You can never, ever, go wrong with this anatomy for a sandwich: crust, spread, something crunchy, something moist, and something savory. This simple formula has made some seriously classic sandwiches. Whenever I come across a sandwich in my path that I don’t particularly like, it’s always missing one of these elements. Open any fridge in any household and, dorm room kiddie fridges aside, you can almost always find the ingredients to make something delectable for lunch that fits between two slices of bread.

Crust: Do I even need to go here?…
Spread: mayo, mustard, relish, tapenade, peanut butter, pickle, ketchup, miso
Crunchy: lettuce, pickles, veggies, chips, fries, onion, bacon, chocolate, apples
Moist: cheese, jelly, pulled meats, chicken, cream cheese, marshmallow, fruit, cooked greens, raisins, tomato
Savory: meats, harder cheeses, cured meats, smoked fish, miso

My most recent take on a sandwich included Japanese miso, Mexican avocados, Portuguese sardines, Japanese cucumber, Italian Parmigiano Reggiano, and Indian pickle. The lot of leftover ingredients never tasted so good together.

2 pieces of whole wheat bread, toasted
A few spreads of miso tahini

Sardines in oil
1/2 sweet red onion or shallot, small dice
1/2 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper.

1/2 avocado, sliced, sprinkled with lemon juice and coarse sea salt
1/2 burpless cucumber, sliced thinly into rounds -or- 1″ chunk cucumber, halved, seeded, and sliced
1/2 ripe ripe juicy yummy tomato, sliced
A few stems of sorrel or other spicy lettuce, washed and chiffonade
A few shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano
A good spicy pickle (I used Indian mango pickle)

Take a few sardines and chop them coarsely. Combine the sardines and onions in a small bowl. Grind in some pepper and sprinkle with some lemon juice.

Spread the miso tahini paste onto both slices of bread. On slice 1 – layer on the avocado, followed by slice of cucumber, followed by the Reggiano, followed by the spicy pickle. On slice 2 – Put down a good bed of tomato, followed by your sardines, then a topping or sorrel or other lettuce. Put together and enjoy!

Miso tahini spread
This is a staple that we use on sandwiches, with freshly cut veggies, and sometimes just on your finger and straight into your mouth. The original is from Sandor Ellix Katz’s Wild Fermentation

2 tablespoons good miso
2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mix and save and savor and eat and love. Keeps for a week in the fridge.

Sandwiches are curious foods. While leavened bread has been eaten with food since 4000 BCE, the sandwich wasn’t conceived until the 18th century. Its predecessor was presumably a fresher open-faced version of the English trenchers, where slices of meat and butter were placed atop stale bread “plates.” The story goes that John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, England conceived of the food as a convenient way to eat without skipping a hand at cards (Hawaii was also originally named The Sandwich Islands after the Earl).

Since its introduction to America as a hefty dinner option in the early 20th century, the sandwich has been a staple of our diet. Spins of the concept have reached the farthest corners of our melting pot. A sandwich is not to be trifled with. Origin stories for Grilled Cheese, Sloppy Joe, PB&J, and BLT are highly contentious, and New York best of lists of the Cuban, Soft Taco, Roast Beef, and the Panini have been fought over since their inceptions.

Whether inspired abroad or on New York soil, we are constantly looking to chart the new when it comes to the sandwich. Love it or leave it, this trendiness has produced a lot of good and bad lunches. A cool wave of bánh mì shops has recently infiltrated the great triangle of trends, East Village, Lower East Side, and Williamsburg. Always last in line, The New York Times declared 2009 the “Year of the Bánh Mì” while New York gives a rundown of their favorite street shops, including friends of ours An Choi on Orchard Street. The bánh mì is a result of the French colonial empire in Vietnam, drawing from the French baguette with pâté and butter and adding local flavors of spicy pepper, fish sauce, pickled carrots and cilantro. Back in 1996, the Daily News reported the sandwich’s lack of sticking power. Pho Viet Huong owner Billy Chau was quoted as saying New Yorkers “think it’s a cold-cut sandwich and don’t want to order it. When they taste it, they know the difference.” The New York Times reported back in 2008 “To make it here, a sandwich has to work overtime, being portable, filling, interesting and tasty.” While not at first a hit, the recent trends of using fresher ingredients, recipes with more complex flavors, and surge of Asian eateries has brought the bánh mì to the fore, and an influx of new recipes and shops to New York.

Popularity aside, lets talk about this sandwich for a moment. While the bread takes its inspiration from the baguette, the Vietnamese version uses rice flour and produces a chewier, almost Italian loaf that lends better to crunchy veggies. Once you get passed its rugged exterior (i.e. crust), you are rewarded with some tender meats, a spicy sauce to catch in the corners of your mouth, a smear of pâté, and dare we say a winning combination of vegetables. Sweetly pickled carrots and daikon, fresh slices of cucumber, and whole sprigs of cilantro to be exact.

My last bánh mì was at Nicky’s a month ago. Heat waves tend to make you think of crunchy, refreshing foods. When it comes to trends, I generally like to make my own. So we kiddies made some sandwiches on Sunday. They were fabulous the first day, but by the second morning the bread had gone stale, the chicken was tough, and the vegetables had lost some of their crunch, making it clear this sandwich must be made fresh or not at all. Love ‘em already or waiting for the next crave, the combination of spicy, crunchy, sweet, and savory opens a lot of doors.

Chicken Bánh Mì
Recipe from Food & Wine with some changes
Serves 4

Chicken Marinade
1/2 cup Asian fish sauce
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sugar
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

In a bowl, whisk the fish sauce with the lime juice, sugar, garlic, Thai chiles and salt. Add the chicken and cover in the fridge for 3 hours, not more than 8 or the chicken will become tough.

Pickled Vegetables
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of crushed red pepper
3 large carrots, julienned
1/4 pound daikon radish, julienned

In a small saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, sugar, salt and crushed red pepper to a boil. Transfer the brine to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Add the carrots and daikon and cover to keep them submerged. Refrigerate the vegetables for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.

Spicy Mayo
1 Organic egg yolk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup peanut or other mild oil
2 tablespoon freshly squeeze lemon juice
Sea salt
3 tablespoons garlic pepper sauce
A handful of cilantro sprigs, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Combine the egg, mustard, and some pepper in a bowl. Whisk. Pour the oil in slowly, in a steady stream and whisk vigorously. Once the oil is incorporated, whisk for another 30 seconds. Add in the lemon juice and whisk to incorporate. Taste, salt, and adjust seasonings. Add the chili pepper sauce, cilantro, garlic, and cayenne to taste.

Bánh Mì
Four 8-inch Italian or other chewy white baguettes, split and grilled
1 cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise
A handful of cilantro sprigs, washed and dried
2 jalapeños, thinly sliced

Heat a saute pan on medium heat. Remove the chicken and pat dry. Cook 4 minutes to a side until done. Let rest. Slice the chicken breasts. Drain the pickled vegetables. Spread the cut sides of the baguettes with the spicy mayo. Arrange the cucumber slices on the bottom halves. Top with the chicken and the pickled carrots and daikon. Garnish with the cilantro sprigs and jalapeño. Close the sandwiches and ENJOY.

Being a perceptive cook really means doing the bidding of your food. It’s a good day when you just happen to have a molasses sweet and cornmeal gritty anadama bread (from the Bread Baker’s Apprentice) that is crying out for some grilled cheese and tomatoes. If on that day it happens to be 80 degrees (seriously?) and both your cheese and brow are sweating, you just pair it with a little acidic salad to refresh your palate.

Yesterday we went to town on that sandwich with some mild Gouda, Maille’s Old Style (which I live for), a little ramekin of caramelized onions, a few slices of bacon, and a very ripe tomato. Grilled cheese never gets old, it never is too gooey or greasy, and it never disappoints you. Arm yourself with good ingredients (and someone who loves baking) and the instructions from your food will always lead to great results.

Grilled cheese
2 slices of some sweet, gritty bread, preferably homemade
Whole grain mustard (I usually use Maille‘s Old Style or Dijon)
Good unsalted butter
Organic Applewood or other smoked bacon
1 tomato
Mild gouda
Freshly ground black pepper

Place the bacon in a small saute pan on medium and fry for a couple minutes on each side. Remove from heat onto paper towels. Spread butter onto one side of each slice (the opposite of where the ingredients will go). Spread mustard on the other sides. Add the cheese on each side. Add the bacon. Place the tomatoes on one side and onions on the other. Sprinkle on some freshly ground black pepper, a little salt and close. Heat some butter in a pan on medium high heat. Add the sandwich. Cook until the cheese starts to melt. Compress with a weight or press down with a spatula every couple of minutes. Flip and cook the other side. The bread should be browned/toasted looking. Once the cheese has fully melted remove from heat. EAT.

Caramelized Onions
1 red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
A few sprigs of thyme, washed and minced
1 teaspoon balsamic or sweeter red wine vinegar
Good unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Heat some butter in a small heavy-bottomed sauce pan on medium-low. Add in the onion and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring periodically to make sure they don’t stick or burn. The onions will become soft, then they will release some of their sugars Halfway through, grind some pepper and add the thyme. Once the onions have caramelized turn up the heat and add the balsamic and stir the onions to deglaze. Add salt and remove from heat.

On our recent trip to the Brooklyn Flea, we sampled some of these tasty Lebni yogurts from Likitsakos Specialty Foods. Sweetened with honey and spiked with vanilla extract, these yogurts are rich and creamy, and flavored with things like real blackberries, almonds, and grapes.

Well, instead of eating mine on the spot, I decided to drown some Organic chicken breast from Fairway in it and make a sandwich. Sweet, tangy, a little spicy, and definitely meaty, the chicken is pumped up a bit with sweet onions, cracked olives, and some bitter lettuce. Roll that all in a pita or top it on grilled bread and give yourself a pat on the back. You did well.

If you haven’t discovered Chile’s merken made from the cacho de cabra chile, you should definitely have a taste. A buyer for Zingerman’s turned me on to it a couple years back, and I have been using the spice almost as frequently as pepper ever since. Here’s an old note from Zingerman’s owner Ari talking about all the things you can do with merken.

Makes 4 sandwiches
2 Organic skinless boneless chicken breasts
A few pieces of red leaf or other bitter lettuce, washed and torn
Whole wheat pita or bread, warmed or toasted
A handful of green cracked olives, chopped

Marinade
1 cup Lebni yogurt, try a flavored one from Likitsakos Specialty Foods
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 scallions, minced (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Merken or chili blend
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon garam masala, preferably freshly ground
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt
A few turns of fresh nutmeg
Some squirts of fresh lime
A few pinches of celery seed (optional)
A handful of mint leaves, washed and chopped (optional)

Mix in a bowl. Wash the chicken and dry thoroughly. Cut into even strips. Cover with marinade, reserving some as a topping. Place in fridge for at least an hour.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium. Cook the chicken on both sides until slightly browned, about 4 minutes each side. Remove from heat.

1 Spanish onion
2 stalk rosemary, minced
4 stalks oregano, minced
Olive oil

Heat some olive oil in a small sauce pan on medium-low and saute the onion until soft, about 8 minutes. Add in the rosemary and oregano, and cook until sweet, a couple minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Place the lettuce on the bread. Add the chicken. Top with the onions and olives. Add some extra yogurt on top. Serve!

Choosing a healthy diet today isn’t easy. When I was a kid, class and religion still dictated most of our eating habits. Nowadays pollution, GMO, obesity, and big industry further complicate our choices. The concern over eating a tuna fish sandwich back then was the stink. Today it’s such a loaded issue I take pause before publishing the recipe.

Back In ’94 I had freedom at 13 to flippantly declare, “I think I’m going to stop eating meat.” That was that. My motivation was simply that my best friend was Kosher vegetarian. Her mother was of the SnackWells, butter buds, and kugel crowd. I hung with the mac ‘n cheese with ham and peas and Big Mac crowd. We didn’t understand each other when it came to food or 80s perms and polyester track suits. I would arrive on her doorstep with a Saran-wrapped care package of some delicious and yet non-Kosher fare my mother had cooked. Her response: send me out to the porch, or, in winter, request that I sit my plate on a plastic bag from the nearby Jewish supermarket. After months of crinkly plastic as a placemat, something needed to change.

I was determined for that something to be me. I went vegetarian. While I worked my way through all the carbs, cheese, and veggies I could stomach, the school system could only offer Kraft, iceberg, and gray tomato sandwiches. A couple of meals in and I abandoned the sliced bread idea altogether.

For a while I felt the need to remind people that my vegetarianism was NOT a love for animals. After my freshman year of Ramen and cheese pizza, I seriously questioned my own motives. I was tired of the lack of options, ignorant of other more healthy vegetarian options, and HUNGRY. I introduced fish and seafood back into my diet. I discovered food and all the baggage that comes along with being food-conscious. Ever since then I have lusted after good, nourishing, flavorful food. I’ve also spent a great deal of time researching my choices, to avoid any other flippant or ignorant decisions regarding my body, health, and taste.

The sandwich has always been a sticking point for me. Only recently (since the start of this blog), did I rediscover its worth. Yesterday I wanted a tuna fish with cheddar. Nothing could be more controversial. Nothing could be more complicated.

Right around when I stopped eating tuna the government began publishing research on the toxins found in our fish. Due to polluting the oceans and rivers worldwide, overfishing, selling old stock, and farming like crazy, the seafood situation… well… it stinks. There’s rarely a fish at the grocery store that isn’t a farmed crossbreed, loaded with chemicals, and whose smell doesn’t remind you of something a cat would pull from a dumpster.

Today’s kids have more to think about than being relegated to a distant cafeteria lunch table or to the porch outside. For pregnant women and children, the FDA and EPA advise limiting consumption of large predatory fish like tuna (also shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish) due to their high concentration of the toxin methylmercury. When mercury comes in contact with organisms living in our water systems this toxin is formed. These organisms are eaten by larger ones, which moves up the food chain to humans. The toxin stays in our body from 2 1/2 months up to one year. Repeated exposure increases the level of toxins and can cause effects ranging from shakes and fidgets to difficulty concentrating. Pregnant mothers eating fish can cause delayed motor functioning and learning disabilities in their unborn babies.

While I’m not pregnant or 5 years-old, I am human and susceptible to the same toxins. Still, sometimes I just want some tuna without all the BS and confusion. Tuna has hit the hot list of “super saver” ingredients, so I know I am not the only one who had had this thought. Slipjack tuna (smaller than albacore and yellowfin) is used in light canned tuna, and contains less methylmercury than albacore white. The Environmental Defense Fund’s eco good/bad lists, also indicate that it’s “OK” right now to eat tuna.

So eat I did. You could say my vegetarianism in the 90s was a way to avoid a bad case of kugel, but today’s diets are so concerned with political, environmental, and health threats that diet changes are generally do or die. However, while my choices were incredibly limited as a vegetarian 15 years ago, the variation and creativity available today for different diets is incredible. Blogs like 101cookbooks.com, cookbooks like Peter Berley’s Fresh Food Fast, Heaven’s Banquet and are just the tip of the iceberg for today’s more taste-savvy vegetarian.

There is also improvement in the form of farmer’s markets, an increasing number of whole grain brands, conscientious supermarkets, and artisans focused on the old way of making food. While some choices can be expensive, we are not without a bounty of food information. For my diet I choose not to deny myself. Instead, I choose practicality, knowledge, moderation, flavor, and diversity. From there I mixed up the most delectable, nutty, tangy tuna sandwich there ever was. I relished it, for my one ration per month.

Tuna with red onion, walnuts, olives, watercress and farmhouse cheddar on whole wheat
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 container tunafish, preferably a
A handful of walnuts (roasted at 325 in the oven for 10 minutes), coarsely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, 1/2 inch dice
A handful of kalamata olives, pits removed, coarsely chopped (optional)
A few sprigs of dill, minced
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon paprika (optional)
1/4 cup fennel slices, cut lengthwise then sliced 1/8 inch thick (optional)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Farmhouse or other nutty, semi-hard cheddar
A handful of watercress leaves, washed and woody stems removed
A seeded whole wheat or other whole grain bread of your choice, preferably a handmade loaf, toasted

Combine the tuna ingredients in a bowl. Adjust seasonings and add in more mayonnaise if the mixture is too dry. Place on toasted bread with cheese and watercress and top with the tuna. Enjoy.

Mayonnaise
1/2 cup peanut oil or other mild seed/nut oil, at room temperature
1 egg yolk, egg at room temperature
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Use a balloon whisk to combine the mustard, egg yolk, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add the oil in at a slow, steady stream, continuing to whisk. Once incorporated, whisk for 30 seconds more until the mayonnaise becomes light and fluffy. Add in the acid and whisk again to the desired consistency. Adjust the seasonings. Keep for a couple weeks in the fridge. Seriously better than store bought, and stupid easy to boot! I had about 5 tablespoons leftover, which could easily be distributed across sandwiches throughout the week.

Skinless boneless Organic chicken breast cut into strips, marinated overnight in a good blend of flavors, and cooked in a pan is a good thing to have on hand. Kind of like a good balsamic. Just saying. Two breasts cooked two ways can give you sandwiches and salads for the whole week.

The background of fresh lemon and tarragon can be enhanced or altered altogether to suit other recipes. Below I give both a sandwich and a salad that will enhance the marinated chicken, and also to make for an easy shopping list.

marinade
1 shallot, peeled and finely diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 lemon juiced and strained
1 tablespoon tarragon leaves, chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of cayenne pepper

1 skinless boneless Organic chicken breast, washed and cut into 1/2 inch strips

Prepare the marinade in a bowl. Add in the chicken strips and coat. Cover and leave in fridge overnight. Remove from fridge. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in some olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add in the chicken strips. Cook for 4 minutes on each side. Turn with a pair of tongs. Cut through one chicken strip to make sure it is white and opaque in the center. Remove from the heat. Let cool.

Condiment
2 tablespoons mascarpone
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 teaspoons worth fresh tarragon, chopped
1 teaspoon worth fresh mint, chopped
1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Cayenne
Salt
Pepper

Mix ingredients in a bowl and taste. Adjusting seasonings. Set aside. This can be done a day in advance.

A few pieces of romaine lettuce, washed and ripped
1 handful cherry tomatoes, washed and sliced in thirds
2 slices of whole wheat, sourdough, or chewy peasant bread, cut thinly and toasted

Smear the condiment on the toast. Top one slice with the chicken and the other with the lettuce and tomato. Crack on some freshly ground black pepper. Fold and wrap in wax paper, then tinfoil. Store in the fridge until ready to eat. Enjoy!

To make a salad
Lemon tarragon chicken strips
1 head romaine lettuce, stemmed, washed, dried, and ripped into bite-sized pieces
Handful cherry tomatoes, washed and sliced into thirds
Parmigiano-Reggiano sliced thinly or grated (can substitute with other slightly sweet, mild, semi-hard to had cow cheese)
A handful of fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
A handful of mint leaves, chopped
A handful of pepitas
Salt
Pepper

Heat a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in some olive oil. Add in the pepitas and toast for 4 minutes, shaking the pan every 20 seconds or so. They’re color will start to change, and the green will wear off. Salt and lay out on a paper towel to dry and cool.

Combine the lettuce, tomatoes, fresh herb, and cheese in a bowl. Top with the cooled pepitas and chicken. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss. Serve immediately.

Dressing
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 shallot, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Whisk ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Do yourself a favor. Make this for lunch tomorrow. A little party with smokey, spicy, and sweet is a good break from the monitor. These eggplant and shishitos came from the Union Square Greenmarket, and the herbs from my mother’s garden. The nightshades in this recipe are not skinned or seeded, so anyone avoiding the toxins beware. IMO spicy capsicums and larger eggplants are better skinned, but the smaller, milder ones are better whole (seeds and all). I also really love roasted garlic rubbed on toast, or roasted and just popped in your mouth. So, admittedly, when I assembled these sandwiches this morning I ate one clove and rubbed the other on the toasts.

Assembling the sandwich
Roasted eggplant
Sauteed shishito peppers
Whole roasted garlic cloves, halved
Tapenade
Chevre or other fresh goat cheese
A handful of lemon basil leaves, washed and chiffonade
Pepper
Whole grain bead, sliced and toasted

Rub the garlic on one side of each slice of toasted bread. Add the tapenade on one slice, and top with some crumbled goat cheese. Place the eggplant and peppers on the other slice and top with some basil. Season with pepper. If you’re bringing it to work, pack tightly in wax paper and then wrap in tinfoil.

Roasted Eggplant
2 Japanese eggplants, washed, stemmed and sliced lengthwise into 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
Salt
Pepper

Set the oven to 425. Place the thyme, olive oil, salt, whole garlic, and pepper in a bowl. Coat the eggplant and place on a cookie sheet. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Sauteed shishito peppers
4 Shishito peppers (you can substitute two Italian frying peppers or other mild peppers), washed and stemmed
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
A handful of lemon basil leaves, washed and chiffonade
One clove garlic, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Heat the oil over medium-high. Saute the garlic. Add the peppers and thyme. Saute for 5 minutes, until beginning to brown. Add in the basil and saute for a minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Olive Tapenade
1 red onion, diced 1/2 inch
1 clove garlic, minced
Butter
1 cup Kalamata olives, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon red chili paste, or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
Pepper

Saute the onions and garlic in butter over medium heat for 10 minutes until soft and caramelized. Add in the olives and thyme and cook at medium for 10 minutes more. Turn the heat up to high and deglaze the sides with Balsamic. Turn back down to medium and add in the chili paste. Cook until the olives begin to fall apart. Season with pepper.

This egg salad is wet and hot and makes you want to tongue it. Unlike that hideous grayed out mass you know you’ve had for lunch at the local deli. You won’t be sorry you spent the extra 20 to make the mayo from scratch. If you are, get off my blog NOW. If you dare, eat this sandwich with some mouth-puckeringly salty and rough to the tongue potato chips.

Mayonnaise
1 cup peanut or safflower oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 egg yolks
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Combine the yolks, mustard, salt, and pepper with a balloon whisk. As the mixture thickens, add in the oil in a thin, steady stream as you whisk. Continue to whisk and increase the stream until all the oil is incorporated. Pick up your speed and whisk vigorously for another thirty seconds. Add the vinegar and adjust the seasonings.

Egg salad
3 hardboiled eggs, diced**
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1/4 cup home-made mayonnaise
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, dry-roasted
2 tablespoons red onion, small dice
1 rib celery, diced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dill, minced
Salt
Pepper

4 slices pumpernickel bread, toasted
A few butter lettuce leaves, washed and ripped in half

Combine the ingredients. Adjust seasonings. Place on toast and add butter lettuce.

** To hardboil the eggs, place them in a pot with enough water to cover plus one inch. Bring to a boil on high. Take off the heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Setup an ice bath and let the eggs cool for 5 minutes. Peel.

Homemade nut butter is unequaled. It is shocking, even to me, how different a freshly roasted nut tastes from a store-bought one. Even the organic, yada yada brands won’t do your butter justice. Homemade butters are easy, allow you to control the ingredients and texture, and give you the opportunity to spike them anyway you like.

Now for choice of nuts. IMO, cashews just rule, full stop. They have the most flavor, if you’re OK with the fat and calories (it is a nut butter, people, after all). Almonds are obviously the wonder nut, but as a butter they usually wind up bitter, and are best roasted and popped directly in your mouth. As for peanuts, they are actually a hypoallergenic seed, and although much of the world lives off this nut, it is best avoided (expect for your occasional splurge for some Jiffy). Walnuts and pecans are also good to try out.

Find a store that sells in bulk, so you don’t get charged up the ass. It goes without saying organic is better, if you can spend the extra $$$ (1lb organic is around $15, while I’ve seen conventional for under $4). Hopefully this is not your first time weighing a beer against an organic tomato. [Otherwise: hello newbie, join us. How much do you care about your body?] Try out this cashew recipe for a start.

Cashew butter
1 pound cashews, roasted
1/2 stick of cinnamon, grated
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup unsweetened grated coconut, toasted
3 tablespoons sesame oil (as needed)
1 teaspoon cardamom
Salt and pepper to taste

Blend ingredients and adjust seasoning as necessary. Store in a container in the fridge. Lasts for up to 1 month.

2 slices honey wheat bread, toasted
Blackberry or other delectable preserves

Slather the preserves on one slice, and the cashew butter on the other. Make sure to enjoy this with a tall glass of milk.

I have a thing for olives and chicken. In this recipe, the sweetness of the caramelized onions pairs nicely with the savory chicken salad. Tarragon is not appreciated enough. It’s a little sweet, has a licorice flavor and a hint of cinnamon.

Chicken marinade
Serving size: 2 sandwiches
1 handful tarragon leaves, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 clove garlic minced
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
Salt
Pepper
1 chicken breast
Extra virgin oil oil for grilling

Mix the marinade ingredients together and spread over the breast. Put in fridge for at least two hours. Grill in or saute with olive oil. Set aside.

Red onion
1 red onion, sliced thinly
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Saute the onion in the butter at medium heat for 20 minutes, until caramelized. Turn the heat up and deglaze with the vinegar. Let cool. The onion can be made a day in advance.

Salad dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or whole seed mustard
1 handful basil leaves, chiffonade
1 handful tarragon leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon tarragon or white wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives
Salt
Pepper

Combine the ingredients and store in the fridge until ready to use.

Sandwich

4 slices whole wheat multi-grain or other seeded whole wheat bread, toasted
A handful of baby arugula, watercress, or other baby leaves

Spread the onions on one slice of bread. Place the chicken on the other slice and top with arugula. Fold and enjoy.