Tag: vegetarian meal planning

How to Build The Perfect Veg Sandwich

Perfect at summer barbecues for your vegetarian friends, Veg and Hummus Sandwich from katienormalgirl.com | #meatlessmonday #recipes #sandwiches

As summer approaches and backyard barbecues commence, I’m always on the look out for filling, vegetarian sandwich that’ll go perfect with all of the classic summer side dishes (chips, baked beans, corn on the cob…it’s all so delicious). This sandwich is it for me. It’s great because all of the toppings can double as burger toppings (if you’re a mixed meat and veggie crowd), it’s great for taking on hikes and it’s packed with protein so it’s filling and energizing.

HOW TO BUILD THE PERFECT VEG SANDWICH

The ingredients:

  • rustic ciabatta roll (or other hearty, crusty bread of your choice)
  • cilantro hummus (if you can’t find hummus, just mix a handful of chopped, fresh cilantro into your favorite classic hummus dip)
  • cucumber slices (I prefer english or pickle cukes because they are crunchier than the standard cucumber)
  • tomato slices
  • mixed baby lettuce or spinach
  • shaved or julienned carrots (use a vegetable peeler to shave the carrots and create thin carrot ribbons)
  • olive oil (not optional, I used to think it was but it is not)
  • sea or kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

The layers:

  • Start with your ciabatta roll. Spray or brush a thin layer of olive oil onto both the top and bottom pieces of your roll. I didn’t used to do this, then a friend of mine suggested adding it and wow! What a difference it makes. I was honestly shocked that a little olive oil could make the sandwich taste better but it does – don’t skip it!
  • Follow with a sprinkle of any large granule salt, like sea or kosher salt and a dusting of fresh cracked pepper on both sides of the roll.
  • Then spread a layer of the cilantro hummus on each side of the roll.
  • Start building your layers on the bottom of the roll with the carrots, followed by the lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber.
  • Pop the top of your roll onto the sandwich and bite into the delicious-ness!

This sandwich is so tasty that it doesn’t just have to be for the vegetarians in your group, the meat-eaters will love it too!

katie: normal girl

Let’s Make Dinner: Spaghetti Casserole

Spaghetti Casserole (pasta and cheese deliciousness) from katienormalgirl.com #meatlessmonday #vegetarian #yum

In honor of National Spaghetti Day (January 4) I wanted to share one of my favorite dinners with you, spaghetti casserole. This recipe is from my great-great grandfather and as far as I know, it hasn’t changed much since the days when he was making it. This is a family-favorite for Christmas Eve dinner, especially for the cook because it’s so easy to make and it can even be made ahead of time and frozen (plus, the red, green and white make it pretty festive).

Spaghetti Casserole (pasta and cheese deliciousness) from katienormalgirl.com #meatlessmonday #vegetarian #yum

Ingredients: 16 oz. angel hair pasta | 16 oz. 2% sour cream | 16 oz. 1% small-curd cottage cheese
16 oz. 2% ricotta cheese | 16 oz. regular cream cheese | 28 oz. spaghetti sauce
1 green pepper, diced | black pepper

This is a layered dish, so you’ll need to setup your assembly station. Start by mixing all of the cheeses together in a bowl (it goes a little easier if the cream cheese is at room temperature). Then break your uncooked pasta into 2″-3″ pieces. Dice your green peppers (the easy way) and finally, pour the spaghetti sauce into a bowl that it can be easily ladled out of.

1 | Layer the bottom of a 9″ x 12″ casserole dish with spaghetti sauce.
2 | Top with a layer of uncooked pasta.
3 | Spread the cheese mixture over the pasta.
4 | Sprinkle a few of the diced green pepper pieces and a bit of black pepper over the cheese.
5 | Repeat steps 1-4 until you’ve filled the dish, being careful to fully cover your top layer of pasta noodles with sauce and cheese so they’ll cook properly.
6 | Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, rotating the dish half-way through the cooking time.
7 | Allow it to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.

If you have any extra sauce, you can serve it on the side.

From my family to yours, enjoy!

katie: normal girl

Looking for more meat-free meals? Check out the Vegetarian Eats area.

Burger Swap: Grilled Portabella Sandwiches

Grilled Portabella Burger from katienormalgirl.comThis summer switch up the classic burger for a grilled portabella mushroom sandwich. It’s a great alternative to beef that will satisfy the meat-eaters and the veggies at your next backyard cookout. Even grilling newbies can cook one of these little guys!