Veganizing NaNa's Chicken Salad

We're going to a pot luck today. I had mentioned to my husband a couple days ago something about finding a recipe for vegan chicken salad, so he asked me to make some for this party.  I sent my mom a FaceBook message asking for NaNa's recipe at like 2 AM last night, and like the super star ninja she is.... My mom had the recipe typed up and waiting in my message box by 7:30 AM.  How can a person be so on point?

Here's what she sent me....
NaNa's Chicken Salad Recipe:

1/2 cup mayo 
1 tb lemon juice 
1/4 tsp ground black pepper 
2 cups chopped chicken 
1/2 cup Blanched Silver Almonds (you need to toast your almonds) 
1 stalk celery, chopped 


that's it...of course she always threw extra mayo in it to suit her and we always had it on toast!


And here's what I replied back:


Thank you! I'm gonna veganize it and then post the recipe. I'll let u know how it turns out!

Of course, I'm gonna alter that recipe to suit me, too.

We always had NaNa's chicken salad on white bread, Butternut, to be exact.  Yesterday, I wrote a blog entry about pancakes and discussed bleached flour, and why it's the devil.  Where there's flour bleaching, there's white bread.  So this just won't do in my kitchen.

I also did a little bit of research on vegan chicken salad last night, followed by inquiry into what makes the best chicken salad, generally.  Here are some links to resources.

Good lookin' vegan chicken salad recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/vegan-chicken-salad-257317

Outstanding blog article on 101 ways to make chicken salad. I really like the way they have organized options of ingredients:
http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/chicken-recipes/chicken-salad-recipe/

Here's MY veganized version of NaNa's Chicken Salad:

• 2 packages of fake chicken (I used Gardein Chick'N Strips)
• 1 tablespoon Dr. Braggs aminos
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Nayonaise "original" (can also use Veganese) 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (Santa Cruz organic)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley 
• 1/2 cup chopped and roasted pecans
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 stalk chopped celery 

Cook the fake chicken in the Dr. Braggs in a skillet. Put in freezer to cool.  Take out and chop up.

Mix all other ingredients together in a bowl.  You have your vegan chicken salad.

I decided to put it on Mestemacher Sunflower Seed Bread with whole rye kernels.  I'd never had this stuff before. It comes shrink wrapped in a small package.  I sliced it and toasted it.  Add a little Earth Balance, and then chicken salad, and you'll have a delicious sandwich.