Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel!
Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel! has been in my dreams as of late. I’ve been craving a bagel sandbo, don’t know why, but knew it was gonna happen and be my next blog post… so here it is! I love everything bagels. Pretty sure that if you left me on an island with only 1 food option, I’d opt to survive on everything bagels. I’m a carb-a-holic (if you can’t tell by the everything in my blog)! I’m also a lover of crispy tofu, especially on a sandwich! Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel! is stacked with avocado, crispy tofu, cucumbers, carrots, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, spinach, and smeared with Tofutti Cream Cheese and my sundried tomato & basil hummus (click for recipe). This bagel was bustin’ with goodness and flavor. I always feel extra great when people realize that something SO healthy can taste equally as delish!
Being that I live in Portland, OR, it is often rainy for parts of the day. I really wanted to have a picnic with my kiddo. Currently, he is obsessed with his new Radio Flyer mini-wagon, so we opted to pack the wagon with grub and picnic indoors! I ended up putting a blanket down with a vase of flowers and we ate to the tunes of Dizzy Gillespie (one of my kiddo’s faves… and mine). Love that my little G-dog is 3 and has been requesting “Gillespie” since he was 1! I did something right in this world! LOL. Anyway, picnic indoors, picnic outdoors, picnic by your lonesome or with friends or fam, picnic with your dog, picnic with a ‘lova’… just make sure you’re doin’ it with this super fabulous Loaded Tofu & Veggie Bagel! by your side. Happy days! MWAH! XO
- 1 everything bagel (or bagel of your choosing)
- 3 thin slices of firm or extra firm well-drained tofu
- 1 Tbl sundried tomatoes
- Small handful of spinach
- 2 basil leaves
- 4 thin slices of carrot
- 4 thin slices of cucumber
- 1/2 of an avocado - sliced
- 2 Tbl cream cheese (I used Tofutti)
- 2 Tbl sundried tomato hummus (or any hummus you have)
- Garlic powder to taste
- Onion powder to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Heat a small pan on medium/high - high
- Add tofu - gently so not break and add a pinch of garlic powder, onion powder, salt & pepper
- Flip when crispy, about 3 minutes & add pinches of powders, salt & pepper again
- Cook until crispy, about 2 minutes
- Cut bagel and smear one side with hummus and the other side with cream cheese
- Top hummus half with avocado, and cream cheese half with sundried tomatoes
- Top on cream cheese half: basil, carrots, cucumber, tofu, and then spinach
- Place hummus half on top, cut, and devour!
- Feel free to replace any of the veggies or add more. Use what you've got in your fridge!
Robert Moses Sandwich (Eggplant Feta Mediterranean Sandbo)
Robert Moses Sandwich (Eggplant Feta Mediterranean Sandbo) is a sandwich from my childhood. Therefore, this will be one of my more poetic posts. If you’re from LI or the greater LI, NY area you are already familiar with summers at the beach… Robert Moses was my every weekend. An amazing Long Island beach that from an aerial view could be hard to see the sand, as it was packed to the brim with bodies & umbrellas. People having picnics and playing paddle ball, body surfing, boogie boarding, reading magazines, and listening to classics on the radio, all whilst under a sea of umbrellas…everyone there for the same reason, enjoying the same sun, sand, and sea. To sum it up, it was AMAZING! Coconut ice cream bars from the vendors strolling along the beach and for those who could imbibe, cocktails masked in coolers poured into a classic Solo cup. Does life get better than this? Truly, I think not. If yours does, please share because I want to know your secrets! I digress, this is where Robert Moses Sandwich (Eggplant Feta Mediterranean Sandbo) was born. My mother would pack the “herd” loads of food for the day. We were always going strong in the number department! At this point, 4 children plus friends made for an even better beach day. My mom always made these amazing sandwiches. They were made “special” just for the beach. They were delicious to begin with, but I am more than sure this only helped to make them taste even more scrumptious! Eggplant cooked with oregano, feta, tomato, red onion, spinach, fresh basil, and a fresh baked baguette- simple, easy, and amazing! I’ve taken some liberties with my mother’s sandwich but that’s only because I cannot remember it in its true form. In Beijing, I am most definitely not having beach weekends, however, in the Spring season, when pollution allows, Chaoyang Park is pumpin’ and we are a’ picnickin’! Robert Moses Sandwich (Eggplant Feta Mediterranean Sandbo) was our last bite of delish at the park. Sharing my childhood tastes and memories with you…
- 1 medium sized baguette (fresh bakery style is best)
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1/4 C chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 small red onion (I keep them in rings)
- 1 small ripe tomato-sliced
- 1 small eggplant-sliced
- Feta cheese - to taste (I like a fair amount)!
- 1 tsp lemon (1 slice) or lemon juice (optional)
- Oregano to taste
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Olive for pan & for brushing on the baguette
- Cook your eggplant with lemon (optional), salt, pepper, and oregano for about 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness
- Slice open baguette and brush each side with olive oil. Sprinkle on salt/pepper, and more oregano if you desire (I do)!
- Place the feta, onion, and basil on the bottom. Next, top with tomato, eggplant, and then spinach
- Beer pairing: (In your beach cup of course)!
- Cold Amber or ESB
- Sauvignon blanc OR Chardonnay will both do here!
