These Summer Sandwiches Will Please Any Palate

If you have a vegetable garden, you already know that it’s bumper crop season. Zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and cucumber—odds are, if you’ve been growing them, you currently have more than you know what to do with. And if you’re a veggie lover who frequents local farmers’ markets, you’re probably rejoicing at the prices and filling up your bag.

How to best take advantage of that produce? Cold soups are great for sunny days, and don’t forget that tomatoes jar beautifully and pickled eggplant is delicious. But thoughtful preparation can evevate even the simplest dish. Veggies are a great way to do it.

Below find recipes for two of our favorite summer sandwiches, all made with veggies to be light, fast and delicious. Set them out for your guests to grab at your next lunch gathering, put together a light dinner for your kids to eat outside or treat yourself to an easy meal that still satisfies.

Eggplant and Roasted Red Pepper Sandwich

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bread
• 2 medium-sized eggplant
• 1 medium-sized red bell pepper
• 6-8 Tbs. tomato passata
• 1 small handful of fresh thyme
• pinch of black pepper
• pinch of salt
• extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Prepare the slices of eggplant and red pepper: Roast them in the oven at 350°F for approximately 15 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of black pepper and salt or opt for grilled veggies. Slice your bread and spread the tomato passata on all the internal layers (you’ll need approximately 2 tablespoons for each slice but it depends on the exact size of your bread). Then add the other ingredients: Start with some eggplant, followed by the red pepper, mozzarella, thyme, black pepper and olive oil. Add more eggplant to finish off your sandwich.

For some extra flavor, add a drizzle of olive oil to the external layers of the sandwich. Now you can toast the sandwich on a preheated non-stick pan or place it in a preheated oven at 375°F. Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until crispy and golden on the outside. Don’t let the mozzarella melt completely; otherwise the sandwich will be too soggy. Serve warm.

Says Ashley Kravitz, registered dietitian and owner of Ashley Kravitz Health in Freehold, “This is an amazing vegan recipe, both for people who strictly follow the diet and for people who just enjoy a plant-based meal every so often! If you’re look for a lower carbohydrate option, you can try this recipe as a ‘deconstructed’ sandwich by removing the bread and stacking the eggplant and roasted red peppers.”

Veggie Sandwich with Garlic-Herb Cheese

Ingredients

• ½ cup garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese
• 4 slices whole-wheat bread
• 1 cup cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium beefsteak tomato, sliced ¼-inch thick
• ½ cup beets, cooked and sliced
• 2 Tbs. mild banana pepper rings
• 8 leaves butter lettuce

Directions

Spread 2 tablespoons cheese on each bread slice. Divide 1 cup sliced cucumber, the sliced bell pepper and sliced tomato, ½ cup sliced beets and 2 tablespoons banana peppers between 2 of the bread slices; top each with 4 lettuce leaves. Top with the remaining 2 bread slices, cheese-side down. Slice the sandwiches in half diagonally, if desired.

According to Kravitz, “To increase the protein, you can easily add grilled chicken breast or roasted turkey breast to this sandwich. It will make it a bit more filling, in addition to helping you to achieve your protein goal for the day.”

Want more recipes and seasonal features? Check out the August issue of MONMOUTH!