Delicious and Healthy

This sandwich recipe appears in today's LA Times and I'm reposting it here because it not only looks delicious but can be easily deconstructed into separate salads and dips. It is ostensibly vegan focused, but I'm all for an ecumenical approach when the result is good eating.

Edamame Sandwich

Edamame hummus

10 cups loosely packed, cleaned and trimmed spinach leaves
2 cups shelled edamame beans
2 cups shelled garbanzo beans
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons tahini paste
1 tablespoon ground ginger
3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup olive oil

Blanch the spinach in a large pot of boiling water to bring out the vibrant color and wilt just slightly, about 1 minute. Drain and shock the spinach in a bowl of ice water. Drain the spinach again, pressing out all excess water. You should have one-half cup

Place the edamame and garbanzo beans in the bowl of a food processor, along with the spinach, garlic, lemon juice, tahini paste, ground ginger and salt. Pulse until the contents are the consistency of a coarse paste. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Place the hummus in a nonreactive bowl, cover tightly and refrigerate until needed. This recipe makes 4 cups hummus, more than needed for the sandwiches, and can be used as a spread on crackers or bread. It will keep for 4 days refrigerated.

White miso dressing

3 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon white miso
3 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, agave nectar, brown sugar and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the vegetable and sesame oils until emulsified. This makes 1 scant cup dressing that will keep for 3 days refrigerated.

Sandwich Assembly

Take 4 ciabatta or rustique rolls, halved
1 1/3 cups hummus
1 cup peeled and grated carrots
1 large cucumber, sliced
8 slices ripe plum tomato, sliced (from 1 large or two medium)
6 cups mixed baby field greens (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup white miso dressing

Spread hummus on four sandwiches. Top with equal parts of shredded carrots, cucumber slices and sliced tomatoes. Mix the field greens with the miso dressing and divide evenly among sandwiches.