Pressed Vegetarian Picnic Sandwich

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Sandwich

• 2–9” French baquettes
• 1 cup green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 c roasted red pepper, sliced (can by packed in vinegar or make your own in oven)
• 1 medium eggplant, sliced into disks
• 1 Tbsp low sodium black olives (~5)
• 3 eggs, hard boiled and sliced

Tapenade

• (can also use store bought tapenade)
• 1 Tbsp calamata olives (~ 5)
• 1 Tbsp black olives, low sodium
• 1 Tbsp green olives, low sodium if available

Vinaigrette

• 1/4 c Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Basil
• 1 1/2 tsp Shallots, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard (opt.)

Instructions

1. To make Sandwiches: Preheat oven to 350F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Lay eggplant slices in single layer on baking sheet, and coat with cooking spray. Season with pepper, if desired. Bake 20 minutes, or until browned and tender, turning once.
2. Meanwhile, cook green beans in large pot of boiling water (or steam) until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. Dry well with paper towels.
3. To make Vinaigrette: Blend olive oil, vinegar, basil, parsley, shallots, mustard (opt) and sugar in blender or food processor until smooth.
4. Pull out most of soft white bread from centers of baguette halves. Spread tapenade in hollow bottom half. Brush with vinaigrette. Spread green beans over tapenade, and press firmly, Lay red pepper slices on top, followed by egg slices and eggplant.
5. Brush inside of baguette top generously with vinaigrette, and set over eggplant slices. Press sandwich together, and tie with twine or wrap tightly in wax paper or plastic wrap. Chill 1-4 hours. Slice into 4 servings with serrated knife and serve with any remaining vinaigrette.

Notes

Potassium: 560 mgs (We would consider this a medium potassium food, but appropriate as a main dish.) Phosphorus: 244 mgs *Our sodium goal per meal is 500-600mg sodium, so having one of these hearty sandwiches fits close within these guidelines.

Note on the sodium: The sodium for 1/2 of a 9″ sandwich will appear higher than actual sodium intake due to limitations with nutrient analysis software. My nutrient analysis database didn’t have low sodium olives. Also, when you create this sandwich you should scoop out some of the fleshy part of the bread in order to fill and press it.  This would significantly reduce the sodium as well since the majority of the sodium is from the bread.

KidneyGrub Verdict:

The classic pressed sandwich is typically made with deli meats, vegetables, and often cheese – a sodium bomb. This sandwich may seem high in sodium  since it rolls in at 800mg per portion, but knowing portion size is important.  The portion size is half of the 9″ baguette (almost a 5″ sandwich!).  With all the vegetables, the portion size is more than filling for a meal.  Olives, generally considered a giant “watch out!” on the renal diet due to salt and potassium, work perfectly in this recipe due the limited quantity used.  This sandwich packs a punch of flavor that we enjoyed immensely.  We didn’t miss the deli meat or cheese and felt this was a fantastic, fresh alternative to the classic pressed sandwich (and a good lower protein option for CKD patients.  Other vegetables you could add to this sandwich include zucchini, squash and sprouts.  Great for your next tailgating party, fall hiking trip (I know colors change in places other than Texas), or just for a light lunch or dinner.

Author and Cook: Jessianna Saville, MS, RDN, CSR, LD

Photo Credits and Taste Specialist: Rebecca Barksdale