I have received product from Little Northern Bakehouse for this blog post.
When it comes to making a special treat for myself, I crave comfort food. This craving for comfort vegan food often comes in the form of a sweet treat such as gooey chocolate chip cookies or warm banana bread, but sometimes my craving is a savory item. So, to honor the theme of “Eat for Me”, I made this warm and tasty vegan, gluten-free tempeh sandwich to satisfy my craving for comfort food.
And in the words of my husband who also got to enjoy this sandwich, “It’s super good!”
The bread I used for this recipe is the Seed & Grains bread from Little Northern Bakehouse . I first came across this special brand a few years ago when I was visiting my parents and wanted to make a plant-based burger. Most gluten-free breads found at regular grocery stores tend to have egg but Little Northern Bakehouse has many vegan bread options made with whole-foods ingredients. They have a variety of different breads, from sandwiches, to buns, and even sweet breads like cinnamon raisin. You can find their products in the freezer section in most natural food stores.
Their slice of bread is smaller than most regular sandwich breads but the biggest advantage here is that you don’t have to sacrifice taste, quality or texture in a slice of bread when you’re looking for a good vegan AND gluten-free bread!
I’m using the Seed & Grains option because I love having extra nutrition when it comes to my bread. The more seeds are visible on the outside of a bread, the more nutritional benefit you’ll get from it, especially fiber.
Classic Tempeh Diner Sandwich (V, GF)
I really enjoyed this sandwich. Tempeh is a favorite plant-protein item for me and combined with sauerkraut, which provides healthy components for my gut, it’s a nutritious but also tasty classic comfort food that I get to enjoy.
Classic Tempeh Diner Sandwich (V, GF)
Serves: Makes 4 sandwiches
Total Time: 35 - 45 minutes
Ingredients
Tempeh Marinade
1 teaspoon red miso paste
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
½ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce*
¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons water
Dressing
2 slices of sandwich pickles, finely diced (or 2 Tablespoon of relish)
2 tablespoons of vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Other Ingredients
1 - 8oz package of tempeh
1 tablespoon of olive or canola oil
8 slices of Little Northern Bakehouse Seed & Grain bread
4 slices of vegan cheese
¾ cup of classic sauerkraut
Vegan butter, as desired
Directions
In a shallow dish, whisk together all ingredients for the marinade.
Cut tempeh lengthwise in half. Then cut each half again to make 4 square portions.
Place tempeh into marinade mixture and marinade for about 5 minutes on each side.
In the meantime, prepare your dressing in a small bowl.
Once tempeh is marinaded, heat a medium skillet to medium-high heat. Heat oil and cook tempeh on each side for about 5 minutes or until golden brown** Once cooked, place onto a plate and set aside until ready to assemble.
Using the same skillet, bring down heat to medium. Spread desired amount of butter onto one side of each bread slice. Place one buttered-side bread slice onto skillet, then a slice of cheese, and top with second bread slice buttered-side up. (kind of like a “grilled cheese”). Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until “cheese” is melted.
Once complete, you can assemble your sandwich. Open your sandwich and place one portion of tempeh, then sauerkraut (about 2 tablespoons per sandwich), and dressing.
Enjoy warm!
Notes
*Find a vegan and gluten-free Worcestershire sauce like this one.
** If you have marinade left over, spread remaining onto tempeh while in skillet