Spring has sprung… well, kinda. I can’t believe we actually had snow last week in Chicago. Besides that minor detail, spring is officially here and I have healthy foods and fresh veggies on my mind. I’m hoping my magical Healthy Vegetarian Rainbow Sandwich will bring the warm weather back sooner rather than later.
I don’t know if you know but I am currently 34 weeks pregnant. Eeeek! I’m down to the final stretch. I feel pretty lucky that I’ve had a relatively easy pregnancy thus far. I haven’t gotten sick at all. During the first trimester, I was craving all kinds of foods that I don’t normally eat. I wanted to eat lots of meats, salty chips, sour lemons, carbonated drinks, etc. Once the first trimester passed, I was back to eating my normal diet of whole grains, veggies, and fruits. So strange how your body changes and reacts to pregnancy.
As a food blogger, I eat out a lot and sometimes I need to detox. My Healthy Vegetarian Rainbow Sandwich is my go-to when I want something easy and fresh. Feel free to use whatever ingredients you want but here is what I used and why:
- Turano Baking Co. (100% Whole Grain) – A diet rich in whole grains lowers the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Whole grains are packed with nutrients, including fiber, minerals, vitamin B, antioxidants and more. Turano’s 100% Whole Grain is a good, sturdy bread enough to support all the ingredients you want to pack in. It also has a nice nutty taste, which complements the veggies well. The key to a good sandwich is the bread. Turano bread is made from family recipes passed on from generations, Turano ensures exceptional old world flavor in each and every bite. It can be found at your local grocery store.
Fab Recipe: Healthy Vegetarian Rainbow Sandwich // Turano Bread // Photo: @fabsoopark
- Tomatoes – Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and beta-carotene. It’s great for your skin, hair, eyes, bones, and heart.
- Red Bell Peppers – Out of all the bell peppers, red bell peppers has the highest amount of vitamin C. It is also known to reduce “bad” cholesterol as well as help with pain and inflammation.
- Carrots – This root vegetable has high level of beta-carotene, which helps slow down the aging of cells. It is also rich in vitamins A, B8, C, and K as well as potassium, iron, folate, and more.
- Orange Bell Peppers – Orange peppers are a great way to increase your vitamin B-6 intake, which helps stabilize sugar levels and supports your body’s immune functions.
- Cheese – I know a lot of diets like to eliminate dairy but cheese is a great source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and may even promote weight loss. It is also high in calcium and protein.
- Yellow Bell Peppers – Yellow bell peppers are sweeter than other bell peppers and rich in carotenoids, which protects your heart from cardiovascular disease.
- Spinach – Spinach is one of the best sources for potassium and magnesium. It also helps support a healthy immune system, bone health, lowering blood pressure, and more.
- Avocado – Avocados are extremely nutritious and contains more potassium than bananas. It is also loaded with heart-healthy monuounsaturated fatty acids, which are considered good fats.
- Beets – Beets are an excellent source of folate, minerals, and vitamins. Folates are essential for women trying to conceive. It enables good blood flow to the uterus.
- Purple Cabbage – About a cup of purple cabbage provides 2 grams of fiber. Dietary fiber prevents cholesterol from entering your bloodstream.
Fab Recipe: Healthy Vegetarian Rainbow Sandwich // Photo: @fabsoopark
FAB TIP: Assembly may seem easy but cutting the ingredients thin and flat are key when you want to pack it up and pack it in.
Here is the recipe…
- 4 slices of bread - I used Turano 100% Whole Grain Bread
- 1 medium carrot
- ½ medium red bell pepper
- 1 small orange bell pepper
- 1 small yellow bell pepper
- ½ large tomato
- 2 small beets or jarred beets
- ¼ purple cabbage
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup of spinach
- 4 slices of cheese
- Carrots - Peel the carrots. Cut the carrot in half. Square the edges.
- Cut the carrots into thin slices.
- Peppers (Red, Orange, Yellow) - FAB TIP: Watch this video by Gordon Ramsay on cutting peppers. I use this technique all the time.
- Julienne the peppers.
- Cut the tomatoes into slices or half slices. However you prefer.
- Cut cooked beets into thin slices or use jarred beets.
- Slice or shred cabbage. FAB TIP: Add lemon juice to retain the purple color.
- Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop out the avocado with a spoon between the flesh and skin. Cut into slices.
- Pile the ingredients, in this order, between two slices of bread: tomato, red pepper, carrots, orange peppers, cheese, yellow peppers, spinach, avocado, beets, and purple cabbage. Trust me on this.
- Enjoy!
Voilà! Add your favorite salad dressing or dip. I like it with a light yogurt tzatziki sauce.
Fab Recipe: Healthy Vegetarian Rainbow Sandwich // Photo: @fabsoopark
Fab Recipe: Healthy Vegetarian Rainbow Sandwich // Photo: @fabsoopark
Fab Recipe: Healthy Vegetarian Rainbow Sandwich // Photo: @fabsoopark
What are some of your go-to healthy eats? Share with me below.
Live the Fab Food Life,
Soo
Note: This post was sponsored by Turano Baking Company. However, the views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.
