Walnut Lime Chickpea Spread

Before I became vegan, one of my favorite treats was braunschweiger. Yep, that decadent liver sausage spread over rye bread and liberally daubed with mustard made lunch my favorite time of the day.

A few years (and a few lengthy research books) later, I discovered that my mealtime treat was full of fat and cholesterol and was likely subtracting years from my life.

Determined to find a substitute, my sous-chef son and I created a healthy version which tastes great and reminds me of the original – but without any of the possible side effects.

The fat from the walnuts combines with the bright, tart lime juice and the creamy chickpeas to satisfy your cravings, but not weigh you down. It’s like a party in your mouth.

Add to that, the fact that it is incredibly inexpensive and easy to make, and you have a dish that this frugal queen fell in love with (even more than the stuff of my childhood memories).

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked chickpeas
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 Tbsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp. Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
• ¼ cup walnuts
• 3 Tbsp lime juice

Instructions

Add all ingredients to the food processor and process until smooth. Refrigerate.

Yield 2 1/4 cups.

Uses for this spread:

• dollop on top baked potatoes
• scoop it with chips or crunchy vegetables
• spread it on bread or toasted corn tortillas
• apply it to crackers as a great snack
• thin it with almond milk for use in casseroles (We use it in our scalloped carrot casserole)

Enjoy!

If you make it, I’d love to know. Drop your comments below or post a photo on social media and tag me @underthemedian.

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