The Tastiest Vegetarian Sandwich Fillings, Spreads and Toppings

Holiday and Special Celebration Serving Platters

Perfecto for serving your vegetarian sandwiches!

• Claddagh Cheese and Sandwich Tray
  Amazon Price $23.00    

  Etched with...May friends & family bring light to the cottage, warmth to the heart and joy to the soul. ~Irish Proverb

  
  
  
• Tuscan Sunflower Shaped Platter
  Amazon Price $24.99    

  Pretty perfect serving platter that imparts the sunny. golden glow of summertime!

  
  
  

Flavors From the Garden

Roasted to perfection

• Oven Roasted Tomatoes
  From The Ace Bakery
  
  Ingredients
  1 1/2 lb. (680 g) fresh plum tomatoes
  2/3 cup (160 mL) medium-quality balsamic vinegar
  1/4 cup (60 mL) soy sauce
  2 Tbsp. (30 mL) vegetable oil
  
  Instructions
  Wash and halve the tomatoes lengthwise and place in a bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients. and pour over the tomatoes. Marinate at least 2 hours or overnight, in the refrigerator. Drain and reserve the marinade to use again. It will keep, refrigerated, for 10 days.
  
  Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
  
  Place the tomatoes, cut-side up, on a baking pan covered with foil. Bake until slightly shriveled but not completely dried out, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours - longer if they came out of the refrigerator.
  
  Oven-roasted tomatoes can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for at least 1 week.
  
  ★ Visit the Ace Bakery Online to print this recipe, to discover more nom nom foods and grab some cooking inspiration while you are there!

  
  
• The ACE Bakery Cookbook

  In 1985 Linda and her husband Martin began experimenting on all kinds of loaves. In 1993, ACE Bakery sold its first loaf of bread and has since grown into one of Toronto's favourite places for bread and other fresh food.

  Amazon.com Price $22.95    
  
  
  

• ★ Tuck these lovely tomatoes in a pita pocket smeared with homemade hummus, chopped Kalamata olives and sprinkled with organic feta cheese!

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches - Vegetarian Style

10 gooey and ooh so good filling ideas!

• 1Roasted jalapeno peppers, cream cheese, jack and or cheddar cheese, crumbled corn chips...toasted to golden on ciabatta bread!
• 2Fresh spinach, manchego cheese, grill it and top off with a poached egg and coarsely chopped and sauteed onions...mmm! with an English muffin, you might need a fork ;)
• 3Marinated roasted red peppers (see recipe links below), grated or thinly sliced mozzarella cheese, fresh whole leaves of basil...sandwiched between slices of French bread!
• 4Roasted portobello mushroom, tomato thinly sliced, provolone and Boursin...try this one on sourdough!
• 5Gruyere cheese and roasted onions...this combo is extra yummy on rye bread!
• 6Cheddar cheese, thin slices of fresh apple...grill this one up on cinnamon raisin bread for the kid in all of us!
• 7Slices of avocado, pepper jack cheese, crisped vegetarian bacon (optional) and thin slices of tomato...tuck everything inside a bolillo (telera) grilled to golden brown!
• 8Sharp cheddar, shredded zucchini and carrot, finely chopped red onion, salsa, chopped pickled jalapeno peppers...crispy and golden on whole-wheat bread!
• 9Swiss cheese and lotsa sauerkraut...needs a schmear of brown spicy mustard toasted to melty on focaccia!
• 10Good old American cheese...toasted between two slices of white bread...gasp, but ooh so darn comforting!
  
  
  Grilled Cheese, Please!
  Amazon.com Price $11.55    
  
  

  Ribbons of delectable melted cheese sandwiched between butter-crisped slices of sourdough, wheat, rye, and even focaccia and croissant, combined with favorite foods such as pequillo peppers, guacamole, seasonal veggies, caramelized onions, pears, herbs, and so much more - what is there not to love about the modern grilled cheese?

Sweet Spreads and Fillings

Perfect for your sandwiches

• The Art of Fine Baking (Paperback)

  The marmalade and apple, on-the-sweet-side, recipes are inspired by this 1961 classic.

  Amazon.com Price $10.00    
  
  
  
  

• Orange Marmalade Spread
  
  Mix together until smooth and creamy equal parts orange marmalade and soft butter. To this mixture sprinkle in same measure of coarsely chopped and toasted pecans, walnuts, almonds, macadamia, sunflower seeds or a blend of different nuts.
  
  **This would be a wonderful spread on crunchy whole wheat bread that is topped off with salad greens such as arugala, mesclun, and or baby spinach.

• Raw Apple and Currant Filling
  
  In a bowl add 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of grated lemon or orange peels, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 heaping tablespoons of cinnamon sugar, 1/3 cup of currants or golden raisins and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon or orange juice, mix well. To this mixture finely grate in 3 to 4 apples (preferably a tart variety; peeled or not). Stir and serve.
  
  **Crispy and sweet on an open-faced sandwich. Lightly butter and toast a slice of pumpernickel bread, add butter lettuce leaves and heap on this raw apple filling! Try topping with a dollop of cottage or ricotta cheese.

  ★ My Print Link

• ★ Try your alternatives to my suggestions...make sure to chime in with your ideas via the guest book

A Discovery From the Past

Still a luscious recipe to try today

• Carrot Filling for Sandwiches
  From The Time and Talents Club Recipe Book (1959)
  
  Ingredients
  2 1/4 lbs carrots; grated
  1 cup coconut; grated
  1 tablespoon coriander leaves; chopped
  4 green chiles; chopped and seeded
  Salt to taste
  2 tablespoons oil
  1 sprig curry leaves
  1/2 cup water
  1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  1 small onion; chopped
  
  Instructions
  Make a masala from the coconut, coriander leaves and chillies by chopping it all together and processing it in a food processor or blender. Add the grated carrots to the masala and mix well.
  
  Heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add the carrot mixture, curry leaves and water and cook until dry. Heat the remaining oil in another pan and fry the mustard seeds. Add the onion and fry until golden. Add the carrot mixture and fry for about 10 minutes.

  ★ View and print from RecipeSource

• ★ Add this flavorful carrot filling on toasted sour dough or a steamed tortilla along with really thin slices of English cucumber, 1/2 to 1 teaspoon golden raisins or other dried fruit and your fave greens! Squeeze or shake on a mild hot sauce to taste.

  
  
• ♥ The Time and Talents Club Recipe Book: Silver Jubilee 1934-1959 is a compilation of recipes shared by the members of the club. The women have documented old Parsi cuisines that their group first published on one page in the 1930's. From that day forward, new recipes were shared and along with the old recipes this cookbook was lovingly created.
  
  Be aware that this cookbook is not always available on Amazon.com (link above) so you may need to do an Internet search if you desire to add this cookbook to your collection.

Zesty Never Tasted So Good!

Flavors your taste buds will love!

• Zesty Bean and Lime Spread
  
  Ingredients
  1 15 oz can cannellini beans (white Italian kidney beans)
  1/4 cup tahini
  1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  1 clove garlic, crushed
  1/2 small onion, minced
  1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
  Black pepper to taste
  Cayenne to taste, optional
  
  Instructions
  Drain and rinse beans well. Add all ingredients to food processor. Blend until smooth, adding small amounts of water to achieve desired consistency. Chill and serve.

  ★ View and print from BetterRecipes.com

• Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice (12 Pack)

  The absolute next best thing to fresh lime juice. Key limes have a distinct flavor that will turn any so, so recipe into I-gotta-have-that-recipe! Nellie & Joe's is always in my pantry, add it to yours today too.

  Amazon.com Price $38.41    
  
  
  

• ★ Spread the Zesty Bean and Lime spread on a fresh whole wheat pita, grate carrot over the spread, add a slice or two of havarti cheese and top with a few tomato slices. You can even pop it under the broiler for a few minutes if you want melty cheese...mouthwatering!

Not Only is This Pineapple Salsa Tasty...

it's inspired by a cookbook filled with many more recipes!

• Pineapple Salsa
  From The New Moosehead Cookbook
  
  Ingredients
  2 cups fresh pineapple diced
  2 cloves garlic minced
  2 tablespoons fresh mint finely minced
  2 tablespoons lime juice
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  cayenne pepper to taste
  
  Instructions
  Mix all ingredients together and keep in covered bowl in the fridge. Keeps for a long time.

  ★ View and print from RecipeSource

• The New Moosewood Cookbook

  This cookbook was listed by the New York Times as one of the top ten best-selling cookbooks of all time, and no wonder. The sophisticated, easy-to-prepare vegetarian recipes, charming drawings, and hand lettering introduced millions to a more healthful, natural way of cooking.

  Amazon.com Price $13.23    
  
  

• ★ Spread a warm flour tortilla with cream cheese or plain chevre, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cooked black beans, add finely shredded cabbage, spoon on pineapple salsa, wrap and enjoy every bite!

  
  

• ★ Mango Salsa - Sweet meets hot with the tropical twist of mango. I have even used firm peaches for this recipe!

  
  
  

• Artichoke Song

  Three Crazy Carrots

  Expect Miracles Everyday

Dress Your Sandwiches With These Red Bell Pepper Recipes

Tickle your taste buds!

• ★ Marinated Roasted Red Bell Peppers

  These take a little bit of effort because of the canning process...imagine these jars filled with the brilliant red beauties in your pantry though!

• ★ Marinated Olives, Red Bell Pepper, Artichoke Hearts and Mushrooms

  Fresh, crunchy and marinated veggies for your tasting pleasure. Mix them up a day in advance so the flavors meld together. You could toss in a veggie in season too.

• ★ Pickled Cauliflower with Carrots & Red Bell Pepper

  Oh my...is your mouth watering too? The totally sweet thing about this recipe - make 'em quick refrigerator pickles or water-bath can 'em, both variations are provided.

• ★ New Mexico Marinated Bell Pepper Strips

  The first time I enjoyed these was at my mom's for one of our family get-togethers. The flavor popped in my mouth and off I went to write up the recipe to take home! The hardest part - waiting the week to let these babies marinate.

• ★ Toast a slice of focaccia or your bread of choice...pile on any one of these red bell pepper recipes. Additional add-ons...heaps of hand-shredded spinach, tangy dandelion greens, baby Spring mix lettuce, fried tofu and or your fave cheese! No dressing needed, just drizzle on some marinate or pickle juice...wow!

Ideas For Sandwich Fillings

From the Vegetarian Society

• Savory
  -Free range hard boiled egg chopped with mayonnaise, cress and mint or chopped and mixed with tomato purée.
  
  - Smoked Tofu mashed with mayonnaise and fresh chopped parsley or sliced with beetroot and/or tomato, or sliced with salad.
  
  - Avocado mashed with curry powder and salad.

• Natural    Unique    Tasty    Different

• Sweet
  - Peanut butter and raisins
  
  - Banana with brown sugar and or chopped nuts
  
  - Condensed milk <--This one is kinda weird?!
  
  - Chocolate/carob spread with hazelnuts

• Resource: The Vegetarian Society

• Outerbridge's Original Cookbook (1992)

  This is a collection of favorite family recipes and Bermudian cuisine with the flavor and the fire of Outerbridge's Original. Aperitif to Soufflé, Sunday brunch to Saturday night munch, there is something for everyone in this unique cookbook.

  Amazon.com Price $12.50    
  
  

• ★ Lightly toast a pita pocket, tuck 2 to 3 sweet potato balls inside pocket, add torn baby spinach or shredded lettuce, sprinkle with dried cranberries or a dollop of fresh whole cranberry sauce. Festively tasty anytime of year!

Fungi For Your Fun Guy

I know *groan*...seriously you will love these citrus inspired mushrooms!

• Citrus Marinated Mushrooms
  From Cookbook Digest, May/June 1993
  
  Ingredients
  1 pound fresh medium mushrooms stems removed
  1 cup olive oil
  Grated zest of 1 medium orange
  Grated zest of 1 medium lemon
  1/2 cup fresh orange juice
  1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  2 large garlic cloves very finely chopped
  2 teaspoons salt
  2 teaspoons mustard seed
  2 teaspoons cilantro leaves finely chopped
  1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
  Instructions
  Place mushrooms, oil, zests and juices in a non-reactive saucepan over high heat. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Transfer mixture to a glass jar or bowl, and stir in garlic, salt, mustard seed, oregano, cilantro, cayenne, and pepper. Allow to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for at least 24 hours before serving. Drain mushrooms and serve. Makes 4 servings.

  ★ View and print from RecipeSource

• ★ Steam a flour tortilla, spread with farm fresh chevre,
  pile on crisp greens, spoon mushrooms on top...wrap and eat!

Labor Intensive...Yes!

Worth filling your sandwich with it...Most Definitely!

• Lemon Grass Spicy Vegetables (Pat Pet Takrai)
  From Thai Vegetarian Cooking
  
  Ingredients
  2 large dried red chilies, coarsely chopped
  1 teaspoon galangal (blue ginger) coarsely chopped
  2 small red shallots coarsely chopped
  3 ounces ready-fried beancurd finely diced
  Oil -- for deep-frying
  2 tablespoons oil
  1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped
  1 tablespoon lemongrass finely chopped into rings
  1 tablespoon coconut grated
  2 ounces long beans coarsely chopped into 1-inch lengths
  1 medium broccoli stem coarsely chopped at an angle into 1-inch lengths
  2 ounces baby sweetcorn roughly chopped at an angle into 1-inch lengths
  1 carrot finely chopped into matchsticks
  3 tablespoons vegetable stock
  2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  1/2 teaspoon sugar
  
  Instructions
  In a mortar, pound together the chilies, galangal and shallots to form a paste and set aside. Deep-fry the beancurd dice until crispy brown, drain and set aside.
  
  Heat the 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil and fry the garlic golden brown. Stir in the paste, add the lemon grass and coconut, stirring well. Add all the vegetables and briefly stir-fry. Add the stock, soy sauce and sugar. Stir well and turn on to a serving dish.

  ★ View and print from RecipeSource

• Thai Vegetarian Cooking

  Most Thai dishes served as "vegetarian" have tended to be classic dishes with the meat left out; now, however, the author has discovered that a new vegetarian cuisine is developing with its own unique dishes, hence Lemon Grass Spicy Vegetables and much, much more in this awesome cookbook!.

  Amazon.com Price New and Used Pricing    
  
  

• ★ Fill your favorite roll, bun, tortilla with these lemon grass spicy vegetables, sprinkle with toasted and chopped cashews...enjoy!

Kid-Friendly Vegetarian Sandwich Fillings, Spreads, and Toppings

Adults are gonna love these too!

• Updated PB&J
  Spread smooth or chunky peanut butter on two pieces of plain or toasted bread (homemade or store bought sprouted wheat rocks!). On one half sprinkle with shredded carrots, currants, and a thick drizzle of local honey, top with the other piece of bread. Cut in half or into quarters. Mmm! served with chunky applesauce.
• Kids R Fooled Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich Spread
  Drain and mash up a firm block of tofu. To this mash add; for consistency and to taste, vegan mayo, sweet relish, mustard, minced celery and sweet or red onion. Add a shake or two of turmeric if you would like an 'eggy' color. This can be used to spread on sandwich bread or for a dip with crackers.
• Salad Pockets
  Pack a salad into a pita pocket. Whip up an undressed salad and tuck it into a pita pocket with a side container (for drizzling) of homemade dressing OR build a pocket sandwich with a homemade salad and then add tasty kid-friendly ingredients; such as noodles, chopped nuts, and/or sweet dried fruit.