Creamy Cashew Chicken Salad

Does anyone else eat weird breakfasts?  For instance, through middle school, I at a PB&J sandwich every day at the bus stop at the crack of dawn.  After awhile, if I brought a waffle instead, my classmates found that strange.  Well, my eclectic breakfast habits have only elevated since then... I woke up this morning, opened my fridge, and passed up my yogurt, fruit, etc and decided I wanted chicken salad.  So I made chicken salad, but not just any heavy, oily chicken salad--this is special chicken salad--guilt-free chicken salad.  Cashews provide the creaminess, while white grape juice concentrate lends a tangy sweetness, all punctuated by crunchy grapes, celery and just a hint of soy sauce.  This stuff made me a chicken salad believer.

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• 2 (12.5oz) cans or 1 1/2lb (cooked and cubed) chicken
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 6 Tbs white grape juice concentrate
• ½ shallot chopped
• 2 tsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1 ½ Tbs chives, chopped
• 1 ½ cup halved green grapes
• 2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries (optional)

1. In a food processor (or a really fantastic blender like a VitaMix or Blendtec) combine the cashews, grape juice concentrate, shallot, and soy sauce.  Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
2. In a large bowl, pour your sauce over the chicken, celery, and grapes.  Stir until the mixture is evenly coated.  Add the chives and cranberries.
3. Eat alone, with crackers, on a sandwich, or however you please!  It keeps at least a week in the fridge (I've never had it last any longer...)

Notes:

• If you like your sauce even creamier, you can add more cashews until you reach your desired consistency.
• I buy cashew pieces, because they are cheaper than whole cashews, and they ultimately get ground up anyways.  Trader Joe's has excellent prices on their nuts.

Yields about 5 cups.