The Ultimate Farmer’s Market Veggie Sandwich

The Ultimate Farmer’s Market Veggie Sandwich. It’s all of your favorite seasonal vegetables piled high atop gluten free bread with fresh basil leaves and a vegan pesto.  A nut free and dairy free sandwich recipe perfect for lunch boxes, quick vegetarian dinners, and on-the-go snacking.

Lettuce turnip the beet with this Farmer’s Market veggie Sandwich! Oh gosh, I totally shouldn’t get credit for that intro. It was all Alex’s idea, my project manager. It’s like she just know corniness factor is it an all high! Haha.

Anyways, let’s REALLy talk here. We have this ultimate seasonal veggie sandwich that’s more than just a sandwich. There’s a backstory, there’s a purpose, there’s a cause, there a delicious and nutritious outcome.

Are you ready for it? YES!

What is a Farmer’s Market Veggie Sandwich (Sammie) you might say?

It’s all of your favorite summer vegetables piled high atop gluten free bread with fresh basil leaves. Smother on some creamy, protein-packed, nut-free, edamame pesto for the perfect gluten free sandwich filling. Another dairy and nut allergy friendly recipe perfect for packed lunches, quick dinners, and on-the-go snacks.

Plus it’s ohhh so pretty, right?

FULLY loaded with what I call “Summer’s Bounty Nutrition!”

• Tomatoes: Rich in Lycopene and vitamin C
• Cucumbers: Real hydration in edible form!
• Fresh Herbs to boost anti-oxidant levels!
• Cabbage: High in antioxidants and can reduce certain blood markers for inflammation
• Bell Peppers: Help reduce inflammation in the body and rich in vitamin C!
• Gluten Free/Nut Free/Dairy Free Bread – Rich in fiber and B Vitamins!
• Vegan Plant Based Pesto: Packed with plant based protein, fiber, and iron!

You see, I told you this was the ULTIMATE VEG FEST!

Now, as much as I love a good nerdy nutrition talk, I’m moving on. Because this is the part I truly want you all to stop, read, and take in. It’s NEAR and DEAR to my HEART!

It’s time to get a little nostalgic. So grab a veggie sandwich or two for the road, buckle up, and let’s take a trip down memory lane!

You see, back in the day (8 years ago), I volunteered at the gluten free expo in Dallas. I was there to help answer any nutrition questions as a gluten free nutrition specialist. I was also handing out samples at a gluten-free company’s booth. Most of the kids that visited our booth that day were absolutely distraught because they thought they couldn’t eat the yummy samples; they were so accustomed to “missing out” on the delicious food their peers ate, due to their food allergy restrictions. The look on the kids’ faces when their parents told them that they COULD sample the food, that they could have ANYTHING at the expo that day…priceless. Giving these kids and families resources and products that they could eat that look and taste the exact same (if not better) than what they felt like they had been missing out on all those years was so wonderful.

Experiences like that one (in particular) are a huge driving force behind why I do what I do. Don’t get me wrong, I love creating and “cotter-izing” recipes (okay was this the worst pun ever?), but it can be difficult for a family when a dietary restriction is put in place, when an allergy is discovered, when a disorder is diagnosed…it can be so hard and overwhelming to know where even to “start.” Does this sound like something you or someone close to you has gone through? Well no need to fret. You can stay cool as a cucumber because I have some cool news.

This Veggie Sandwich recipe is supporting Autism Awareness! And we need your help!

When Canyon Bakehouse approached me to be a contender in their annual Sammie Smackdown for charity, my thoughts went to situations like those above. It’s why I chose  Research Autism to be my charity to partner with! I would so love to donate $10,000 to this cause.  Studies have shown that eliminating gluten and dairy in your diet and focusing on REAL and NOURISHING foods can help with disorders, such as autism.

So what better for kids (and adults too!) with special nutrition and nourishment needs than a SANDWICH. Perfect for packed lunches or summer picnics, quick dinners, and on-the-go snacking. 

And BONUS.  It’s totally customizable based on what fresh veggies you dug up from your garden, selected at your local farmer’s market, or just what you and your family like best! So you can keep calm and plant on. I used these veggies to make me happy from my head “to-ma-toes:”

Seriously, I promise that was my last pun. I blame Alex.

Now, let’s jump the easy peasy sammie recipe and get this shindig going. Sound good?

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What’s your favorite type of veggie sandwich? Which Charity is near and dear to your heart? I’d love to know which ones and your story behind it.

 

Cheers!

LC