Valley City Times-Record

Prairie Fare: Celebrate with a sandwich during National Sandwich Month

“That looks really good, but it’s kind of messy,” my husband commented.

My towering club sandwich had just tipped over as I cut it in half.

My plate was covered with lettuce leaves, tomato slices, ham, turkey, cheese and bacon strips. There were two thin pieces of bread somewhere in the pile. It really needed some type of spread.

I should have brought my panini press to melt the cheese and flatten this sandwich.

I cut the sandwich because it was at least 5 inches tall. I needed to be part crocodile or shark to eat it.

I guess the skewer was not a sandwich decoration but part of sandwich engineerin­g.

My menu choice fit the usual definition of a sandwich, which is two pieces of bread with some kind of filling in the center.

I am not sure how the debate about the definition of a sandwich began. Maybe it was a “tongue in cheek” conversati­on as young lawyers ate lunch.

Since then, law reviews have examined the legal definition of sandwiches. Some states still differ in how they legally define “sandwich.”

Think about it. Based on the definition, is a hot dog a sandwich? The bread is a hinged bun, so some states do not consider it a sandwich. Are tacos, quesadilla­s, burritos or wraps considered to be sandwiches? In some definition­s, the bread cannot be rolled up around the meat.

I wish my club sandwich had been rolled up in a large grain-based wrapper. Then the ingredient­s would not have imploded on my plate at the restaurant.

The U.S. Department of Agricultur­e has weighed in and called burritos and hotdogs “sandwich-like products.”

If the person who popularize­d sandwiches were still alive, he would nearly choke in disbelief as he chewed. Although we do not have the historical records for the true inventor, the 4th Earl of Sandwich often is credited for making this portable snack popular more than 260 years ago.

According to some accounts, while playing poker for 24 hours straight, the Earl became hungry and asked for his roast beef to be served between two slices of bread. He did not want to get his hands and cards sticky. Afterward, his namesake menu item was launched into popularity in England.

Regardless of what you consider a sandwich, note the versatilit­y of this menu item. You can eat foods from every MyPlate group in one menu item.

When making a sandwich, aim for whole-grain bread to get the full nutrition advantage. Whole grains contain all parts of the grain kernel, with healthful nutrition and fiber.

Add a spread, such as mayonnaise, pesto, mustard or butter. This adds flavor and holds your sandwich together.

Be a little creative with your filling. Peanut butter, hummus made from chickpeas, garlic and tahini (sesame paste), meatballs, chicken, pork or beef are all popular fillings.

Add some cheese. Sharp cheddar, feta or pepper jack cheese adds a little kick.

Don’t forget to add fruits and veggies. Here’s another conundrum. Tomatoes and peppers are botanicall­y fruits, but we in nutrition use them as vegetables. Call them what you’d like, but add them to your sandwich for vitamins A, C, potassium and fiber. Add some dark-green romaine lettuce, too, for eye-healthy nutrients.

For more ideas, see the NDSU Extension publicatio­n, “Pinchin’ Pennies in the Kitchen: 7 Steps to Creating a Sandwich (FN1756).”

I will call this week’s recipe a sandwich, even though sliced bread is not involved. Add some seasonal fresh vegetables and fruit as you make this colorful and tasty sandwich.

Greek-style Roasted or Grilled Veggie Sandwich

2 small zucchini, sliced (or eggplant) 2 red or green peppers, sliced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 onion, sliced

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil 2 tablespoon­s balsamic vinegar (optional)

Salt and pepper (as desired) 4 whole wheat pitas, tortillas or buns Lettuce

Black olives, sliced (optional)

½ cup crumbled feta cheese (or your favorite shredded cheese)

Tzatziki sauce (see recipe) or your favorite salad dressing

Preheat oven to 400 F. Rinse and prepare vegetables as noted and place in a bowl. Add oil and vinegar (if desired). Season with salt and pepper and toss well. Place in pan and roast for 20 minutes. Note: the vegetables can be prepared on a grill using a grill pan (to avoid loss of vegetables through the grates). Grill under tender. If desired, warm bread in a microwave oven (for about 15 seconds) and stuff with lettuce, veggies, olives, cheese and dressing. If you prefer, add slices of grilled chicken to the sandwich when you assemble it.

Makes four servings. Each serving has 210 calories, 9 g fat, 9 g protein, 28 g carbohydra­te, 5 g fiber and 350 mg sodium.

Tzatziki Sauce

1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

½ up. diced cucumber

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)

Makes 8 servings. Each serving has 20 calories, 0 grams (g) fat, 3 g protein, 2 g carbohydra­te, 15 milligrams sodium.