Curried Chickpea Salad

In the South, a salad is a bunch of stuff you find in your kitchen, covered in mayonnaise. So let's just take a minute and praise our sweet Lord for that. We got potato salad, carrot salad, ham salad, chicken salad, fruit salad, the list goes on. Its probably even longer than Bubba's. Making a salad in this style is the perfect way to use up leftovers, and have lunch for a whole week. Usually they are not exactly nutritious, what, being loaded up with mayonnaise and everything, but my vegan take on this classic is as light as they come. Packed full of protein, and bursting with peanuts, this salad is sure to give you enough energy to make it through the car pool loop (or the seventh circle of hell, as I like to call it).

As I said, this recipe is great for leftovers. I usually use the inside pieces of celery, the ones I never deem fit enough to make it into my pasta sauce. I've also always got half an onion hiding in a zip loc in the fridge somewhere. Everything else in the salad is truly customizable. I've made it with carrots, cashews, pistachios, golden raisins, and craisins. Today, I've got plain old raisins and some lightly salted peanuts, cause thats what I had lurking in the pantry. I do prefer to add the juice from a lime. I think it blends well with the somewhat Southeast Asian flavors, and it adds a freshness to something you could possibly be munchin on for a couple days, if it lasts that long of course.

THE BEST VEGAN MAYO! The folks over at Hampton Creek are wonderful people, and they are doing big things for the food industry. Their website states, "Hampton Creek is a company dedicated to making it easy for good people to do the right thing. Whether you're a hip college student or a single mom raising two kids, everyone should be able to eat delicious food that's healthier, sustainable, and affordable." You can even buy Just Mayo at the Dollar Tree! And no, Hampton Creek doesn't sponsor me, or anything like that, I just think they are a bunch of really good people making it easier for everyone to make better choices for themselves and the planet. What could be better than that? This is by far my mayo of choice when I veganize my family's recipes, this salad included!

After I've tossed my mayo and chickpeas, I add about a tablespoon of organic curry powder, and a big ole pinch of turmeric. Turmeric purportedly has a whole host of health benefits, from clearing up brown spots to preventing breast cancer. So eat up! These spices give the salad just the most beautiful golden color as well.

I really could eat this all day, every day! I like it on top of warm, toasty bread, tossed with orzo or quinoa, a scoop atop of gorgeous, green salad, I would eat it off a dirt floor. I hope y'all love this one, it really is one of my favorites!

Curried Chickpea Salad

Author: The Porkless Peg Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

• 2 15 oz cans rinsed and drained chickpeas
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup peanuts
• 1 cup raisins
• Juice from one lime
• 1 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1tsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp honey or agave nectar
• 1 tsp sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Chop and dice red onion and celery
2. Thoroughly rinse and drain chickpeas
3. Add chickpeas and mayo to large bowl and lightly toss
4. Add in veggies, raisins, and peanuts, tossing enough to coat.
5. Mix in lime juice, curry and turmeric, honey or agave, and sriracha if you like it spicy
6. Add salt to taste, and enjoy for up to five days!