Veggie "Reuben" with Minute Pickles

This is one of those recipes that to my delight seemed to evolve on it's own. Last week I made a Warm Winter Slaw as a side-dish. I ended up eating alone that night though and I just had the idea to throw the slaw on some bread and keep dinner simple. As I ate it, I was reminded how I used to enjoy a classic Reuben sandwich. I decided to try to figure out how to make a protein packed variation of thousand island dressing to make up for the lost cheese and meat. The sandwich got rave reviews from everyone. Two big successes in the kitchen this week and it's only Tuesday. Yippee!

Components:
Bread of choice (I used marble rye)
Warm Winter Slaw
KateEO's Reuben Sauce with Sweet + Sour Relish mixed in

You can prepare all the ingredients in advance and then just pile them up for a super yummy sandwich.

I wasn't sure how the kids would handle such a "big" sandwich. So they got a deconstructed variation which included a grilled cheese with all the components on the side. Everyone left the table with clean plates!


In a Minute Pickles are a family favorite. Fast, easy, finger-friendly, and delicious. 
I like to use English cucumbers because the skin is unwaxed so you don't have to peel it and the seeds are barely noticeable. This cuts way down on prep work.

Prepare the In a Minute Pickle marinade.
Combine:
2 Tb. olive oil
2 Tb. apple cider vinegar
1 Tb. honey (agave nectar for vegan)
1/4 tsp. sea salt

Slice 1 English cucumber into thin disks and soak in the marinade/dressing until dinner time.

KateEO's Reuben Sauce and Sweet + Sour Relish

This sauce was inspired by my Warm Winter Slaw and Veggie "Reuben" sandwich. Kind of by accident, I made a slaw sandwich one night. As I ate it, I couldnt stop feeling that it was like I was eating a reuben. After not having any meat in over 6 months, the purple cabbage actually felt a little bit like corned beef! I decided I wanted to try to make a dressing to ramp up the yummy sandwich. This sauce is my first attempt at a nutritionally potent Thousand Island dressing variation. Now I haven't actually had Thousand Island dressing in a long time so I can't really say that it's a close match but it is certainly tasty in it's own right! 

Just a little prep work: Soak 1/2 cup cashews in water for at least 45 minutes. (I soaked mine all day so they would blend up extra smooth.) You'll also need to soak 2 sun-dried tomatoes or use the ones packed in oil.

Blend these ingredients in a blender until smooth:
1/2 cup soaked cashews
2 Tb. apple cider vinegar 
1 shallot (or garlic if you prefer)
1 Tb. dijon mustard (opt.)
2 softened sun-dried tomatoes
1 fresh ripe tomato
1 roasted red pepper (or a chopped fresh red pepper)
1 Tb. agave nectar (or honey but then it's not vegan)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water


You could stop here or add this Sweet + Sour Relish for a chunkier dressing.
Chop these condiments into a small dice and combine:
2 Piquillo peppers
1 jarred roasted red pepper
3 gherkins