Vegan BLT Sandwich with Curried Kabocha Squash Flatbread and Tofu-Cashew Mayonnaise

A Vegan BLT.

Not so farfetched with prepared store-bought vegan bacon, vegan “mayonnaise” and a loaf of bread.

But this is Janet-style. Whole foods only. No white flours.

A return of the raw eggplant bacon. Flatbread made with kabocha squash, buckwheat and flax.  And for that mayonnaise, I whipped up a tofu-cashew version.

Food is always a source of discussion at gatherings, and since I don’t visit my extended family in Montreal that often, they found it shocking what I ate (or rather what I don’t eat). OK, no meat and dairy, but what about baked goods with eggs? No. What about whole wheat pasta? No. What about bread? No.

I make very few baked goods. Even when I do, I want them to be whole-foods based. It took me awhile, but I finally made Gena’s curried kabocha squash flatbread when I had a hankering for a BLT with the abundant fresh tomatoes. Although, after I had difficulties with a wet dough that never seemed to bake, I was reminded why I love my one-pot meals. They are so much harder to goof up!

My problem with the bread was that it took much longer to cook. I probably added too much water since my squash was already moist. Or I should have spread it thinner. In any case, I had to flip it while the underside was still wet. After a long run in the oven, it was dry and cooked through. I loved the subtle flavour from the squash which made these moist and pliable breads. The spices added a complementary touch and was nice with the BLT components.

I also made a quick vegan mayonnaise with tofu and cashews. I scoured a few recipes, including some made with avocado and even beans but wanted one that wasn’t loaded with oil. While not as creamy as traditional mayo and only reminiscent of its flavour, I still enjoyed the spread. In the sandwich, you wouldn’t note the lack of real mayonnaise. You only notice the differences while licking the knife.

While most people have returned to school this week and may be looking for totable lunches, sandwiches are common for the masses. However, just like my BLT Corn Pinto Bean Salad with Raw Eggplant Bacon, the bacon needs to be kept separate and assembled just prior to serving. The great thing about the eggplant bacon is how crispy it is. However, it seems to whisk in moisture super fast, so you need to keep it separated until ready to eat.

This is my submission to Deb for this week’s Souper Sundays, to this week’s potluck party for Back to School Recipes, to this week’s Healthy Vegan Fridays and to this month’s Simple and In Season.

Vegan BLT Sandwich with Curried Kabocha Squash Flatbread and Tofu-Cashew Mayonnaise

2 slices Curried Kabocha Squash Flatbread (see below)
1 tbsp Tofu-Cashew Mayonnaise (see below)
3 leaves of lettuce, washed and torn
5-7 slices of raw eggplant bacon
1 tomato, washed and sliced
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Make your sandwich with the above ingredients.

Serves 1.

Curried Kabocha Squash Flatbread
Adapted from Choosing Raw

4 cups roasted kabocha squash, peeled (you could steam it too)
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
water

1. Preheat your oven to 325F.

2. In a food processor fitted with its S-blade, process together the squash, flour, salt, curry powder and cinnamon. This took a while in my small food processor. Add the flax seeds and process until fully incorporated. While the motor is running, drizzle in water so that you have a thick paste. I added 1/4 cup water but I probably didn’t need to add anything since it was already a bit watery.

3. Spread the dough onto a large baking sheet lined by parchment. I had to use two of my silpats and spreading it around 0.75 cm thick. I may go thinner next time. Score it into 8-10 pieces.

4. Bake at 325F until browning and can remove from the sheet. The original recipe said 25-30 minutes, but mine took more like an hour before I could adequately remove it from the silpat. Cut pieces apart and flip onto another silpat so that the underside is now exposed.

5. Bake for another 15 minutes until the bread is cooked through but still soft, another 15-20 minutes.

Makes 8-10 pieces.

Tofu-Cashew Mayonnaise
Adapted from Fat Free Vegan

6 oz silken tofu (half package), I used Mori-Nu Lite Firm Tofu
1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked if you don’t have a high-speed blender)
1.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice (half a lemon)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/16 tsp granulated onion powder
pinch of salt, or to taste

1. Mix all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Add salt to taste. Store in refrigerator for up to a week. May be frozen, although the texture will change slightly.

Makes 1 cup.