Sandwich Challenge!

I’ve been back in school for just three weeks, and I’m already complaining that I don’t have enough good sandwich ideas.  There are vegetarian cold cuts on the market, but I find them terribly disappointing.  They have a strong wheaty flavor and grainy texture.  Vegan BLTs are delicious, but tomatoes make for a soggy sandwich unless you plan to eat it right away, so that’s not the best candidate for taking to school.  I love a good hummus-and-veggies sandwich or, of course, the classic PB&J, but those are starting to get old.  What is a vegan to do?  Well, I decided to stop complaining and challenge myself to come up with some new ideas.  I started by trying to think of new twists on sandwiches that I’ve enjoyed in the past.  I thought of a chickpea salad that I’ve made a couple of times: http://www.food.com/recipe/insanely-easy-chickpea-salad-147439

It was good, but I decided that I would like it better with white beans.  Then I decided to add other Tuscan flavors to make it more exciting.  Here’s what I came up with:

Tuscan White Bean Salad

• 1 can white beans
• 1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
• 2 tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves roasted garlic
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

Drain and rinse the white beans, then dump them into a bowl and mash them about halfway with a fork or other mashing implement.  Stir in the artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and parsley.

In another, smaller bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.  Pour over the bean mixture and stir well.  Taste, and adjust the amounts.

Enjoy on bread or a bed of field greens or stuffed into a tomato.

• 1 can white beans: $0.89
• 1 can artichoke hearts, chopped: $1.99
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced: $0.49
• 2 tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped: $0.60
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil: $0.10
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar: $0.03
• 2 cloves roasted garlic: $0.10
• juice of 1 lemon: $0.25

…all from Trader Joe’s

=$4.45/5 sandwiches = $0.89 + $0.31 for bread

=$1.20/sandwich! 

Try buying anything for $1.20 in the campus cafeteria.

Later I remembered that, this being the 21st century and all, there isn’t a problem that Google can’t fix, so I Googled “Vegan Sandwiches” and found this list of 50 mouthwatering ideas.  The names of the sandwiches are pretty funny too.  Check it out:

http://vegansoulpower.blogspot.com/2011/02/50-vegan-sandwiches.html

Then, as if she had been reading my mind, my lovely former professor/colleague/mentor/good friend DeAnna posted this recipe for a sweet potato spread on my Facebook wall:

http://vegetariansalmon.wordpress.com/2011/05/17/sweet-potato-spread/

Thanks, DeAnna!  I can’t wait to blog about that.

And now I am issuing myself a challenge.  I’m going to TRY to try a different vegan sandwich every week from now until I get too crazy busy grading final papers.  Ideas are welcome!