Cold Pea Salad

Here's a recipe from Simply Recipes that's been languishing needlessly in my "to try" file. We really enjoyed this salad as a quick side and I can see making it often in the hot, hot summer to come. Freezy peas and bits of water chestnut, spiced with a bit of curry powder and enhanced with the slight smokiness of the almonds...yum and yum. I halved the amount of almonds and lessened the mayo from the original recipe. I used a light vegan canola mayo that we really like, to which I added a touch of fresh lemon juice for a little more perk.

We ate the cold pea salad as a side to lemon and herb baked tofu and some quinoa mixed with braised kohlrabi greens. I'd never even seen the greens before, but the kohlrabi we got at the farmers market still had the tops on...figured surely you could eat them. I munched a piece, double checked online to make sure they weren't akin to d'em pizzinous rhubarb greens, then braised them with some olive oil, garlic, tamari and a bit of water.

Cold Pea Salad:
(slightly adapted from the recipe discovered on Simply Recipes blog)

16-ounces frozen petite peas (do not thaw)
3 ounces smokehouse almonds, chopped preferably by hand (tamari almonds would also be great in this)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
6-8 ounces chopped water chestnuts (a can is 8oz., but I added less since I was unsure if the Monster would like them. I'd put the whole amount in next time)
a very scant 1/2 cup vegan canola mayonnaise (I only made 1/2 the recipe and used a scant 1/4 cup, so go by that if doubling)
2 tsp yellow curry powder
~1 tsp fresh lemon juice
freshly ground pepper to taste
salt only if needed

In a bowl mix together frozen peas, chestnuts, green onions and almonds.
In a separate small bowl stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and curry powder.
Add mayo mixture to pea mixture.
Add pepper to taste, and you most likely will not need any added salt due to the almonds.
Serve immediately.
If making ahead, leave almonds out until just before serving. Best the day of.