If you like tuna salad you will love this raw, vegan alternative! It's delicious and full of protein in the form of enzymes and other bioavailable amino acids. It's also full of antioxidants including the incredibly healing and rejuvenating vitamin E. So easy to make and you won't miss the fish at all.
And if you are interested in the reasons not to eat tuna fish, click
here to find out more.
Mock Tuna Salad
Ingredients:
2 cups sunflower seeds (soaked for 8 hours)
1&1/2 cup almonds (soaked for 8 hours- 1/2 cup of almonds will be used for the almond mayo)
1/2 cup filtered water
1/4 cup cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped (will be pureed in blender)
2 tsp tumeric
zest from 1 lemon
juice from 2 lemons
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup red onion, diced
1/2 cultured relish
1/4 cup wakame flakes (this seaweed adds the tuna fishy flavor to the salad-if you don't have it, get it but in the meantime, leave it out and have "chicken" salad instead ;) )
1/4-1/2 cup of sundried tomato water (this is simply the leftover water after rehydrating sun-dried tomatoes..great alternative to salt or soy-based products like Bragg's liquid aminos or Nama Shoyu)
salt (optional) and pepper, to taste
1) Start by making the almond mayo. Put 1 cup of the soaked almonds into a blender with the filtered water (start with a 1/2 cup and you may need to add more), the garlic clove, the lemon juice, the tumeric and 3 tablespoons of sun-dried tomato water. Start the blender on a slow speed. At first you may need to help the ingredients in the blender along with a spatula, stopping the blender to push the mixture down, off the sides.
2) Once the mixture starts to puree, increase the blender speed and slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Blend until completely smooth and actually resembles mayonaise. Place almond mayo in a bowl, cover and set aside.
3) In a food processor, pulse the sunflower seeds and remaining almonds. Leave a little chunkiness to the nuts and seeds for texture.
4) In a bowl, add the chopped nuts and seeds, the celery, red onion, relish, wakame, lemon zest and the almond mayo you made in steps 1 & 2. Combine thoroughly. Add more sun-dried tomato water or salt and pepper to your liking.
The "tuna" salad tastes best when it's had a chance to sit for a few hours to allow the flavors to really come together. I recommend making it the night before you plan to serve it. Serve it with veggies, on a bed of greens or even on a slice of whole wheat toast (Try Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted bread). ENJOY!