Last week I was in Costco and saw these wonderful, crusty, delicious-looking sandwich rolls and I immediately thought…Roasted Veggie Sammies!! (Yes, they were made of white flour and I usually go for the whole grain, but for this, I made an exception.) So I brought them home, roasted whatever veggies I had, and I’ve been eating this decadent lunch fare for 3 of the past 4 days. They are SO easy to make and the best part is that you can roast the veggies anytime, then just store them in an airtight container until you’re ready to make your sandwiches. The rolls freeze well too, so if you have to end up buying a bunch (trust me, they won’t go to waste), you can store them in the freezer for use at a later date. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Veggies: Remember, the smaller they are, the quicker they’ll cook, and since we’re making sandwiches, thin slices work well. There are so many veggies that roast well including, but not limited to, the following:
mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, asparagus, eggplant (cut into small cubes works well), carrots, potatoes (thinly sliced)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4-6 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar (depending upon how many veggies you end up with)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Crusty French sandwich rolls
Fresh basil (about 6 leaves per sandwich)
Fresh, clean leafy greens of your choice (arugula, spinach, lettuce, etc)
Condiment recommendations:
Mayo or Veganaise
Olive Tapenade
Sundried tomatoes (rinsed first, if packed in oil)
Directions:
- Place veggies in a large ziploc bag along with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Seal the bag and smoosh everything around so all of the veggies become coated with the marinade. At this point you can either store them in the fridge to marinate a little more until you’re ready to cook them, or you can Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Once you’re ready to roast, line 1 to 2 baking sheets (depending upon how many veggies you have) with tin foil,and pour the veggies and juices onto the sheets. If they all fit on one sheet without crowding one another then that’s fine. Otherwise you may wish to use 2 baking sheets to let your veggies spread out a bit.
- Place in the oven and bake for about 20-30 minutes (remember, the larger your pieces, the longer the cooking time.). HINT: If you are cooking asparagus, try taking it out of the oven after about 15 minutes. It takes a lot less cooking time than the other veggies, and overcooked asaparagus is not a pretty thing.
- Once your veggies are roasted to your satisfaction, remove them from the oven and place somewhere to cool. While the oven is hot, you can now toss your rolls in for about 5-10 minutes to get them warm and toasty!
- After your rolls have cooled a bit, slice them in half, horizontally. Spread with your favorite condiments (see suggestions above). Top with greens and veggies, and place the top of the roll back on. Then, using your whole palm, press down firmly on the sandwich. This will help the flavors meld and get it small enough to fit into your mouth. Be careful not to squish all of the contents out onto your counter, though.
- Slice sandwiches in half and dig in! These also go great with a cold bottle of sparkling water, or a beer!
Mel's Healthy Kitchen 