Open Faced Sloppy Lentils

These are really great sandwiches. They weren't originally supposed to be open-faced, but I couldn't eat them in a traditional way. The other suggestion I have would be to serve the filling on hoagies.

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fresh spinach
2 tomatoes, diced
3/4 cups green or brown lentils
1 diced green bell pepper
1½ cups marinara sauce

8 slices of whole grain bread (or 4 hoagies)

Directions:

1. Add lentils to a saucepan of water. Bring to boil, then reduce to low to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Drain and rinse when cooked.
2.  Sauté garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, until fragrant. 
3. Add spinach and tomatoes, continuing to cook until spinach turns dark green and tomatoes soften. 
4. Stir in cooked lentils, and marinara sauce until combined. 
5. Spoon onto bread (or hoagies) and serve.

Notes:
Serves 4 sandwiches
Per serving: 403 calories, 8.2g fat, 67.7g carbs, 20.6g fiber, 13g sugars, 18.5g protein

KTTA aka BLTA

This is a great compliment to an ear of corn on the cob. Recipe is based off a meal from the Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor. 

Ingredients:
water
liquid smoke
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp pure maple syrup
3-4 oz extra-firm tofu, sliced into 3
2 slices bread
1 cup kale, chop
1 tomato, sliced
2-oz guacamole

Directions:

1. Toast bread (optional.)
2. Spread guacamole on bread slices.
3. Add 1/4 cup water, a tad of liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, and maple syrup to a skillet. Whisk together.
4. Ad tofu and cook over medium heat, turning regularly, until it starts to caramelize. This is now the "bacon" part of a BLTA.
5. Make sandwich with kale, tomato slices, and tofu "bacon".

Notes:

• Serves 1.
• Original recipe called for one portabello mushroom stemmed and sliced instead of tofu.
• Original recipe per serving: 384 calories, 12.5g fat, 58.1g carbs, 12.9g fiber, 15.6g sugar, and 12.7g protein.
• You can use a gluten-free tortilla instead of bread and make a wrap.
• You can use hummus instead of guacamole.

Sloppy Lentil Joes

I'll admit that my family was a little skeptical of these. The kids turned them down outright because of the green bell pepper. However, they were super easy and quick to make and will be a go-to for me. I got the original recipe from Happy Herbivore Meal Mentor. 

Ingredients:
oil
1 onion, diced 
4 garlic cloves, minced 
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced 
2 tsp chili powder 
1-2 tsp Italian seasoning 
2 cups cooked lentils 
1 cup salsa 
1 cup marinara sauce 
4 buns or tortillas

Directions:

1. Sauté onion, garlic, and bell pepper until onion is translucent and bell peppers have softened. 
2. Stir in spices to coat well. 
3. Add cooked lentils, salsa and marinara sauce, stirring to combine. 
4. Continue to cook over low, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly warm and reduced slightly. 
5. Spoon onto buns and serve. 

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 410 calories, 4.6g fat, 70.9g carbs, 23g fiber, 14.2g sugars, 22.7g protein
• For a serving for two (pictured one of two servings) use: ½ small onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced; 1 tsp chili powder; ½ tsp dried oregano; 1 cup cooked lentils; ½ cup salsa; ½ cup marinara sauce; 4 slices bread
• Omnivores could throw in a ground meat of their choice as well.

Entree: BBQ Sandwich

This is a vegan BBQ sandwich. I had my first pulled "pork" sandwich at Portage Bay Cafe. The consistency was very true to a pulled pork sandwich. I wasn't a fan of their sauce, but I took note of the description and decided to give it a go on my own.

First, you need young green jackfruit. The ripe jackfruit is a fruit like any fruit and is sweet and often served for dessert. However, I found at Uwajimaya the canned young green jackfruit in brine. You can also find it on amazon.

Second, you pick your favorite BBQ sauce. I made a Brown Sugar and Jack Daniels Stillhouse Sauce. I think having some acidity is key. This sauce ended up being slightly too sweet on the jackfruit, so I still need to find the right one. This aspect is so individual, that it really does matter on your own taste.

Ingredients:
2 cups barbecue sauce of your choice
2 cans of Young Green Jackfruit, drained and rinsed

Directions:

1. Combine sauce and jackfruit in a slowcooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so. Eventually, the fruit start to fall apart.
2. Use forks to "pull" the jackfruit.

Other Details:

• Serves 4

Sweet Potato Sandwich Spread

I'm not much of a sauce or spread person. But, since becoming vegan, I have embraced it a little more. Making your own spreads at home really helps. I'll add some notes at the bottom, about specific use and taste, but let me just say that when I spread this on a roll, added Tofurky, grape tomatoes, spinach, and a bit of Daiya Mozzarella-style shreds, I had one of the best sandwiches ever. All those flavors really melded together with the sandwich spread. The spread is okay on its own or just spread on bread or crackers, but it shines in a full-on sandwich.

I am a fan of Finding Vegan and saw the recipe originally posted through their site. This is a The Family Kitchen recipe. The recipe below is exactly how I made it.

Ingredients:
1 large baked sweet potato, flesh only (producing about a cup)
1/2 cup walnuts
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
pinch fresh ground pepper
2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp canola oil

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients in a Vitamix, blender or food processor until smooth.

Other Details

• Makes about 1 cup
• Original Recipe
• I think the original recipe used yams (based on the color of orange in the photo). Yams and sweet potatoes are often considered interchangeable. I baked my sweet potato fresh, but you can use leftovers. If using sweetened leftovers, do not add additional sweetener.
• Make the spread more hummus-like by using 1/2 cup canned chickpeas instead of walnuts, or try another nut. The walnuts gave it a great nutty flavor.
• You can use red pepper or another spice instead of cinnamon. You are making this spread for you, so make what you like!
• Pick your favorite oil. If you use an olive oil or a truffle oil, you will add that flavor. (Now I'm thinking I should have used the Riesling oil we have - it's just a drizzle of oil really.)

Entree: Honey & Cheese Panini

This is pretty easy. You buy a nice loaf of bread for paninis (unsliced and slice yourself), spread honey on one side of the bread and butter on the other, put cheese (we use Beecher's Flagship) between and grill on a medium-high heated panini pan. It's a favorite, it's comfort food, it's been popular when served to guests at my home.

Ingredients:
Loaf of french bread or other good sandwich bread
good quality cheese
butter

a panini pan helps

Directions:

1. Preheat your panini pan to medium-high.
2. Slice your bread into 1/2" thick slices.
3. Slice your cheese into normal cheese slice thickness.
4. Butter one side of each slice of bread with butter.
5. Spread honey on the other side of half the slices of bread.
6. Match each honeyed slice up with a non-honeyed slice. Butter side down, place on panini pan, add a layer (or two) of cheese, place other buttered slice on top, butter side up. Place panini lid on top. Cook until golden brown, the flip and cook the other side to same.
7. Enjoy with a bowl of soup for good, homemade comfort food!

Entree: Hammies

We got this recipe from The Tasty Kitchen part of The Pioneer Woman's (Ree Drummond) food site.  This is actually a derivative Cuban sandwich.

Ingredients:
16 ounces, weight Thin Sliced Deli Ham
12 slices Swiss Cheese
1 package King Hawaiian Rolls, 12 Count
½ cups Butter, Melted
2 teaspoons Onion Flakes
1 teaspoon Poppy Seeds
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
½ teaspoons Ground Mustard

Directions:

1. Put ham and cheese in between sliced rolls. Mix all other ingredients and spoon over sandwiches. 
2. Let set overnight or several hours.
3. Bake on 350F for 15 min before serving.

Other Details:

• Nutrition is per hammie (1/12th of recipe)
• Original Recipe
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