The First Test: Fresh Veggie Sandwiches with Edamame Spread

So the second day home and i'm back in the kitchen, baking, sauteeing, and chopping all over the place. I guess i'm making up for living in the dorms for a year, microwaving sweet potatoes and banana bread (yes, it can be done!) to fill my cooking fix, and it feels so great to be back.

After failing at yet another yeast bread attempt, today I started fresh, and where better to start for that then at a local farm. Thankfully we have an incredible local organic farm just down the street called South Coast Farms, brimming with cornucopias of deep green leafys and shiny purple eggplants at the moment. And their strawberries, oh my goodness, their strawberries are legendary, and rightly so. I always remember waiting for Spring every year for them, until I finally saw the big strawberry sign out front, announcing their illustrious arrival. They really are "magical" as my friend Jen stated today, and it completely describes their ridiculously sweet red deliciousness. We picked up some beets, avocados, kale, pears, and of course, the strawberries, munching on them all the way home.

But for my lunch today, I thought up a sandwich that was fresh, crisp, and filling, and quite tasty I will say. I started with some crusty multi-grain bread and a fabulous edamame dip/spread, and then piled up the veggies. So I started with the edamame spread, a quick, fresh dip incredible with pita chips or sliced veggies, with spices and lemon for extra flavor.

Edamame Spread

makes about 2 cups

2 cups frozen edamame

4-5 garlic cloves

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/4 teaspoons paprika

3/4 teaspoons cayenne (optional)

lemon wedges, to serve (optional)

Bring a pot of water to boil, toss in the frozen edamame. Boil for 3 minutes, remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking water.

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor, except for the lemon, and blend until smooth. The puree should be thick enough to pick up with a piece of bread, but not so thick that it feels solid. If it's to thick, the puree can be thinned with some of the reserved cooking water.

Squeeze some lemon juice on the top and sprinkle with some paprika to serve. 

With this flavorful spread, it was easy to make any sandwich amazing, but I chose to go with some ingredients already at my home; purple cabbage, sliced cucumber, shredded carrots, and onion, piled high and sprinkled with fresh herbs and lemon juice.

Putting it all together, 

For 4 hefty sandwiches:

8 slices of crusty multi-grain or wheat bread

1/2 medium white onion, sliced thin

1 medium cucumber, sliced either in rounds or diagonally

1 cup shredded red cabbage

1 cup shredded carrot 

1/2 cup sliced fresh basil (optional)

fresh lemon juice (optional)

edamame spread

Slice and shred the vegetables and basil, if using. Spread the edamame dip on both sides of the slices of bread. Layer on as you wish; I started with the cucumbers, then the cabbage, carrots, and onion. Add the basil and sprinkle on extra lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Place the other slice on top, and enjoy! 

A healthy, vegan sandwich that is filling, flavorful, and really easy to make. I also think that adding freshly cooked beets, spinach, and/or tomato would be great too! 

So there is my first recipe, assembled whilst listening to a medley of Flying Lotus and Broken Social Scene, a great sandwich-making mix i'd say. It feels so good to be back in the kitchen, cooking, dancing, and eating delicious foods. Its going to be a great summer.