Springtime Sandwich

 

It’s springtime here in the Emerald City and I can finally say that I am sick of winter food. In fact, I am even a little tired of looking at my pretty red French oven. It is time for something fresh and light, but still satisfying and I know just what to make. A sandwich with tempeh marinated in honey and soy, served on whole grain bread with grated carrots, clover sprouts and slathered with cashew spread.

I started making this sandwich last year when we still lived in the Hamptons. In Seattle, the options for vegetarian sandwiches had always seemed endless, but in the Hamptons, it was always the same singular option: a rather lame roasted veggie sandwich, with out any flavor, seasoning or for that matter, protein. So shortly after my first foray into the world of cashew “cheese” (it really shouldn’t be called cheese), I decided to create my own and make a sandwich using it. One of the ingredient I use in the cashew spread is nutritional yeast (quit gagging Knifethrower), which can easily be dismissed as weird health stuff, but really adds a rich element to the spread that is very different from the creaminess of the cashews.

I tried tempeh for the first time about two years ago. A little timid at the first bite*, I haven’t looked back sense. Now after my winter months filled with oxtail and roasted chickens I think a little tempeh is in order. Tempeh is one of those delicious foods that is cursed with a rather unappetizing description. I’ve sent a number of friends running for the hills with the description of, “compressed soybean cake”. There has to be a better way to describe it that lets one know that something delicious is in store, it’s appearance really isn’t doing anything to help my case. I use LightLife tempeh, usually the plain soy or the five grain kind.

I hope you enjoy this sandwich as much as I do. If you’re still gun-shy about a few of the ingredients, please don’t hold it against me!

Springtime Sandwich

1 Recipe Cashew Spread

1 Recipe Marinated Tempeh

1 Loaf Whole Grain Bread

1 or 2 Carrots, grated

Sprouts

Avocado, sliced

Cashew Spread

3/4 cup Unsalted Cashews, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast Flakes

2 TBS Sesame Seeds, toasted

1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/4 cup Tahini

1TBS Shallot, chopped2 TBS Low Sodium Soy Sauce

5 TBS Water

Add all ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. Refrigerate for up to a week.

The Tempeh

1 8oz. Package Tempeh, cut into thin slices

1/4 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce

2 TBS Honey

Lay the sliced tempeh out flat on a rimmed baking sheet or dish. Whisk the honey and soy sauce together and spoon over the tempeh to coat. Place in the refrigerator and allow the flavors to meld, for an hour or so. Heat your oven to 350F and bake for 20 minutes.

*The first way I had tempeh was in a Reuben sandwich it is amazing when prepared in certain ways just how meaty it can seem.