When I first met my husband, then boyfriend of course, almost 7 years ago, he was an extremely picky eater. Meat and potatoes, bring it on, vegetables, forget it! Once we were serious enough that I was cooking for him, I quickly made it my personal mission to increase his veggie intake and to make him see that vegetables are delicious. In our early days, had I said we were having roasted vegetable sandwiches for dinner, he would have run the other way. Last week, when he asked what was for dinner and I explained this meal, he quickly said, “okay! I’ll try it!” And try it we both did, and loved them!
I think there are two types of veggie cookies in this world. Those who steam their veggies and those who roast. I have always been a roaster and truly believe it is the best way to get people to try new veggies because roasting makes everything taste delicious. There is nothing wrong with a steamed veggie, but the texture and flavor can leave something to be desired. I have converted many people to cauliflower addicts simply by roasting it for them!
These sandwiches are full of flavor and the white bean pesto really adds to both the texture of the sandwich and the flavor! I have never made a pesto other than the traditional basil pesto, so I was really intrigued by this version. I love that the white beans add additional protein to the sandwich. These are definitely filling enough for dinner served with a side salad or some soup.
Ingredients
- Source: Moosewood Vegetarian Cookbook
- For the Sandwich:
- Ciabatta Bread or Rolls, Toasted
- 2 Portabella Mushroom Caps, Sliced into strips
- 1 Red Pepper, Sliced into Strips
- 1 Sweet Onion, Sliced
- 2 Roma Tomatoes, Halved
- Arugula or Spinach (A Blend is the best!)
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
- For the Pesto:
- 2 Cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Fresh Basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a baking sheet, place the mushrooms, onions, pepper, and tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Pour the oil and vinegar over the veggies and stir.
- Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until tender. Once you remove from the oven, remove the skins from the tomatoes and discard.
- In a food processor, place the beans, pesto, and garlic cloves. Pulse till it appears crumbly and then begin adding the olive oil. Stream the oil into the processor, while it is running, until the pesto appears smooth.
- To assemble, lay out your toasted bun and spread a a tablespoon amount of the pesto onto the bun. Top with the roasted vegetables and then your arugula or spinach
- Variation: Skip the pesto and use fresh mozzarella or gouda cheese.
- Enjoy!
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