THUG COOK BOOK RECIPE #2

This recipe sounded so weird that I was compelled to make it (afterall, like attracts like.)
SMOKED ALMOND AND CHICKPEA SALAD SAMMIES. 
Huh?
"You don't even know about this sandwich. Like goddamn, we can't even......just fucking make it. Trust."
page 53.
As a not so big a fan of liquid smoke, the new name is ALMOND AND CHICKPEA SALAD SAMMIES, but I will give you both the original recipe (in black) and then my changes (in purple).

Ingredients for almonds:
2 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke no thank you! I omitted.
1/2 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon extra virgin cold pressed olive oil (not to be pompous, it's just way better for you)
1 teaspoon soy sauce, Tamari or Bragg's 2 teaspoons Tamari
1 teaspoons maple syrup 3 teaspoons
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast 3 teaspoons 
* this is a flaky substance that offers an excellent, much needed source of b12 for vegetarians who don't get enough (since the big source is animal meat). It has a pungent, Parmesan cheese type flavour. Pretty yummy sprinkled on Kale chips or popcorn.  Once opened, keep it in the fridge. You can find it in the Natural Value dept. of your grocery store or any health food store and it looks like this: 

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika  didn't have smoked, just used paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup raw almonds  Nut allergy? Try pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Increase to 1 cup
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Sammies
3 cups cooked chickpeas 1 19 oz. can organic chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 avocado
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup chopped red onion  diced 1/2 a red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill used cilantro, but I don't think you need either
1/3 cup chopped celery 2 ribs of the PC organic celery hearts (they are smaller)
1-2 teaspoons of your favourite hot sauce  2 teaspoons minimum!
1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
ground pepper to taste 


Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Lined baking sheet with parchment paper instead (way cleaner, but not to be mistaken for wax paper!). 
To make almonds: Mix together all the liquid ingredients in a small bowl and combine the nutritional yeast, paprika and garlic powder in a separate bowl. WHY? I added everything to one bowl and whisked it all together. Why dirty two bowls.
Throw the almonds in and make sure they are well covered.
Lay them on the baking sheet, toast them for 10 minutes. (it says to stir them and put them in for another 5. Don't bother!)
Take them out and let those sons of bitches cool.
While all that shit is happening, add the chickpeas, avocado and lemon juice to a big bowl and mash the fuck out of them. (I used a potato masher and looked at it as a great bicep/tricep work out. Otherwise, use a food processor! Chickpeas are really annoying to mash. Just saying.)
Some chunks are fine, whatever you like. Fold in the onion, dill (no thanks), celery, hot sauce, salt and pepper and mix it all together. Once the almonds have cooled, chop them up and add them  (this is a bit messy). I added more salt and hot sauce. Taste it and season if needed.
Serve up this badass filling on some toasted, clean bread (ACE bakery, Rideau Bakery Rye, Rudolph's, Lebanese pita - any bread with only 4-5 ingredients in it's list) with Dijon mustard, lettuce and tomato. This is best enjoyed the day it's made; it keeps in the fridge but you might lose some of that crunch. 
Inner Athlete, Denise, had a great idea: use it to fill the extra celery left over from what you bought for the recipe!
My husband, Josh, had a great idea too. Make them into patties and lightly fry them in a small amount of grapeseed, extra virgin olive oil, or coconut oil. Serve with or on top of greens.
Okay, so it is a bit odd, but strangely addictive. Try it and let me know what you think. ;)