vegetarian blt

I live in a school zone, so it's not uncommon for me to see a patrol car or two monitoring traffic on the road in front of my apartment when I leave for work in the morning. Normally they park on the side of the road or on adjoining side streets, but yesterday I pulled out of my garage to find one sitting at the end of my driveway. The driveway is somewhat narrow, so I assumed that if I pulled up behind him, he would move out of the way so that I could leave. After idling halfway up the drive for a few moments, it was clear he wasn't paying an ounce of attention to me, so I cautiously pulled up beside him. The officer in the squad car was targeting cars with his radar gun like he was John Wayne in some sort of shoot-'em-up Western movie, and he was so engrossed in the theatrics of it all that he didn't even seem to notice that he was now shooting through my car at all the passing vehicles. I'm glad he enjoys his work. I'm also glad that when he flipped on his flashing lights as I was leaving, it was to pull over someone else.

Vegetarian BLT = beans + lettuce + tomato. (I know, don't quit my day job, right?) I've been really into fresh green beans lately, and not content with eating them warm, I decided to play around with some ways to use them raw. I also really like sandwiches. I'm sure you can see where this paragraph is going, so I'll just cut to the chase: Don't use Miracle Whip here; it's "tangy zip" is made for lunch meats, not heirloom tomatoes. If you're feeling ambitious and want something other than mayo, try using this sun-dried tomato dip as a spread. I vote for the mayo, though. Simple is good...and oh, so satisfying.

[This post was submitted for Sandwich Festival 2008 and Vegetables, Beautiful Vegetables.]

Vegetarian BLT
A Dulcedo original
Serves 1

2 slices whole-wheat bread
1-2 tablespoons real mayonnaise
Handful of ripe baby heirloom tomatoes, halved
Handful of fresh green beans, trimmed
Handful of lettuce or other greens
Salt and pepper

I feel like the assembly of a sandwich this simple should be self-explanatory, but for those who are new to planet earth: Spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise on each slice of bread. Top one slice of bread with the green beans, tomatoes, and then season with salt and pepper. Add the lettuce and then top with the remaining slice of bread.