My husband and I are on an oil-free diet, so those ingredients are optional and unnecessary in our version. We like to eat these sandwiches with Linda Nagata’s pickles.

Ingredients:

• 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp. Dijon or spicy brown mustard
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup or agave nectar
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup diced celery
• ¼ cup diced pickle
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained and loosely chopped
• Healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper OR substitute furikake to taste (furikake = a Japanese seasoning that typically consists of a mixture of dried fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, salt, and monosodium glutamate)
• 1 tbsp. roasted unsalted sunflower seeds (optional)
• 3 tbsp. tahini (optional)

Directions:

1. Place the chickpeas in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork, leaving only a few beans whole.
2. Add tahini (optional), mustard, maple syrup, red onion, celery, pickle, capers, salt and pepper (or furikake), and sunflower seeds (optional) to mixing bowl.
3. Mix to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
4. Toast bread if desired, and prepare any other desired sandwich toppings (such as lettuce, tomato, and onion).
5. Scoop a healthy amount of the chickpea mixture (about ½ cup) onto one slice of bread, add desired toppings, and top with second slice of bread.
6. Repeat for additional sandwiches. Makes app. 4 sandwiches.

– Submitted by Sherri Yee