Nan's Veggie Tuna

When most Southerner's wax nostalgic about their mother's cooking, it typically involves delicious casseroles, fried chicken or tasty pies. Not me. My lunch bags were packed with avocado & sprout sandwiches, and I came home to dinner of lettuce wedges topped with "Nan's Homemade Ranch" (yes, I have that secret recipe!) This was one of my favorite things my mother made for me. Here's a recipe, although I'm a bit intimidated to make it. It's called "Veggie Tuna," although there is no tuna or meat otherwise. It is given the title because it's very close to a tuna-like consistency. Although I've never made this, I thought I'd share it with you!

Using pulp from juicer: 5 lbs. of carrots run through juicer. Drink the juice and save the pulp for the recipe.
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 bell pepper, chopped fine
1 small red onion, chopped fine
1 large tomato, chopped fine
½ c. Vegenaise
2 tbsp. soy sauce (or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)

Using food processor (makes a smaller quantity)
2 c. processed carrots
½ bell pepper, chopped fine
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
½ small red onion, chopped fine
½ tomato, chopped fine
¼ c. Vegenaise
1 tbsp. soy sauce or Bragg’s

Juice the carrots in an electric juicer. Save the pulp. Finely chop the celery, bell pepper, onion and tomato. Add the pulp of the carrots to the chopped vegetables. Add the mayo substitute to the mixture. Then add Bragg’s or soy sauce. This is great as an open faced sandwich on hearty whole grain bread, topped with a thin tomato and cucumber slice.