I rarely feel that I am missing out when it comes to eating meat. Since incorporating fish and seafood into my diet two years ago (previously I had been purely vegetarian for 16 years) I have been incredibly satisfied. And, truth be told, if the day comes when I want to order a steak, I will. But despite the numerous meat-free packed lunch options, I do sometimes crave the simplicity of a good old fashioned deli meat sandwich. Don’t get me wrong – there are tons of creative lunches out there, from protein-rich salads to hearty soups. But I have always longed for a neatly wrapped deli sandwich at lunch.
I have done the tofu deli meat thing. I actually don’t mind it, but at the end of the day none of us need more soy in our diets. Today I set out to create an equally satisfying work-lunch option with only a few ingredients. I can’t wait to unwrap the foil tomorrow and bite into my very own vegan delight!
Ingredients:
1 8.5 oz can of sliced red beets, drained
1 15 oz can of garbanzo beans, drained
3 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp of tahini
1 eggplant
1 10 oz package of Baby Bella mushrooms
1 small yellow onion
Wraps or tortillas (I used flax lavash roll-ups from Whole Foods)
Olive oil, salt, pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse the eggplant and chop off the stem on top. Using a serrated knife, slice lengthwise into thin strips. Combine the strips in a large bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, mixing and coating the eggplant with your hands. Line a baking tray with foil and spread the eggplant on the tray. Top with a few shakes of salt and pepper and pop in the oven to roast for about 35 minutes. Keep an eye on the eggplant and remove when softened fully and crisp at the edges.
While the eggplant roasts, prepare your mushroom and onion saute. Clean the mushrooms and remove the stems, then chop them. Dice the onion as well. In a large saute pan, add 2 teaspoons of oil and turn on low to medium heat. Saute the mushroom and onion for about 10 minutes, the longer the better. Let the onions get caramelized and glassy. Remove from heat.
For the beet hummus, you will simply combine the cans of drained beets and garbanzo beans in a food processor or blender. Add in the tahini paste, lemon juice, a few teaspoons of salt, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Blend until smooth and salt and pepper to taste.
Spread the beet hummus thickly upon the wrap and lay the eggplant on top. Place the onion and mushroom on the wrap as well and roll carefully!
*I warmed this up at work in the microwave and it was absolutely delicious! I would recommend eating this warm, but I have a feeling I may want to alter the sandwich each day to keep it interesting – I’m thinking shaved carrots, kale, and cucumber would be a nice change of pace.*
