Finding suitable substitutes for your favorite meals can be a real challenge for those new to a plant-based diet. That’s why having a few helpful foods for going vegan is critical in the beginning. It helps you stick to your guns during the transition period. That’s why this recipe for a vegan tuna melt from the cookbook The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet caught my eye.
While I’ve seen mock tuna salad recipes using chick peas before, this is the first one I’ve seen calling for tempeh. The ingredient list is minimal, which is another critical factor in choosing recipes that will help you stick with your new eating style.
What you need:
8 ounces of plain tempeh (crumbled), ¼ cup of sweet pickle relish, ½ cup of vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise is our fave.), ½ cup diced red onion, ¼ teaspoon dill, salt and pepper to taste, nondairy butter or cooking spray and your bread of choice.
What you do:
Mix sandwich filling ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. While you’re certainly welcome to use this sandwich salad in lettuce wraps or cold pita sandwiches, it would be a shame not to try it as a tuna melt at least once. Prepare it like you would a grilled cheese by spreading the nondairy butter on the exterior sides of the bread, or spray your frying pan with nonstick cooking spray before you begin. These would also make good travel press sandwiches on a busy family evening, particularly if you have the filling mixed ahead.
Pairing suggestions:
Serve these toasty sandwiches with sour pickle spears and a grown-up tomato and basil soup, or veggie sticks and homemade white bean and sundried tomato hummus.
Photo Credit: Kthread
