Chapter 2

HEALTHWICHING

THE NEXT TIME YOU BITE INTO ANYTHING FROM A ROAST TURKEY TO A TUNA club, congratulate yourself for having made an extremely healthful choice. Sandwiches rely on balanced ingredient ratios, easy assembly, and whole foods—meaning they’re a practically effortless way to eat very well.

Only so much can fit between two slices of bread, and a good mix of ingredients is essential for maximum flavor. As luck would have it, that same harmony of variety and moderation is just as important to good health. Meats, cheeses, sauces, and oils can be fattening in large quantities, for example. But scale your portions to sandwich-size and you’re downplaying those hazards, while getting critical building blocks for energy, stamina, and nerve function. Vegetables, fruits, and spices—for their part—add texture and punch, while helping the body function optimally and fight off disease. Each offers unique benefits, so stuffing your sandwich with several different kinds is as good for your body as your palate. And grains, when they’re whole and served in sensible portions, keep metabolism going throughout the day.

Because sandwiches are, ultimately, assembled, it’s also easy to adjust them to individual needs. Be it for weight-loss or a food intolerance, going light on or eliminating say, a piece of cheese, means nothing more than skipping that step. You don’t have to readjust an entire recipe.

Indeed, the very simplicity of these dishes can promote health. Choose a quality prosciutto over processed ham and you’ll be rewarded with big flavor and fewer harmful additives. Look for great, ripe produce and you’re making good taste as simple and goodfor-you as can be; there’s no need to over-sauce, salt, or sweeten. At their best, sandwiches can be a natural, deliciously nonrestrictive path to staying well. Here, what you should know to make the most of them.

SLOW FOOD: An Overview

by Jerusha Klempurer, Networks and Partnerships Program Manager at Slow Food USA

 

Slow Food is a movement, a philosophy, and a worldwide organization, forming a network of chapters all over the globe, with nearly 250 in the United States alone. It began in Italy in the late 1980s as a response to the explosion of fast food chains around the country, most egregiously the one on the Spanish Steps in Rome. Slow food is the opposite of fast food—so that means if it’s made with real, fresh ingredients, if it’s connected somehow to the place where it’s made, if it’s delicious and nourishing, and you’re not eating it alone in your car, it might just be slow food. Sandwiches, with their throw-it-together appeal, are one of the easiest ways to get in on the movement.

SIX WAYS TO INCORPORATE SANDWICHES INTO THE SLOW FOOD PHILOSOPHY:

1. Look for fresh-baked. Be it something from your bread machine, or bought from a local baker, you’ll be supporting an artisan and your community, as well as cutting out a whole bunch of additives and preservatives.

2. Choose in-season produce. Is it finally asparagus season? Put those bad boys on a sandwich. Add tomatoes? Best. Sandwich. Ever. Food that’s in season is ripe, which translates to delicious, luscious taste and maximum nutritional value. You’re also helping make sure farms and soil are thriving in the most natural way possible.

3. Take advantage of what’s around you. Find a producer near you who makes terrific cheese or outstanding salami. Or maybe pickles or chutney from your local farmer. Helping these people thrive is ensuring that good, real food continues to have a place in our diet. Plus, you’re eating food that hasn’t used a ton of fossil fuels to be transported to you.

4. Add an ingredient you love. Food should bring pleasure. A sandwich is basically a vehicle for whatever it is you go cuckoo for.

5. Consider making at least two sandwiches. This isn’t so you can overeat, it’s so you can eat with friends/family—slow food is about eating together.

6. Have a seat, pop a squat. Even though a sandwich is the perfectly portable meal, it’s nice to be a little mindful and enjoy what you’re eating by taking the time to sit down.

WELLNESS: Sandwiches as nutrient powerhouses

by Keri Glassman, nutritionist and antioxidant expert

 

Foods rich in antioxidants are some of the lowest in calories and best for you, promoting energy, strength, and mental focus by combating free radical damage caused by UV exposure, environmental pollution, stress, and even some foods we eat. A diet rich in antioxidants will help maintain healthy brain function, protect against cancers, prevent heart disease, slow down the aging process, improve overall health, and promote weight loss.

SEVEN EASY TIPS FOR USING ANTIOXIDANTS TO SEND YOUR SANDWICH’S NUTRITION THROUGH THE ROOF:

1. Look for color. A quick way to choose high-antioxidant foods is to go by color. The darker or more vivid, the more nutritious your choice. In particular, a deep yellow, orange, or red pigment signals the presence of carotenoids, especially potent antioxidants. You’ve probably heard of many of them: Beta carotene, for example, is found in several foods that are orange in color, including sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, pumpkin, and mangos. Some green leafy vegetables (such as collard greens, spinach, and kale) are also strong sources. Lycopene, for its part, comes from tomatoes, among other foods. Lutein—best known for its association with healthy eyes—is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.

 

2. Add a slice of avocado. The vitamin E in avocados acts as an antioxidant to stop free radicals from damaging organs in the body, especially the heart. On the phytochemical front, avocados contain glutathione, an antioxidant with anti-carcinogenic potential. Plus, avocados are full of monounsaturated fat, which may reduce your risk of developing atherosclerosis and may increase your HDL (good cholesterol) levels.

 

3. Slip in yellow or red peppers. Yellow and red peppers have twice the amount of vitamin C as green peppers—and they’re packed with vitamin C and fiber (3.3 grams). Yellow peppers, too, have more folate and iron.

 

4. Top with sprouts. Numerous varieties of sprouts are great with any meal. They’re a powerful source of protein and vitamin C. Try adding them to any dish, and your immune system will get a boost.

 

5. Include chile peppers. These bright red peppers, which fuel the fire in cayenne pepper, contain an antioxidant called capsaicin. While the substance gets a lot of attention for its medical applications and is even used as a topical pain reliever, it also seems to have some effect on human appetite. Some studies have found that people who eat meals with plenty of this delicious (and hot!) spice feel less hungry as a result.

 

6. Sprinkle in cilantro. Technically a dark, leafy vegetable, it has beta carotene and plenty of vitamins, including A and K. It also contains a natural antibiotic, which may help in warding off illness.

 

7. Whenever possible, add tomatoes. Try sun-dried for a change. It’s no accident that ketchup is the number-one consumed “vegetable”—what’s not to love? Besides having plenty of vitamin C, tomatoes are—as mentioned earlier—especially rich in lycopene. Researchers have found that the higher the serum level of that antioxidant found in people’s blood, the lower the level of heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

TOP 5 CALORIE SAVING TIPS

1. Ditch the mayo: save 180 calories

2. Substitute low or no-fat Greek yogurt for mayo: save 165 calories (and about 20 grams of fat)

3. Cut out bacon: save 150 calories (but, really, who would want to do that?)

4. Ask for one slice of cheese instead of two: save 100 calories

5. Go open face: save 100 calories

WEIGHT LOSS: Cutting Calories with Sandwiches

by Stephanie Middleberg, nutritionist

 

Want to build a healthy sandwich? Start with the bread. Multigrain doesn’t mean anything unless the grains are whole. Aim for 100 percent whole wheat. On the ingredient list, “whole wheat” should be first. If you see “enriched,” stay away. The natural nutrients have been stripped out.

Moving on to the “bulk”: If you lay out your ingredients on a plate, half should be vegetables, a quarter protein, and a quarter toppings. The leanest meats include turkey, chicken, ham, roast pork loin (anything “loin” is lean), and roast beef. Choose fresh meat when you can and on packages look for labels indicating hormone free, nitrate free, and free of antibiotics. If you’re a sucker for egg salad, you can pare down the fat by going for a ratio of one whole egg to three egg whites. Similarly, you can cut out fat and keep flavor for anything requiring mayonnaise by blending one part low-fat mayonnaise to three parts Greek yogurt (which is also high in protein). Vegetarian healthy proteins include tofu, beans and hummus, eggs, quinoa, tempeh, and seitan.

For toppings, naturally low fat cheeses include Parmesan, mozzarella, goat, and feta. In general, aim for one ounce per sandwich. If you’re still craving creamy, try a quarter of an avocado. It’s delicious and packed with nutrients.

Finally, condiments. Aged balsamic vinegar offers bold flavor; a little goes a long way. Likewise, tahini, tapenades, and fruit compotes. For spreads, when in doubt, keep it to two tablespoons max. If you’re looking for a default oil, you can’t go wrong with extra virgin olive. When cooking, however, the heat destroys some of the extra benefits, so regular olive oil is fine—and for a bit more kick, sesame oil is an excellent choice. Always, always cook with real butter over margarine, which contains unhealthy soybean oil and a host of additives.

Love sandwiches but need to eat less bread? Toss the bread and place all the other ingredients in the same proportions over lettuce. Aim for green leafy veggies (spinach, kale, swiss chard, romaine, arugula). Always include at least two colors and at least one healthy fat.

FLAVOR: How to Step It Up a Notch

by Monica Bhide, food writer and spice expert

 

As a child growing up in the Middle East, I was totally obsessed with a strange contraption my mother used for making sandwiches: a stovetop toaster. It looked like a tiny waffle iron on a stick. Each afternoon when I returned from school, she would be ready and waiting to make me a hot snack. She would open up the toaster-on-a-stick and on one side place a slice of bread. She would top that with whatever was left over from the previous night’s dinner—pieces of tandoori chicken, cumin-scented potatoes, turmeric-hued paneer, even scrambled eggs. Then she would slather a mint-cilantro chutney or fiery chili ketchup on the other slice of bread and place it on top of the leftover delight. She would close the toaster and place it over a flame on the stovetop—and in less than two minutes, I would be treated to a warm, toasty sandwich that was the best comfort food on the planet.

What I learned from my mother, besides a great way to use leftovers, was that warm sandwiches are a terrific bed for spicy ingredients. Accordingly, I spice up my sandwiches with everything from Sriracha sauce to tamarind chutney. If I am in the mood for something creamy, then of course mayo comes to mind, but never plain—I have spiced it up with toasted saffron or smashed-up chipotle peppers or harissa (a Middle Eastern spread made with garlic and red chiles) or sambhal. These mayo combos slathered on bread can enliven any plain chicken or vegetable stuffing.

Chutneys and revved-up mayo are not the only ingredients that add sassy spice to a sandwich. I dry-roast slivers of garlic and coconut and then sauté them in a smidgen of oil along with crushed red chile pepper. This combination sprinkled over boring sandwich fillings always adds some oomph. Sliced jalapeños, minced serranos, and oven-roasted peppers also find their way into my sandwiches. Recently, I was introduced to a Yemeni version of salsa called z’hug. With its wonderful flavors of lemon, garlic, chili, coriander, and more, it makes a perfect base for piling up anything on bread.

But zing-adding ingredients don’t always have to be savory. One of my personal favorite sandwiches is an open-faced turkey sandwich with melted cheese, topped with sweet-tart cranberry chutney.

(In case you are curious, I never could find that toaster contraption here in the United States. Luckily, a panini press works just as well.)