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During November, even though the days become shorter and we no longer enjoy the summer heat and the sun, there are countless reasons to be happy, provided that we can recognize them by experiencing each moment of a day and letting our souls enjoy. One of them is the abundance of fresh, green vegetables one finds in the gardens and on the market stalls. I often like to walk in the crowded farmer’s market on Saturday, just to breathe the scent of freshly picked dill, parsley, spring onions and arugula. Regularly I end up shopping a few bunches of these fantastic greens not because I need them necessarily but just because I feel like filling my kitchen with their colors and aromas.

Besides green aromatic herbs make an exceptional addition not only in cooked but also in cold dishes, enriching them with their characteristic smell, with their taste and a nice, crunchy texture. Depending on the products available each season, one can experiment combining them with different aromatics to create new recipes.
Today, I was craving for the tuna salad of my childhood, but in its peaceful and yet tasty version. Instead of tuna I used black-eyed peas, slightly processed and combined with dill, celery, green onion and red pepper. To achieve a real sea flavor I compined them with edible seaweeds and flaxseed oil, which are the ingredients I use whenever I want to add the sea breeze on the menu. This recipe is an amazing way to enjoy a cruelty-free, gluten-free and vegan “tuna” salad.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup black-eyed peas cooked and drained
  • 1 large carrot peeled and grated
  • 1 red pepper chopped
  • 1 large sprig of celery, peeled and chopped (both stalk and leaves)
  • 1/2 cup dill chopped
  • 2-3 tbsp capers chopped
  • 1 spring onion chopped
  • ¼ cup pickled cucumber chopped
  • small handful of Nori seaweed soaked for a few minutes in water and chopped

for the dressing

  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional but recommended!)
  • 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise of choice
  • 2 tablespoons flaxseed oil (or olive oil but flaxseed oil is recommended)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 ½ tbsp spicy, prepared mustard
  • 1/2 tsp paprika chili powder
  • salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. In a bowl, mash the beans with until crushed, but do not mash completely. They should be crushed into small pieces not pureed, so as to add texture in the salad.
2. Add the chopped vegetables and seaweeds and mix.
3. For the sauce: Mix all the ingredients thoroughly with a whisk or a fork. Drizzle the salad with the sauce, stir and serve on slices of toasted bread or accompanied with vegetable sticks.