Healthy Protein Lunch: Chickpea Sandwich Spread (Vegetarian/Vegan)

I have been sending my better half to work with sandwiches lately. He left the land of scrubs, a fully stocked doctor's lounge, and the comfort of driving a truck to the world of 'Midwestern Ivy' academia--wear crisp shirts and khakis, pay $1.79 for a bad cup of coffee, and take the bus to work. And though he insists he's totally happy with peanut butter and jelly, I'm not happy with that idea.

So....the trick has been finding protein-filled sandwiches that would be safe at room temperature for a few hours (since he hadn't found the department fridge yet). Which usually means, something vegetarian--and to be exact, something vegan for a while. Can't risk anything spoiling and then having him get sick at work.

I read the helpful reviews for this chickpea sandwich spread online and was motivated to try it. After a few adjustments to the recipe (based mainly on what I had), we absolutely love it! It's right up there with this tofu sandwich spread. Both these sandwich spreads are just delicious! And would make creative pita pocket fillings.

This chickpea sandwich spread is also another great replacement for tuna fish. One reviewer said that a member of their family didn't know they weren't eating a tuna fish sandwich while enjoying this sandwich--it was just that good. A couple people used it as dip or stuffed tomatoes with it. I made a double recipe of this sandwich spread and was very glad because it was good as a thick dip with crackers dipped into it (ha). Even my in-laws enjoyed these sandwiches after a long travel day.

Give this spread a try. It's really very, VERY good! Imagine the possibilities you could do with the base of chickpea, vegan mayo and lemon juice!

VEGETARIAN CHICKPEA SANDWICH SPREAD
Adapted from www.allrecipes.com


Below is almost a double recipe--it makes about 6-8 sandwiches.

• 2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 3 stalks celery, diced (mine were on the smaller side)
• 4 green onions, chopped (you can use 1 small onion instead as the original recipe calls for)
• 1/4 cup, or less, vegan mayonnaise (such as Vegenaise--grapeseed variety is the best)
• Juice of about one lemon
• 2 tsp. dried dill
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1) Put the rinsed and drained beans in the bowl of a food processor and process a few times until the texture of the beans is a chunky paste. Because there is very little liquid, the beans won't process to a paste. In fact, you can add a little lemon juice or water to help the processing go smoother. Place the mixture in a medium-large sized bowl.

OR, 

In a medium to large sized bowl, just mash the (garbanzo) beans with the back of a fork until you get the texture you wish--a chunky paste.

2) Then, mix in the celery, onions, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and spices. Add a little water if more liquid is needed.

Store the filling in refrigerator. DELICIOUS!!!! And almost better the next day.

If anyone has any other great vegan/vegetarian sandwich filling ideas, please let me know!

BEST Tofu Sandwich Spread. Like A Fabulous Chicken Salad for Vegetarians.

I have been wanting to try this tofu sandwich spread recipe for years! Recently, my mother in law mentioned she had it at a relative's house and wanted to make it herself. That sealed it--she makes the best sandwich spreads.

We have been in an whirlwind of chaos with life lately and I haven't been in the kitchen as much as I'd like. This is part of the reason--been selling a house! And all the super not-fun stuff that goes with it....if another realtor never calls me again, it will be too soon.

In fact, after discussing this with my funny, honest girlfriends, I realized that the last thing I made for my family was veggie burgers (from a can!) and toppings for Costco frozen pizza--in addition to take out orders. Big fat FAIL in meal-planning. But hey, sometimes you just gotta survive (and let's be honest, I've never been a meal-planning kind of gal--that would require dirty discipline). But, finally this was something quick, easy, and do-able to make that could sort of make me feel like I'm providing for my family. Because I had to make up for the lemon split peas I made from this recipe that my daughter spit out and said, 'GROSS, MOM!' and for the last load of whites I turned pink. Check out the lint proof/shame--anyone else do this since college?

Anyway, we absolutely LOVED this spread! And I think even tofu haters would like eat this spread on a sandwich. It tastes a lot like chicken salad. I imagine it would be delicious served alone on a bed of lettuce for those who like to do low-carb diets, but I'm anxious to try it in a tortilla roll-up.  I think even your kids will eat it...mine was last seen happily munching this and watching Veggie Tales.

The recipe below has been modified based on reviews I read and personalized. What I found to be helpful:

1. Plan ahead--because you will need to freeze the tofu overnight. Something amazing happens when tofu is frozen and thawed--the texture changes considerably--more crumbly. I love to use it in lasagnas after it's been frozen. 
2. To make it vegan, use Grapeseed Vegenaise brand--you can find it at health food stores like Whole Foods. It's the best tasting mayonnaise I've ever had--you will not think 'vegan' when you have it in food. 
3. I used low-sodium soy sauce, and ended up needing to use more than 2 Tbsp. So, keep this in mind if using low-sodium soy sauce. I have not used Bragg's Liquid Aminos, but it may be a good substitute for the soy sauce.
4. This recipe is a great jumping off point for other add-ins. Feel free to add chopped fresh parsley or cilantro. Add curry powder if you prefer. I felt it absolutely necessary to use garlic powder. 
5. I added a little extra lemon juice and some pepper. Taste for seasonings.

TOFU SANDWICH SPREAD
Adapted from allrecipes.com

Makes 4-6 sandwiches (depending on how much filling you use)

• 1 lb. firm tofu (1 package)
• 1 1/2 stalks celery, finely minced
• 2-3 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise 
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce (maybe more if using low-sodium soy sauce)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper

Drain the block of tofu. Wrap it in saran wrap or put it in a ziplock bag and freeze the tofu overnight. Then thaw it out--it's best to leave it out wrapped in paper towels to absorb the excess moisture. Squeeze out any moisture by hand--you can cut it into quarters to make it easier to squeeze out each section.

When the tofu has been dried out as much as possible, crumble it into a medium-sized bowl.

Add celery and green onion to the tofu. Stir in the mayo, soy sauce, lemon juice, and other seasonings until well blended.

Store leftover sandwich spread in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Blue Moon Inn Spread

I had never heard of the Blue Moon Inn in Montgomery, Alabama, but 'pinned' this recipe online. Apparently, this inn has since closed, but their recipes live on--they have a Junior League style cookbook. I've seen this dip/spread also called Famous Blue Moon Inn Pimento Cheese.

When we were in Knoxville a few weekends ago, my mother in law graciously let me play in the kitchen while she watched my daughter and I got to try some new recipes. Here are some pictures that remind me of how much I miss East TN....no matter how many things I have found to enjoy in West TN, there is quite nothing like the feel of God's country--and East TN is God's country (of course many would object and that's totally ok! haha). The fields, the farm stands with mums, the little churches, the farms, the mountains, the century old homes with wrap-around porches, the wild walnuts, the openness...

This dip was one of my trials in the kitchen and we really liked it. It was delicious with pita chips and I think it would be delicious to have as a grilled cheese filling too. We had it on sandwiches with soup one night after we got home. Really good basic dip/spread recipe.

BLUE MOON INN CHEESE SPREAD (OR DIP)

Adapted from Southern Living

Yield: 8 Servings

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise 
• 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives, chopped
• 1/3 cup bottled chili sauce*
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (10-oz.) block sharp Cheddar cheese, finely shredded

Garnish: 

• Sliced pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives
• Assorted vegetables and crackers

Preheat oven to 350°. 
Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Cool 5 minutes; finely chop pecans. (I actually used chopped pecans and baked them a minute or two less)
Stir together mayonnaise and next 3 ingredients until well blended. Stir in cheese and pecans. Garnish, if desired. 
Serve with vegetables and crackers. (I think serving it with a sweet vegetable like red bell pepper strips would be super ideal!)

*We did not have chili sauce and used salsa instead--seemed wonderful with it too!

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Vegetarian Meatball Submarine Sandwiches

Too few people understand a really good sandwich. --James Beard

After some time at the beach and some really rich food...I know we are craving homemade cooking and fresh, healthier food--but I could not resist making a hearty sandwich for dinner. We loved it SO muchthat I had to share in case anyone else is looking for a dinner idea that pleases all ages. You don't need a fork for this dinner either. But get some napkins handy just in case.

You can make the vegetarian meatballs ahead of time--the meatballs themselves are vegan and if you use vegan cheese, this will make for a great vegan meal. There are a THOUSAND recipes for vegetarian meatballs and you can even use frozen meatballs, but I tried my own and they were very good--feel free to experiment with them. It's really hard to mess up using Morningstar Meal Starters.....You can find these products in the freezer section of your grocery store.

We served these hearty meatball sub sandwiches with pears, strawberries, and popcorn chips (yes, they're so good--get them at Costco!).

VEGETARIAN MEATBALL SUBMARINE SANDWICHES

Makes 3-4 big sandwiches or 6-8 half sandwiches

For the meatballs:

• 1 (12 oz) pkg. Morningstar crumblers, defrosted
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs (I used panko style)
• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ~3 Tbsp. nutritional yeast (can be skipped if you don't have it)
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce (I used low sodium)
• 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 tsp. dried minced onions
• 1/8 tsp. gound coriander seed
• Lawry's seasoning salt & ground pepper, to taste--so, a few dashes of each
• ~2 tsp. (or more) of flour (I used white whole wheat)

 To serve:

• 3-4 whole wheat sub rolls
• 6-8 slices of provolone cheese
• ~1-2 cups marinara sauce of your choice
• Italian seasoning (optional)

To make the meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. The flour is used more as a binding agent so if you feel you do not need it, you do not have to use it. Roll the meatball mixture out into meatballs--I wanted bigger meatballs, so I ended up with 13-14 meatballs. If you roll them smaller, you will end up with more meatballs.

Place them on a lined baking sheet and spray them with olive oil cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes and then try to flip them somewhat. Continue to bake them some more for about 8-10 more minutes. They should look crispy from the outside.

To assemble the sandwiches: Slowly heat the marinara sauce over the stovetop or in the microwave (remember to add a paper towel on top so the sauce doesn't splatter all over your microwave). Place 2 pieces of provolone cheese (can cut them in half to make it easier to lay into the sandwiches) into each sandwich--you may only want to use 1 piece for a half sandwich. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, if desired. Broil until cheese melts and bread starts to get crispy and then take them out.

Spread the warmed marinara sauce on the other half of the bread (the one not covered with cheese) and lay your meatballs into the sandwich--you can reheat your meatballs in the microwave if they have cooled down. Serve open faced for the eater to close or close the sandwich on your own and serve.

Enjoy!! These sandwiches are marvelous and SO easy!

Salsa Sloppy Joes

Ok, so despite the not-so-appetizing picture, this dinner will please your family. I don't know how to make sloppy joes look good. But this is another recipe that is simple, healthy, fast.

I prefer to buy organic ground turkey breast (at Whole Foods)--as snobby as that sounds, it really seems to make a difference in the taste of some recipes. Since I only cook meat 2-3 times a month, the organic meat cost can be somewhat justified.

Normally, I make Martha Stewart's sloppy joe recipe, but this time I wanted to try something different--a deviation from the overwhelming ketcup flavor of typical sloppy joes. We really enjoyed it and it feels fantastic to get dinner out on the table within 30 minutes.

SALSA SLOPPY JOE'S

Serves 6-8 (depending on how meaty you like them) 

• 1-1 1/4 lb. extra lean ground turkey, organic preferred
• 2 cups salsa (~16 oz. jar)--we prefer the Herdez brand
• 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 garlic clove, crushed or minced finely
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped 
• Salt (or Lawry's seasoned salt) & pepper, to taste
• A dash of oregano and a dash of chili powder

For serving:

• 6-8 hamburger buns-split, preferably whole grain
• 6-8 slices of Cheddar cheese or Colby Jack cheese

In a large skillet (sprayed with Pam or other non-stick cooking spray), cook turkey over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink--breaking it up with a spoon/spatula. If turkey starts to stick to the skillet, add some salsa and continue to stir.

When turkey has cooked through, stir in the rest of the salsa, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and green pepper. Add seasonings. Cook until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Add a piece of cheese to each bun (sometimes we add a piece to each side!) and fill or spoon the sloppy joe mixture on top of the buns. Serve warm. With a stack of napkins.

If McDonald's Made A Healthier Egg McMuffin

This is what I imagine it would be:

Thank you to my sweet friend Erinn for serving us french press coffee, pumpkin muffins, and these egg sandwiches on our recent visit to Charlotte, NC. I really like being a spoiled houseguest....

HEALTHIER EGG MCMUFFINS

For every sandwich, you will need:
1 fried egg
1 english muffin (we used regular, but you can go on with your healthy self and try whole wheat)
1 slice of cheese (Havarti was particularly delicious)
1 handful of spinach
1 tomato slice
salt & pepper
1 veggie sausage pattie, like Morningstar Farms brand (optional)
*Condiments of your choice

Toast the english muffins while you are frying the eggs.(Buttering the english muffins is up to you) Assemble the sandwiches to your liking and dress with mayo, mustard, barbeque sauce, etc.

*For something different, try one of my favorite condiments:
Equal amounts of (Vegennaise) mayo, mustard and pesto. --I HIGHLY recommend trying this condiment either as a dipping sauce with chicken tenders (especially the vegetarian ones like Morningstar brand) or as a spread on sandwiches-like the one above.

And this is the glee that comes from getting to eat a 'lunch'-type food for breakfast....