The vegetarian sandwich that'll fool you into thinking it isn't a vegetarian sandwich. Not because it tastes like meat but because it's filling. That thanks to the bagel it's served on and the slices of nutty swiss cheese. Oh. And mayo. There's the mayo.
I was an odd kid. I dreaded going to birthday parties, loved hammering, and took a typing course at the local highschool when I was 11. For fun. What tween doesn't love office supplies and such?
I've matured now. Grown up a bit.
I now dread going to New Year's Eve parties, love hammering and type every single day. For money.
Clearly I've grown as a person.
I loved typing so much in fact, that that's how I made money during University and for a year or so after. I'm quite a typer. I believe at my speediest, when I was doing medical transcriptions for a living, I clocked in at about 142 words per minute.
I hated that job. And when I say hated it I mean I HATED it. Not the work so much, but my boss happened to be completely insane. Do you know what it's like to work for someone who is certifiably insane? It's difficult. Ignoring the facial ticks alone is exhausting.
But the one truly great thing that came out of that job, other than the satisfaction of quitting to take my first television hosting job, was THE SANDWICH.
The office I worked in had a cafe downstairs and it was there that I was introduced to a sandwich I am still eating and loving today.
3 ingredients, 2 condiments and a whole lotta satisfaction.
Here's how you make it ...
Cut a bagel in half. Any kind of bagel. I like poppyseed.
Toast and BUTTER it. With a capital BUTTER.
Lay 1 or 2 or 3 slices of Swiss Cheese on top.
Click here to see the behind the scenes food styling secret to the above shot.
Top with a huge handful of sprouts. I like alfalafa sprouts.
Here's how you can make them at home in 3 days!
Salt & Pepper.
Add a big squiggle of mustard ...
and a slathering of mayonnaise.
Voila.
The Vegetarian Sprout Sandwich
Ingredients
- Alfalfa Sprouts
- Swiss Cheese
- Bagel
- Butter
- Mustard
- Mayo
Instructions
- Cut your bagel in half and toast it.
- While the bagel is toasting lay a piece of swiss cheese on your counter. Top it with a BIG handful of sprouts (I like alfalfa).
- Squeeze a big squiggle of mustard and mayo onto the sprouts.
- Remove the bagel from the toaster when it's done, butter the bottom and then quickly slip the swiss cheese and sprouts on top. (you want to get the cheese on as quickly as possible so the heat from the bagel helps soften the swiss).
- Top with the other half of the bagel, cut in half and enjoy.
I managed to escape the job I hated with two things. This truly delicious sandwich and the knowledge that I can hate my job, work for an insane person and still come out of it O.K.
And a stapler. I also escaped with a stapler.
Barbie
Crappy bosses and jobs....always have an upside if your willing to look for it....I had one of those too....upside is I worked in a bakery for a crazy, tooth missing boss, but learned how to decorate wedding cakes like a champ! I still use it to this day!
Maureen Locke
Wow, do I ever feel like a small town hick.
A sandwich is usually ham, chicken salad or bologna, with mayo or mustard, a cheese slice and bread.
I feel as though I'm missing a lot though those sprout things aren't ringing my bell.
Maybe I'll get brave some day and try it. :)
Deborah
When shopping, my parents would drop me off at the office supplies instead of the toy department. I could play with typewriters, calculators, and cash registers for hours. It was the BEST!
Ronda
I may have to try that...I really miss them!
Ronda
This sounds great and I absolutely love sprouts but since they made number ONE on the riskiest foods to eat for food poisoning we have gone our separate ways. Been there, done that...do not want to do it again.
Karen
Hi Ronda! True about the sprouts. But if you grow your own like I do you'll be O.K. Plus they taste much better and only take 3 days. ~ karen!
Rktrix
A red stapler, perhaps?
Ah yes - typing class. The record with the lessons and their dopey little songs. Taught by the football coach. My sister's teacher would walk into the room, plug in the record player, and the lessons would resume. One day, he plugged in the player and instead of dopey songs and typing instructions the class got "I AM THE GOD OF HELLFIRE..." LOL!
Pam'a
Best. Typing class. Ever!!
Linda S
Karen, I have not subscribed to your blog for years and years like some others, but even I would know not to mention "the stapler" to this crowd. Can I go on record as saying/speed typing that your sandwich looks yummy just as it is...nothing deleted, nothing added!
Karen
LOL. Thanks Linda. And I had no idea the stapler would get such a reaction! ~karen
toekneetoni
great idea: the blow dryer food styling tip.
i can't do sprouts. and mustard i don't like so much. but i totally get the sandwich. i have a similar fave bagel sandwich. i haven't followed your blog for long, but so far i'm counting two "borrowed" items, first the beaker from science class, now the stapler. i'm concerned. on 2nd thought, the psycho boss deserved it. should've taken every stapler in the joint.
Your old boss
Wait, who's insane?
You live in the city with chickens.
You use a hairdryer to melt swiss cheese.
You make your own maple syrup, sandwich wrappers etc ...
Okay, fair enough, you would recognize insane when you see it.
PS: I would like my stapler back.
Anemone
Your sandwich looks delish!
I can't find a damn hungry emoticon...(>_<)
Donna Huebsch
This blog post seriously made my mouth water! And thank you for sharing the food styling tip...I was looking at your pics thinking, "How does she take such great shots? It looks like stuff in a magazine!"
Jayne
This looks amazing!
Shauna
blowdryer sweat and all, it looks delicious! :)
Stephanie
Mmmmmmmm.... butter, cheese, AND generous mayo? That's my kind of lunchtime excess. Sprouts make any sandwich better, IMO, and poppyseed bagels are the best, well worth the flossing afterward. Looks yummy, but you forgot the ham or turkey slice under the cheese.
mimiindublin
Looks yummy but I hate cheese!
Could eat it with maybe pastrami..
Love the food styling tip!
Debbie
Karen, Sprouts the dreaded health food of the late 70's for those old enough to remember. If you ordered something it has those darn things were on it or in it. I am talking sprout milk shakes! Of course I live in Portland Oregon the greenest place in the United States. One other item it reminded me of a commercial of the same time I think it was for a health cereal maybe grape nuts. His name was Euell Gibbons he would say ever eat a pine cone many parts are edible. The joke was ever eat a rats ass many parts are edible. Pardon the ass if its offensive it was the 70's.
Kris Wilson
It does look delicious, but my wheat belly says 'NO!' Just trying this wheat deprivation to loose weight, but it's not working (and it's not worth it!) Question: totally off the bagel topic, Karen. Did you ever find your perfect grey paint colour? I am also looking. Suggestions?
Karen
I did not! Still looking. I may have even abandoned the idea of grey! :( ~ karen
Trissi V.
The question is...was it a red stapler?
Wendy
I think that sandwich looks yummy, mustard, mayo and all.
Here's a good one:
Cheddar cheese (thickly sliced, but maybe only one layer. Avocado (sliced, not squished, onto your bread of choice. Tomato. Mustard (I prefer dijon) on one slice of bread. Mayonaise (on the other.)
Bread: I'm gluten-free these days, so my options are limited. If they weren't, I'd pick a pumpernickel bagel from "What a Bagel" or two slices of sunflower rye that you buy in the deli or fancy bread section at the grocery store, toasted. Now, I just choose whichever yummy gluten-free option I have going on in the freezer and toast it. I ignore the bread, and enjoy the filling.
Karen
I'm likin' the sound of that sandwich! ~ karen
Nancy Blue Moon
Love poppy seed bagels..Love Swiss cheese..Love sprouts..I think I am going to love this sandwich..Now I have to go shopping today..And yes..I know what it is like to have an insane boss..
Nancy Blue Moon
Oh yeah..I also think this would be good with a big slice of home grown tomato..YUM!