Vermont Grilled Sandwich

We spent last weekend in Grafton, VT.  It is a cozy town in the Green Mountains.  It is quiet, peaceful, and simple.  You don't have to use Yelp to find a restaurant because there are only a few options.  And they are all good.  Everyone was friendly but not in an annoying, touristy way.  They just seemed so content and happy doing what they do.  It was a gentle kindness.  We felt so relaxed and comfortable all weekend.  

We did some hiking, hiked to a waterfall, visited a dairy farm (to eat ice cream and see cows, which are fairly disgusting animals), had a bonfire, survived 90+ degrees,  stayed in the cutest cabin, bought VT cheddar cheese, dined easy.  

I brought home way too many local VT goods.  Maple Smoked Cheddar Cheese.  Mango Habanero jelly.  (Also a million gallons of maple syrup.)  I always I hate when I find a recipe that calls for weird, impossible to find ingredients.  That is exactly what this recipe is.  Are you going to drive to Grafton, VT to buy the ingredients to make this sandwich?  No.  Don't do that.  

Let me tell you the important parts of this sandwich.  First, tempeh on sandwiches is delicious.  It gives vegetarian sandwiches some substance.  Second, smoked cheese tastes like ham.  Third, spicy jelly on sandwiches is real good.  Maybe I should call this jam.  Jam is a much more pleasant word.  Anyways, this mango habanero jam has all the flavor from the habanero without it being overly spicy.  I don't know how they do it, but it is currently my new favorite thing.  

I crave sandwiches all the time.  I love sandwiches.  We often associate sandwiches with a sandwich place because they are actually not super easy to make at home.  You need freshly baked bread, a sauce, some good cheese, and the prepared fixings.  That is what you need if you want a sandwich equivalent to one you would find at a shop.  They are not always easy to throw together.  Once you prepare each individual component, it can take a while and be expensive if you aren't willing to continue eating the same sandwich several times later to use up all the leftovers.  But, I have realized that good vegetarian sandwiches are hard to find a local sandwich shop.  I will even say...they suck.  Typically you can choose from:

1.  Caprese sandwich (good, but not really a true sandwich)

2.  Egg salad sandwich (also just a different kind of sandwich)

3.  Grilled cheese (get out of here)

4.  Grilled, soggy veggies on bread (let's be honest, no one likes you)

So I have pretty much given up on finding a good vegetarian sandwich anywhere but in my own kitchen.  Most restaurants know they need a vegetarian option but don't give it any respect.  Somewhere "vegetarian" got translated to "I hate my life, don't worry about it."

Also, I am planning to become more a "jam person".  I don't like non-homemade jams.  Never have.  Will I make jam?  Probably not.  But I will eat it.  

To all my Vermont peeps, much love.  

Vermont Grilled Sandwich

by foodforscot

3 slices of tempeh, smokey maple bacon flavor

2 slices of Seeduction bread (a whole grain, nutty bread made at WFM)

1 tbsp of salted butter

1-2 tbsp of mango habanero jelly

2 slices of maple smoked Vermont cheddar

handful of spinach

½ of a roasted red pepper

Prepare all your sandwich fixings. First, slice the bread. Butter one side of each slice. Slice the cheese and remove rind. Cut the roasted red pepper.

Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add a little olive oil and brown the tempeh a few minutes on each side. Remove from heat and set aside.

Pick up one of the buttered pieces of bread and slather the jelly on the non-buttered side. Place the slice of bread, butter side down, in the same pan you used to sauté the tempeh. Put a single layer of the cheese on top of the jelly. Then layer on the tempeh, spinach, and roasted red pepper, in that order. Finally, add another single layer of cheese and place the other piece of bread, butter side up, on top. Grill until first side is golden brown. Flip and grill the other side until golden brown.

Once bread is toasty and cheese is melty, remove sandwich and place on a cutting board. Let set for a few minutes. Cut in half. Serve with a pickle.

(Servings: 1, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 15 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  1/5

Dishwashing Effort:  1/5

Thai Tempeh Wraps with Spicy Peanut Sauce

For breakfast and lunch, we have a routine.  I hate routines, but they do make life easier.  For breakfast, we do cereal and OJ.  And I have never been a cereal person.  But Scot's life and happiness depends on cereal.  When he is working out a lot, I can't even tell you how many bowls he eats (we both sit and eat breakfast each morning...at least 20 minutes).  So, basically, I became a cereal person.  We do switch it up, have bagels, oatmeal or something special, but 90% of the time it is the standard.  

Oh, and we secretly eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  Sometimes.  Yeah, yeah, it has a lot of sugar.  But you brush your teeth right after breakfast, so it all goes away.  We eat other cereal that literally looks like gerbil food, therefore, it all evens out in the end.  

For lunch, we eat yogurt, fruit, and a main dish.  Every.  Single.  Day.  I swear!  Are we lame?  The main dish is usually some leftovers.  Back up is often PB&J (which I could really live without, but I can choke it down).  Sometimes I do cheese sandwiches (my favorite, not Scot's).  But every once in awhile, I like to spice things up.  Actually MAKE something for lunch.  And a wrap is always a great lunch item. 

This particular wrap is made up of some tempeh marinated in soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey and red pepper flakes with some fresh veggies and spicy peanut sauce.  Tempeh goes really well with Asian flavors.  And these wraps hold up nicely with time and taste great cold.  

Notes on the peanut sauce:  I would recommend using the oil instead of the coconut milk if you want a looser, wetter sauce.  I liked having a thicker sauce for the wraps because it keeps it from getting too drippy.  And also, you can use the rest of the sauce to make the noodle dish on David Lebovitz's website, which is where the peanut sauce recipe is from.  

Thai Tempeh Wraps with Spicy Peanut Sauce

8 ounces of tempeh

2 tbsp of soy sauce

2 tbsp of rice vinegar

1 tbsp of honey

1 pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

light cooking oil

4 large leaves of green leaf lettuce

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1 small cucumber, seeds removed, julienned

1 package of bean sprouts

1 handful of cilantro, big stems removed.

1 lime

salt and pepper

1 cup of peanut sauce (recipe below)

4 large wraps or burrito sized tortillas

Mix together marinade for the tempeh: soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, crushed red pepper flakes. Thinly slice tempeh, toss in marinade and let sit for about 20 minutes.

Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over medium high heat. Drizzle light cooking oil over the pan. Cook each slice of tempeh (drained, marinade discarded) until golden brown and crispy.

To assemble wrap, lay out a tortilla. Smear some peanut sauce on the tortilla (if it is thin enough, you can simply drizzle it over the top in the end). Top with one piece of lettuce and place all the veggies and cilantro on top. Season with salt and pepper and a fresh squeeze of lime. Place tempeh pieces on last. Wrap and roll. Repeat for other three.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 10 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Peanut Sauce

by David Lebovitz

2 cups (300g) dark roasted unsalted peanuts

1/2 to 3/4 cup (125-180ml) hot black tea

1/2 cup (125ml) oil, preferably peanut or coconut milk

1 tablespoon (10g) peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 small chiles, seeded and finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt

1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground Szechuan pepper (if available)

1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lime or lemon juice

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 1/2 teaspoons chili paste or chili oil

1/3 cup (15g) packed cilantro sprigs or chives

1 tablespoon fish sauce

Put the peanuts, 1/2 cup (125ml) of hot tea, and the oil or coconut milk in a blender. Turn the machine on and let it run for a few minutes until the peanuts are almost smooth. Then add the remaining ingredients and let the machine run until the sauce is pureed.

Check the consistency. If it’s too thick for your liking, add up to another 1/4 cup (55ml) of tea.

Storage Tips: The peanut sauce can be made up to one week in advance and refrigerated, or frozen for up to two months. The chicken breasts and the noodles can be cooked and refrigerated up to one day ahead.

(Makes 2 cups, Prep time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  7/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Spaghetti Squash with Kale-Tomato Sauce and Crispy Tempeh

I actually really dig tempeh.  If you have never had it/heard of it...it is a soy product.  But much, much different from tofu.  Tempeh is made from the whole soybean through some fermentation process, where tofu is soy milk curds pressed into a block.  As a result, tempeh has a much firmer texture (which I prefer).  I think it tastes kind of nutty.  Bonus:  it is stocked full of protein and fiber and other good stuff.

You may ask:  "Shanon, you aren't a health nut...why even bother with crazy things like tempeh?"

First, I am a health nut.  Second, I generally hate chicken breasts, lean pork, or pretty much any other healthy, low fat meat.  For me to like meat, it generally needs to be a pretty fatty cut.  So, I eat it less and get my protein elsewhere more.  And for me, tempeh is a great option because:  (1) it is cheap, (2) it is easy, (3) it is good.  

Now, tempeh from a package looks (and smells) a little gnarly.  But don't be scared.  Think of all the chickens you are saving.  Soy beans don't have hearts.  I am kidding.  I didn't really say that.

Anyways, this dish is a little something I threw together.  I wanted to make something kind of different with spaghetti squash.  And I love kale so much I drink it.  And marinated tempeh is delicious.  This is a great, healthy meal.  

Spaghetti Squash with Kale-Tomato Sauce and Crispy Tempeh

1 medium spaghetti squash

8 ounce block of tempeh

1 tsp Dijon mustard

drizzle of honey

juice of two lemons, divided

2 tbsp of white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp ground thyme

1/2 tsp ground oregano

4 tbsp of olive oil, divided

1 shallot, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes

1 bunch of kale, stems removed and roughly chopped

1/2 cup water

6 green olives, finely chopped

1 tbsp of butter

1-3 tbsps of parmesan cheese, plus more to serve

more olive oil for sautéing

salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil baking sheet, cut spaghetti squash in half, and lay each half flat side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until fork tender.

Make marinade for tempeh by combining Dijon, honey, juice of one lemon, white wine vinegar, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk quickly and slowly drizzle in 3 tbsp of olive oil. Cut tempeh block into bite sized pieces and add to marinade. Let marinate for about 30 minutes.

Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a large deep skillet, add shallots and cook for about 3-4 minutes until soft. Add garlic, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until broke down slightly and hot, about 3-4 minutes. Add kale, water

and juice of half a lemon. Let cook 10-15 minutes until kale has wilted and flavors have combined. Add chopped green olives. Taste and adjust seasonings. Keep warm on stove.

Once the spaghetti squash is cooked and cooled, use a spoon to scoop out stringy pulp. Heat another large skillet over medium high heat and add just a drizzle of olive oil. Add marinated tempeh (drained) and cook until crispy on both sides. Remove from pan, set aside, and wipe pan clean of excess marinade.

In the same pan over medium high heat, add butter and a drizzle of olive oil. Once butter is melted, add spaghetti squash to pan and toss around to coat. Cook for several minutes to dry out the spaghetti squash a bit. Season with salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.

To serve, place a big scoop of spaghetti squash on plate. Top with the kaletomato sauce. Top that with crispy tempeh. Sprinkle with more parmesan and serve with remaining lemon slices.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 1.5 hrs., Difficulty: Easy)

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foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  6/10

Scot (taste):  6/10

Effort:  4/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5