We like sandwiches. Hearty, filling, non-wimpy sandwiches. And we like Meatless Monday. But we had trouble showing our appreciation for both of these things on Mondays when we wanted to bring our sandwiches to work for lunch.
When you can’t make a delicious, gooey grilled cheese in your office and you don’t want to spend an hour in the mornings packing lunch, what vegetarian sandwich options do you have?
Turns out, you have plenty of them. Here are some of our new favorites:
Brie, arugula, apple sandwich
Here’s our workaround for paninis like this one from Oprah.com, since you probably don’t have a George Forman grill at your desk: Toast the bread when you’re preparing your sandwich in the morning, and heat/grill for about 45 seconds when you’re ready to eat. That way, the cheese gets all gloriously gooey and your bread is still crisp.
Italian vegetable hoagie
Why should omnivores be the only ones who get to enjoy Italian subs? EatingWell.com gave the traditional Italian cold cut a vegetarian makeover, nixing the meat altogether and instead using red onion, artichoke hearts, tomato, provolone, lettuce, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and dried oregano on a baguette.
Roasted red pepper hummus, avocado and feta sandwich
Hummus and avocado are our two best friends when it comes to vegetarian sandwiches. You won’t even miss the meat in this sandwich from TwoPeasandTheirPod.com. While the recipe calls for store-bought roasted red pepper hummus, like Sabra’s, it also calls for actual roasted red peppers – which we don’t plan on making in the wee hours of the morning. Prepare these on Sunday so you have everything you need for your weekday sandwiches, or you can buy the store-bought ones. As the recipe notes, this sandwich does not need to be grilled. We recommend toasting the bread to add some crunch.
Tomato and goat cheese sandwich with balsamic drizzle
Yum! For this sandwich, from GarnishWithLemon.com, we recommend packing the sliced tomatoes in a baggy with the balsamic drizzle already on them. In a separate baggy, you’ll have the two toasted bread slices with fresh basil and goat cheese. Because no one should have to eat a soggy sandwich.
Caprese sandwich
An obvious choice, but this classic had to be mentioned. It’s so easy to make! Just throw together a couple of slices of mozzarella, some tomatoes (maybe stored in a separate baggy until you’re ready to eat to avoid soggy-sandwich sadness) and some basil on two slices of bread drizzled with olive oil and vinegar. Or skip the basil and oils and just use pesto!
Cobb salad sandwich
This sandwich from TwoPeasandTheirPod.com is not vegetarian. HOWEVER, we believe its vegetarian version is pretty good. Just nix the turkey and bacon, so you have avocado, hard-boiled egg, tomato, lettuce, onion, crumbled blue cheese and a little light mayo.
Roasted red pepper, baby arugula & goat cheese sandwich
Roasted red peppers and goat cheese, in our opinion, are even better matches for each other than PB&J. For this sandwich from KitchenTreaty.com, make sure you prepare your roasted red peppers ahead of time – Sunday’s always a good idea – or you can buy the store-bought ones marinated in olive oil.
Cranberry goat cheese croissant sandwich
For this delicious croissandwich from PeasAndCrayons.com, just mix together creamy goat cheese, dried cranberries, dried parsley, crushed walnuts, cucumber, sprouts and some cinnamon. Spread on the croissant and you’ve got a super tasty, easy-to-prepare Meatless Monday lunch.
Creamy Greek salad wrap
Like some of the others on this list, this wrap from KitchenTreaty.com requires some pre-workday prep. Since you’re not going to feel like making homemade Tzatziki sauce when you’re rushing out the door in the morning, you’ll have to make it Sunday. (Trust us, though: It’s worth it.) Toss cucumber, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives and feta cheese in the Tzatziki; spread on the wrap; add some lettuce; and roll!
Brie, grape & avocado grilled sandwich
Brie and apple are commonly paired together for sandwiches, but it turns out that brie and grapes also make a great combination between two slices of bread. For this sandwich from KitchenLabProject.blogspot.com toast the bread, put the sandwich together and warm it up in the oven before you eat.
Mediterranean loaded veggie sandwich
This is one seriously good-looking sandwich. It’s made with kale pesto white bean dip (!!), whole-grain bread, pea shoots, red onion, carrot and feta cheese. And while you’ll have to make the dip ahead of time, you’ll be happy you went through the trouble since you can use it for snacking throughout the week too.
Cucumber Gouda sprout sandwich
No pre-week prep necessary for this sandwich. Just combine light cream cheese and dill; spread on the bread; add cucumber, quinoa sprouts (tossed in balsamic vinegar), red onion, Gouda cheese; and boom! You’ve got yourself a nutritious, hearty sammich.
Grilled Portobello mushroom, roasted red pepper & goat cheese wrap
OK, so we’re a little obsessed with the roasted red pepper idea, but look at this sandwich! Creamy veggie goodness all wrapped up in a yummy herb tortilla! Prepare the mushrooms and roasted red peppers before the start of the week so they’re all ready to go Monday morning. Heat up at the office and enjoy!
yogaesoteric
December 5, 2016