chickpeas. Mix together until combined. If you have some time to wait, you can let the flavors meld for an hour or so and that is ideal. Otherwise, it’s delicious and ready to enjoy.  © 2013-2016, Vegan Street