Can I get a hallelujah for summer, friends? The sunny weather has me buzzing with excitement and filling all of my free time with the best things this season has to offer.
Summer FOMO is a very real thing here in Michigan. We only get a few short months to enjoy patio dining, beach days, and weekend get-aways. I find myself filling all of my free time with summer activities because I don’t want to miss a second of it.
Perhaps the thing I love most about summer is dining al fresco at restaurants. I swear the open air makes food taste better. There is a small tally on my whiteboard at work keeping track of all the times I’ve eaten outside this year. It’s a small reminder of how fortunate I’ve been to have had these experiences (total since April: 13).
Dining on a patio was where I found myself a couple weeks ago with my Mother in Law. We met in Ann Arbor for a trip to Trader Joe’s and had stopped for lunch at Zingerman’s Delicatessen.
Zingerman’s is a Michigan institution. Hands down, the best sandwiches I’ve ever had have come from here. It’s certainly worth checking out if you’re in the area and absolutely worth the hour long wait we endured that Saturday afternoon. We split the #66, the Zingerman’s BLT, and enjoyed it in the open air out back. Summer perfection.
This vegan avocado sandwich is certainly no Zingerman’s. But it embraces the spirit of summer with mashed avocados, fresh basil, and tender grilled zucchini.
This sandwich is good hot or grilled. If you’re packing this puppy for lunch, it’s delicious straight from the fridge but a few minutes on a hot griddle makes this sandwich taste pretty magical, as well.
It comes together in no time and is best enjoyed somewhere outside. Happy summer, friends!
Vegan Avocado Grilled Zucchini Sandwich
Makes 2 Sandwiches
- 4 Slices Sprouted or Whole Grain Bread
- 1 Medium Zucchini
- 1 Tsp Olive Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1/2 Avocado
- 1/4 Cup Sun Dried Tomatoes, sliced
- 1/4 Cup Basil, sliced
- 1/4 Cup Hummus
- 4 Peppadew or 1 Roasted Red Bell Pepper, sliced
- Handful of Kale
Preheat a large pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Slice the zucchini into planks and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper. Place flat in the pan, working in batches if necessary, and cook until lightly browned on each side. Remove from the heat and set aside. If you plan on grilling the sandwiches, leave the pan over medium heat.
While the zucchini is cooking, mash the avocado and stir in the sun dried tomatoes, basil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Assemble the sandwiches by slathering 2 slices with the avocado mixture and the remaining slices with the hummus. Top the avocado slices with zucchini, peppadew or pepper, and kale. Place the hummus slices on top. The sandwiches can be enjoyed immediately or grilled in the pan and served warm.
