This versatile recipe is perfect for a quick weekday meal. Substitute the beef for pork, chicken, or even pressed tofu. You can even ditch the bun and serve the protein over a salad, rice, or Asian noodles.

Marinade

• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 lemongrass stalk, bottom 4 inches only
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBSP chopped fresh mint
• 1 tsp chili garlic sauce

*****

3/4 pound beef tri-tip or flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain in a diagonal

*****

Seasoned Mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp oyster-flavored sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil

******

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 4 soft french rolls, split and lightly toasted
• 3/4 cups fresh cilantro stems and leaves
• 1 cup Sweet and Sour Shredded Carrots (see below)
• 1 jalapeno chili

To make marinade, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add the beef and stir to coat evenly. Let stand for 10 minutes.

To make seasoned mayonnaise, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.

Place a grill pan over medium high heat until hot. Brush with the vegetable oil. Place beef strips on the pan and cook, turning once, until no longer pink, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from heat.

Spread the seasoned mayonnaise on the cut sides of each roll. Divide the beef, cilantro, carrots and chili evenly among the rolls.

Serve.

Sweet & Sour Shredded Carrots

• 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 cups shredded carrot
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Place the carrot in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot vinegar mixture over them. Add the fish sauce, stir to combine, and let cool.

*****

Recipes: Martin Yan Quick & Easy, Chronicle Books, 2004

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Put a delicious twist on an egg salad sandwich with the addition of avocado. Naturally cholesterol free, they have only 0.5g saturated fat per ounce.

• 6 eggs, hard boiled
• 1-1/2 ripe avocados, peeled and mashed
• 1-1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (or lime juice)
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste

Add the eggs to a medium-sized pot and cover with a few inches of water. Cover and place on high heat. Bring water to a full, but gentle, boil and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Drain the water and immediately run cold water over the eggs. Transfer eggs to an ice bath and allow eggs to chill for 10 minutes. Refrigerate eggs until ready to use.

Peel and roughly chop the hard boiled eggs.

Add the avocado to a mixing bowl with the lemon juice and sea salt. Mash the avocado, leaving it slightly chunky if desired. Add the chopped hard boiled eggs and stir well to combine. Eat on toasted bread with watercress or greens of choice.

Serves: 3-4

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A delicious combination of flavors, this meatless sandwich is ideal for a casual afternoon feast, perfect for party food, or hearty dinner.

• 1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• coarse salt
• 1/2 cup pitted olives, such as Kalamata and Cerignola
• 2 pepperoncini, stemmed
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for grilling
• 4 small sliced tomatoes (1 lb), sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
• 1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise 1/4-inch thick
• 1 jar (12 ounces) roasted red peppers, patted dry
• 1 (8-inch) round loaf rustic bread, split horizontally and hollowed out

In a colander, toss eggplant with 3/4 tsp salt. Let stand 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, add pitted olives, parsley, pepperoncini and mayonnaise. Pulse until combined.  

Toss eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini with oil and season with salt. Grill, turning frequently, until tender and slightly charred, about 4 minutes for tomatoes and about 7 minutes each for eggplant and zucchini.

Spread bread with olive mixture. Assemble sandwich with peppers, eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes. Serve immediately or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Serves: 6

Source: Everyday Foods, A Martha Stewart Publication

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You don’t have to travel further than your kitchen to enjoy the taste of a traditional Cuban sandwich. Perfect for lunch, afternoon snack or a simple dinner, be sure to make using Cuban bread, its crisp crust and lightly textured insides are what help make this sandwich tasty! This recipe from epicurious makes me feel as if I’m back in Miami — or, Havana!

• 1 loaf Cuban bread, sliced lengthwise
• ½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tbsp yellow mustard, or to taste
• 1-1/2 lbs boiled ham, sliced
• 1-1/2 lbs roasted pork, sliced
• 1 lb Swiss cheese, sliced
• 1 cup dill pickle chips, or to taste

Assemble the sandwich
Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter on one half of the bread loaf and a thin layer of mustard on the other. Place 1 to 2 layers of ham, pork, cheese, and, finally, pickles on the buttered bread and top with the mustard-spread bread.

Wrap the sandwich in foil
Smear the remaining butter all over the outside of the sandwich and wrap it completely in aluminum foil.

Press and grill the sandwich
Heat your grill to high (550°F) and close the lid. Wait at least 15 minutes before lowering the heat to medium-high (450°F) and continuing.

Before grilling the sandwich, press down on it with your hands to flatten it. Place the wrapped, flattened sandwich on the grill and top with a brick, grill press, or any other heavy, heat-resistant object. Close the lid and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side.

Remove the wrapped sandwich from the grill and take off the foil. Return the sandwich to the grill and grill for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until both pieces of bread are crispy and golden brown.

Slice and serve
Remove the sandwich from the grill and cut at an angle into small sandwich wedges (triangles). Place on a large platter and serve while still hot.

Source: epicurious

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Use this barbecue sauce to create your own delicious meal in the slow cooker, in the oven, or out on the grill. Substitute pork for the beef, and serve alongside a delicious potato salad, a salad and enjoy it in the backyard or even when camping.

• 1-1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tbsp vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 lbs. cooked and shredded beef brisket – or pork roast
• 6-8 sandwich buns

Combine all ingredients except the beef, and bring the sauce to a boil. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, then add shredded beef. Simmer additional 20 minutes. Spoon over split sandwich buns.

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This delicious pork ragu recipe is easy to make and enjoy in so many ways. Use in sandwiches, top pappardelle pasta, spoon over polenta or risotto, or use as a filling for homemade ravioli, it is delicious any time of the year.

• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2-1/2 lb. boneless pork loin
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2, 15-ounce cans crushed tomatoes, with juices

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven.

Season the pork with the salt and pepper, then sear on all sides until golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes per side). Remove the pork and set aside.

Add the onion, rosemary, and garlic to the pot and saute, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and stir with a wooden spoon. Scrape any bits of pork stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Return the pork to the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover the pot tightly and simmer on the stovetop until the pork is tender enough to fall apart, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Remove the pork and, when it is cool enough to handle, shred it into bite-size pieces. Add the shredded pork back to the stockpot. Simmer until hot.

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• 1/4 cups fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsps chopped fresh mint or basil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 avocado pitted, peeled, diced
• 2 fulls English cucumbers, sliced crosswise in 1/4-inch slices
• 2 fulls Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 cups pitted green olives
• 1 cup Pepper Jack cheese, grated
• 6 cups hearts of romaine, coarsely chopped
• 2 6-inches pitas

In large bowl, combine juice, oil, and honey; stir to combine. Add mint, salt, and pepper; stir to combine.

Add avocado, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives; gently toss. Add cheese and lettuce; toss. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Cut pitas in half, open pocket, and fill each half with salad. Do not overfill or pita will tear.

Nutritional information (per sandwich): Calories 270, fat calories 150; total fat 17 grams, sat fat 4 grams, cholesterol 15 milligrams; sodium 560 milligrams; fiber 3 grams, sugars 5 grams; protein 8 grams; vitamin A IUs 60%; vitamin C 30%; calcium 15%; iron 10%.

 Serves: 8 sandwich halves

Source: Melissa’s Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce, Cathy Thomas, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010.

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Drizzle the zucchini, yellow squash, and peppers with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Grill, turning frequently, until the outer skins of the peppers are charred and the squash is almost cooked through. Remove from the grill and let cool.

Spread each wrap with one or two tablespoons of hummus, leaving a small border around all the edges. Sprinkle the wraps evenly with chopped spinach leaves.

4. Peel the roasted peppers, remove the stems and seeds, slice into thin strips, and set aside.

Slice the squash thinly on the diagonal.

Arrange half of the vegetables over the hummus and spinach. Roll, tucking in both sides, and squeezing gently as you go to form a neat cylinder. Secure with toothpicks and slice in half on the diagonal.

Serves 2-4

Recipe courtesy of Sabra, from the Mediterranean Foods Alliance and Oldways consumer education program.

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Place dressing ingredients in small bowl; stir to combine

Spread enough dressing on one tortilla to thinly coat entire surface. Place ¼ cabbage on lower half of tortilla; place ¼ each remaining ingredient on top of cabbage, adding salt and pepper to taste. Roll up as tight as possible, starting at lower edge, folding over ends (to tuck in contents) halfway through rolling up tortilla. Give a gentle push to seal. Cut in half crosswise and place on plate.

Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Nutritional information (per ½ wrap with chicken):Calories 320 fat calories 170; total fat 18 grams, sat fat 3 grams, cholesterol 25 milligrams; sodium 540 milligrams; total carbohydrates 27 grams, fiver 5 grams, sugars 4 grams; protein 11 grams; vitamin A IUs 6%; vitamin C 40%; calcium 4%; iron 6%

Meatless tip: These wraps are delectable without meat, so omit the chicken. If desired, add cubes of firm Asian-flavored tofu.

Serves: 4 large wraps

Source: Melissa’s Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce, Cathy Thomas, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010

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