For the ultimate meal-on-the-go, nothing beats a sandwich. Try these vegetarian ideas:

Stuff a pita with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, avocado slices and a drizzle of you favorite dressing.
Layer marinated baked tofu, apple slices and sprouts on whole grain bread.
Spread two slices of bread with sesame tahini and fill the sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, and sliced cucumbers.
Mash firm tofu and mix with vegan mayonnaise, chopped onion and a little mustard. Add chopped pickles or olives if you like.
Make old-fashioned "cold cut" sandwiches with vegetarian bologna or turkey slices and soy cheese.

Some ideas for sandwich spreads:

Hummus–a Vegetarian Standby

This traditional spread or dip from the Middle East is so yummy and so easy that it has become a standby for most vegetarians. Make this in a food processor for a smooth spread or by hand, with a potato masher for a chunkier version. Traditionally served in pita bread, this can also be served on regular bread. Try it layered with lettuce and tomato or cucumbers or sliced apples.

1/4 cup packed fresh parsley
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic
One 15-ounce can chickpeas drained or 1 1/2 cups well-cooked chickpeas.

Process the parsley in a food processor until well-chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Black bean dip

1 1/2 cups cooked or canned black beans (well drained)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 medium onion finely chopped

Place all ingredients except the onion in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Stir in the onion. Let this sit in the refrigerator for several hours to allow flavors to develop, but serve at room temperature.

Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup salsa
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice

Peel the avocados and remove the pits. Mash with a fork. Stir in the salsa and lemon juice. Add more of either according to taste.

Sundried Tomato Spread

2 cups cooked white beans (baby lima, cannelini, great northern)
1/2 cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

In Praise of Peanut Butter

I couldn't live without peanut butter. It is such a tasty and nutritious food and it is also amazingly versatile. It's also the quintessential American food. It was invented in the United States in the late 1800s and it's hard to imagine more distinctly American fare than a PB&J sandwich.

But there is far more you can do with peanut butter than you might think. In Indonesian, African, and Asian cuisine, ground peanuts (that's all that peanut butter is) are used to make spicy sauces, seasoned with hot peppers and served over grains and vegetables. Peanut sauce. is used in curried dishes as well.

A favorite treat in our omnivorous home when I was growing up was peanut butter and bacon sandwiches. I still love them–but I use vegetarian bacon now. And my all-time favorite way to eat peanut butter is on whole wheat bread with slices of sweet pickles (Don't laugh until you've tried it!)

The point is, peanut butter is yummy with jelly, but it goes with so much more. Here are a few ways to get creative with your peanut butter sandwiches:

Peanut butter and sweet relish
Peanut butter and caramelized onions
Peanut butter, raw onions and a dab of prepared horseradish on saltine crackers
Peanut butter and sliced baked tofu
Peanut butter and carrot salad
Peanut butter with sliced kiwi
Peanut butter with sliced cucumber

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