I love mayo unlike a lot of people, so the pic from this recipe from createmindfully.com caught my eye. It looked like a hearty chicken salad sandwich — except it was vegan. I doubted a mixture of tahini and mashed chickpeas could taste like chicken salad but I was wrong! When everything blended together, it made sense and seriously reminded me of chicken salad. It’s super-easy to prepare. All you need is a bowl and fork.

I highly recommend trying this recipe at least once if you’re moving towards plant-based meals. It’s creamy and rich but has crunch from the nuts and apples, and slight sweetness from the fruit. You could eat a big scoop alone for breakfast or lunch, or on a few whole grain crackers, a rice cake, or a low-carb high-fiber wrap like Tumaro’s (contains 5-6 grams net carbs). FYI, net carbs = total carbs minus the fiber.

I meet so many people with diabetes who think they can’t eat beans or fruit because of the carbohydrate. Beans contain fiber and something called resistant starch (takes longer to digest in the gut, which prevents surges in blood sugar). Regarding fruit, if you were to eat several cups in one sitting and you were already having difficulty controlling your blood sugar, then yes maybe it could raise your numbers. But in controlled amounts, no problem, as the fiber and high water content in a piece of fruit prevents spikes. This recipe contains only a small amount of chopped fruit and raisins.

The original recipe is easy enough but I included my version below with some modifications:

Chickpea Almond Salad

(makes about 2 servings)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl add 1/4 cup tahini, 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and pinch of salt. Stir well.
2. Add to the mixture half of a 15-ounce can of drained chickpeas (the original recipe used a whole can but I only needed half — just use as much as you like). Roughly mash the chickpeas with a fork until the mixture is pasty and holds together.
3. Add the following in the amounts you prefer: diced apple, sliced almonds (or any chopped nuts), and a tablespoon or two of raisins or craisins. Stir together again.

Enjoy!!