SANDWICHES
Americans have a love affair with sandwiches like no other people in the world. As a matter of fact, sandwiches are the most popular lunch food, which is hardly surprising, since lunch is usually a hurried affair—eaten on the go or at the office desk. Sandwiches are the epitome of fast food. Back in my office days, I can’t tell you how many times I picked up a salad and forgot a fork; it was hardwired into my brain that lunch shouldn’t require a fork. The bigger problem is that sandwiches, although convenient, are rarely healthy.
We can build a better sandwich using high-quality breads made out of sprouted or superior grains, or we can kick it up a notch and use plant-based ingredients such as collard greens to wrap things up. We can cater to our “busy as bees” mentality and eat on the go, but let’s keep our motors running by fueling ourselves with clean, pure foods.
For proper food combining, stick to sturdy vegetable leaves such as collard greens, cabbage, or Swiss chard to wrap protein-based fillings. For neutral or starch-based wraps, you have the option of using sprouted-grain wraps and tortillas.
These are go-to lunch options for my kids and hubby, so they get all the satisfaction of a sandwich and all the life force the vegetables can deliver. No one has an afternoon slump after these!
—NATALIA
Raw Thai Guacamole Wrap
Here is another way to showcase my favorite guacamole recipe.
1 cup Thai Guacamole (see page 102)
2 sprouted-grain wraps or tortillas
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
Handful of sprouts
Handful of fresh cilantro
Spread the guacamole on each of the wraps or tortillas, add the remaining ingredients, and roll into sandwich wraps.
MAKES 2 WRAPS
Grilled Veggie with Zucchini Pesto Wrap
This may seem like a lot of work for a wrap, but these roasted vegetables can be leftovers from last night’s dinner.
1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise in ¼-inch slices
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
½ bunch asparagus, woody stems trimmed
1 medium red onion, sliced
Salt and pepper
¼ cup Zucchini Pesto (see page 106)
4 sprouted-grain wraps or tortillas
2 handfuls of baby arugula
Preheat the oven to 400°F. On parchment-lined baking trays, place the zucchini, red bell pepper, asparagus, and onion in a single layer. Bake for 20−30 minutes until slightly roasted. Season with salt and pepper and let the vegetables cool to room temperature. Spread a tablespoon of the pesto on each of the wraps or tortillas, then add the arugula and the roasted vegetables. Roll them up into sandwich wraps.
MAKES 4 WRAPS
Raw Sunflower “Tuna Salad” Wrap
I’m not a big fan of mock foods, as I’d rather tell it like it is: Tuna is tuna, seeds are seeds, period. But my son came barreling home from school one day when I was halfway through my lunch and commandeered the rest of it. “Awesome tuna salad, Mom!” and it was gone in two seconds. Fast-forward to a year later, and as a newly self-proclaimed vegetarian, he loves and appreciates this “tuna salad” more than ever.
1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked for at least 4 hours
1 medium carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
½ red onion, finely diced
1/3 cup finely diced cornichons or pickles (optional)
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
12 baby romaine hearts or cabbage leaves
Rinse the sunflower seeds thoroughly, removing the seed skins that float to the top, and strain. Place in a food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times. The seeds should be coarse and crumbly. Place in a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients except for the romaine hearts. Toss well and serve with those baby romaine hearts on the side for scooping.
SERVES 2
Lentil Burgers
Veggie burgers tend to be dry and tasteless, but roasting the vegetables before adding them to the cooked lentils makes a flavorful burger. The cooked vegetables also help bind the ingredients so you don’t have to add eggs or bread crumbs to bring it all together. You can serve these on sprouted-grain buns or, for a lighter version, on fresh romaine leaves.
1 cup green lentils
1 cup chopped portobello mushroom
1 cup shredded medium carrot
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons nama shoyu
4 sprouted-grain buns
In a large saucepan, cover the lentils with cold water by 2 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the lentils until they are tender (about 10 minutes). Drain well.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, mix together all the vegetables and herbs, not including the tomato paste. Transfer the mixture to a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.
In a food processor, combine the vegetables, lentils, tomato paste, and nama shoyu. Pulse until mostly smooth but the mixture still has texture. You will have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your food processor.
Divide the mixture into 4 equally sized burgers. Bake for 15 minutes.
Serve on sprouted-grain buns with all the usual fixings.
MAKES 4 BURGERS
a note about packing lunches
WHENEVER I USED TO PACK SALADS FOR MY SON’S SCHOOL LUNCH, THEY WOULD COME BACK HALF EATEN. WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT IT, HE SAID HE NEVER HAD TIME TO FINISH IT. SO I STARTED MAKING SALAD WRAPS INSTEAD, AND IT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THESE HANDHELD SALADS ARE PERFECT WHEN YOU ARE ON THE GO AND CAN’T BE BOTHERED WITH A FORK. THEY ARE ALSO A GREAT WAY TO CLEAN OUT YOUR REFRIGERATOR OF LEFTOVER SALADS, GREENS, AND VEGETABLES. MAKE THE OLDER ITEMS NEW AGAIN BY ADDING GUACAMOLES, SALSAS, SPREADS, AND FRESH HERBS. WRAP THE SANDWICHES IN TINFOIL LINED WITH A PAPER DINNER NAPKIN TO KEEP IT FRESH UNTIL LUNCHTIME.
Raw Vietnamese “Bánh Mi” Portobello Sandwich
This classic street-vendor food is usually stuffed with marinated pork and a slab of pâté with pickled daikon and carrot slaw, all jammed in a crusty French baguette. Re-creating a raw vegan version was not as difficult as I thought. The marinated mushrooms are meaty and delicious, but the pickled vegetables are what satisfy my bánh mi cravings.
FOR THE MUSHROOM MARINADE:
2 tablespoons nama shoyu
2 tablespoons water
Handful of cilantro, chopped (reserving some sprigs for garnish)
10 mint leaves, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 portobello mushrooms, stems removed, sliced ½-inch thick on a diagonal
FOR THE PICKLED DAIKON AND CARROT SLAW:
2 medium carrots, julienned
1 small daikon, julienned
1 jalapeño, seeded and cut into ¼-inch slices (optional)
2 cups water
4 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
10 drops liquid stevia
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 slices sprouted-grain bread
In a medium bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients for the mushroom marinade. Add the mushrooms and toss. Cover and let marinate until the mushrooms are soft but still al dente (at least 1 hour).
Combine the carrots, daikon, and jalapeño in a bowl. Mix together the water, vinegar, stevia, and salt and pour over the vegetables. Let marinate for at least 1 hour. Strain before use.
To assemble each sandwich, place the mushrooms on the bread, top with the pickled daikon and carrot slaw, and garnish with cilantro sprigs.
MAKES 2 SANDWICHES
