Vegan Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches with Cucumber, Fennel & Arugula

 

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2016

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These are not technically a purists version of a tea sandwich – as most tea sandwiches use white bread & have the crusts cut off.  And – you can opt to do that with these but I thought some healthier bread would be nice & I like the crust of the bread.

I used Ezekial 4:9 Low Sodium bread but you can use whatever you like.  I also used Tofutti brand vegan cream cheese.  You can use your own favorite brand.  And – I used thinly sliced cucumber & fennel & a few arugula leaves – and this was quite a yummy lunch.

This isn’t really a recipe – as you can pile as little or as much of each ingredient onto your bread as you desire.  I’m just making suggestion about the flavor combo.   This sort of light sandwich is traditionally served with tea in the afternoon – to stave off appetites until dinner.

 

Vegan Cream Cheese Tea Sandwiches with Cucumber, Fennel & Arugula

INGREDIENTS

Bread of your choice – crusts cut off or left on

Vegan cream cheese

Fresh fennel – sliced very thin

Cucumber – sliced thin

Arugula

S&P

DIRECTIONS

Spread some cream cheese on both pieces of bread and add S&P.  Top with the veggies & assemble the sandwich.  Cut crusts away if you prefer.  Slice up the sandwich.  Eat – especially with some nice hot tea.

Vegan Crock-Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich with Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Coleslaw

 

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2014

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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option.  Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out.  It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing.  The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.

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Holy smoke!  I am really on a roll with these vegan meat things!  This stuff is so easy & so delicious – I could hardly keep from eating it all before I could photograph it.  I made the BBQ Honey Pulled Chicken in a crock-pot over a few hours but it could just as easily be simmered stove-top.  I made the coleslaw to top it but it doesn’t need it.  Both dishes have a few ingredients but all should be readily available & both dishes really just require that you throw everything together.  So – vegans!  Here is an awesome choice for Memorial Day!

I used one bag each of the Beyond Meat & the Simple Truth brands below.  The others are just there as there examples of meatless chicken.  I prefer the Beyond Meat brand & there is a coupon below for you to print & use.

Oh – and I wrote a funny & dirty novel!!  www.BathingBook.com.  I hope you read it!  The reviews on Amazon are solid!

Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Coleslaw

Makes about 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

1/4 head green cabbage (I used Napa) – chopped fine (I used the grater of my food processor)

1/4 head purple cabbage – chopped fine (I used the grater of my food processor)

2 carrots – grated

1/4 red bell pepper – grated or chopped

1/4 cup cilantro – chopped (optional – if you hate cilantro)

1 TBS chopped fresh mint

1 tsp grated ginger

1 TBS fresh lime juice

1/2 – 1 cup vegan mayo (or to taste – as some folks like wet coleslaw & others like it drier)

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp (or more to taste) sriracha

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 TBS black sesame seeds (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Mix everything together & adjust seasonings.  Yup.  Just that easy.

Vegan Crock-Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich

Makes about 4 decent-sized sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

Bread or rolls

20 oz or so vegan chicken

2 TBS Agave nectar (or honey – if you are not vegan)

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1/4 hoisin sauce (optional)

2 garlic cloves – minced

1 shallot or small onion – diced

1/2 tsp (or more to taste) crushed red pepper

1/4 cup Italian dressing

DIRECTIONS

If using a crock-pot – just throw everything in there & let it simmer for a few hours.  My crock-pot is little & has no settings so I do not know if the default is high or low – but this faux chicken doesn’t need COOKING so it isn’t really an issue.  All you really want to do is simmer everything a while – even in a pan on your stove – for at least an hour.  I let this sit for 3-4 hours.  While it simmers, intermittently dig in there with two forks & shred the chicken up.

When you are ready to get your eat on – prep your bread, dump some of this awesomeness on there & maybe even top it with some slaw.  Crack a cold one & get busy.  Make a toast to the chickens out there that dodged a bullet because of your cruelty-free meal & let yourself feel pretty fucking superior for a while.  Why not?  Some shit is bound to happen – sooner or later – that will crash your buzz completely so why not revel in the good feelings when you can?  Right?  🙂

Tomato, Avocado & Jalapeno Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Homemade American Cheese on Artisan Bread – or – Garlic Broccoli Grilled Cheese Sandwich

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2013

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

So – I have been building to these grilled cheese sandwiches for a few days now.  I posted the Homemade American Cheese recipe HERE

and the Homemade Artisan Bread HERE

And a Tomato Bisque recipe HERE.

Now it is time to get down to business!  There is no need to make every item on this menu from scratch but it is, of course, more impressive if you do.  The two grilled cheese sandwiches I present here are only the tip of the iceberg of possibilities.  You can use any variety of bread you choose & any sort of cheese.  You can use canned soup (egads!).  These are presented as ideas & to spark your imagination.

I used red jalapenos because I had them & they are pretty.  Use green if you want to.  I used heirloom cherry tomatoes because, you guessed it, I had them.  These – I do NOT recommend.  They do not stay in place in the sandwich well.  I recommend a larger tomato & I recommend it be sliced very thinly.  That said – may I present:

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Tomato, Avocado & Jalapeno Grilled Cheese Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

Artisan Bread or other bread of your choice

Homemade American cheese or other cheese of your choice

Butter

Avocado – sliced thinly

Tomato – sliced thinly

Jalapeno – seeded & sliced thinly

Cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees & place a greased cooking sheet in there while it warms up.

Butter one side each of two slices of bread.

Melt some more butter in a frying pan.  Place one slice of bread, butter side down, in the pan & top with some cheese.  Layer the avocado, tomato, jalapeno & cilantro on top & top with more cheese.  Place the other slice of bread atop this, butter side up, and grill.  Or you can assemble the sandwich on the counter & place into pan complete.

I used a pot lid to apply pressure.  After a minute of so, CAREFULLY flip the sandwich & toast the other side.  Repeat this until you get to the level of toasting you prefer.  Then – place sandwich in warm oven for another minute or so to completely melt the cheese.

Slice it up & shove it in your face.

OR —-

Garlic Broccoli Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

3 cups chopped broccoli (about enough for about 3 sandwiches)

Bread

Cheese

2 cloves garlic – minced

1 tsp crushed red pepper (or to taste)

S&P to taste

2 TBS olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees & place a greased cooking sheet in there while it warms up.

Butter one side each of two slices of bread.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan & saute broccoli & crushed red pepper until the broccoli is vibrant & it begins to soften.  Add garlic & continue cooking being careful not to burn the garlic.  After a minute or two, add a few TBS water & cook off on high heat – steaming the broccoli.  Remove from heat.

To assemble, simply melt some more butter in a frying pan.  Place one slice of bread, butter side down, in the pan & top with some cheese.  Layer the broccoli & more cheese & top with the second slice of bread.  I used a pot lid to apply pressure.  After a minute of so, CAREFULLY flip the sandwich & toast the other side.  Repeat this until you get to the level of toasting you prefer.  Then – place sandwich in warm oven for another minute or so to completely melt the cheese.

This is also now ready for slicing & face shoving.

Serve with Vegan Roasted Heirloom Tomato Bisque for increased pleasure!

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