Creamy Smashed Chickpea & Dill Sandwiches on Sourdough

Wash 1 celery stalk and finely dice it to yield about 60 g. (To prep ahead, submerge the diced celery in a small container of fresh water and seal it; this keeps it ultra-crisp. Drain and pat dry before using).

Open 1 can (400 g) of chickpeas, drain them in a colander, and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Transfer the drained chickpeas to a medium bowl.

Use a potato masher or the back of a sturdy fork to mash the chickpeas until most are crushed but some texture and whole pieces remain.

To the mashed chickpeas, add the diced celery, 60 ml light mayonnaise, 10 g finely chopped fresh dill, 15 ml fresh lemon juice squeezed from the half lemon, 10 ml Dijon mustard, and 30 g finely minced red onion. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper, then stir thoroughly to combine.

Toast 4 slices of sourdough bread in a toaster or dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden. Let them cool slightly to prevent the steam from wilting the greens.

Assemble the sandwiches by laying out 2 slices of sourdough. Divide 40 g of washed and dried fresh spinach leaves evenly between them. Top each with half of the creamy chickpea salad mixture, then top with the remaining 2 slices of sourdough.

To pack for travel, wrap each sandwich tightly in parchment paper or beeswax wrap to hold the filling in place, then store in a hard-sided lunchbox container to prevent crushing.