Cooking with Karina: Sandwich Savers

Black Bean Scramble Sandwich. (Photo: Karina Arnold) 

Karina Arnold is a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma who’s passionate about healthy cooking. She provides creative, healthy recipes and tips on clean eating.

Moms love it and you always eat it. It can come grilled, toasted, thick and thin. It can have gooey cheeses or sweet jams. Mom packed it in your lunchbox. You devoured it at lunch while arguing who won the kickball game. A lunchtime and American favorite, sandwiches are a daily special. 

Since elementary school, I have graduated from Uncrustables or mom’s ham and cheese to more sophisticated sandwiches. Whether it’s for lunch in between class or shifts at work, I always pack a sandwich. Sandwiches are an easy, filling and nutritionally balanced meal you can throw in a bag and carry.

Roasted Veggie Hummus Handful. (Photo: Karina Arnold)

However, sandwich making is an art. Botching your BLT from misjudging the meat-to-condiment ratio or clutching a soggy sandwich are potential mishaps. Here are some lessons I’ve learned while perfecting a super sub:

• Totally toast it. Toasting your bread prevents soggy-ness, especially if you are packing this sandwich for later. A firmer bread also adds stability, aiding your sandwich from falling apart while on the go.
• Spread, but not too quickly. Let your bread cool for a minute after you toast it. Adding your spreads too quickly will make them runny and they will just seep into your bread, resulting in a soggy, tasteless sandwich.
• Spread em’! Make sure your sauces, condiments, nut butters and jellies are spread to the corners of your bread. That will “seal” the sandwich easier and hold your ingredients together.
• Roast or toast your veggies. The softer the veggies, the easier to bite into them when you eat your sandwich. Baking, steaming and grilling adds flavor and softens your veggies. When you make your sandwich, you won’t have to tear into it and pull other ingredients out.
• Cut your vegetables long-ways, like a slice of cheese. With even weight distribution, ingredients are less likely to fall out and your stack is less likely to collapse. Put this tip to the test with my Roasted Veggies Hummus Handful sandwich.
• Pack soggy condiments separately and add them before you eat. This includes cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce or bananas. Any foods with high water content or that ripen easily can seep juices, resulting in a soggy sub. 
• Experiment with different flavors. A personal favorite flavor combination is smoked salmon with avocado and cucumber slices, seasoned with dill or basil. When experimenting with my Black Bean Quesadilla recipe, I discovered this yummy Black Bean Scramble Sandwich.

Be a hero and make a hero! Have any tricks you use to make a beautiful BLT? Comment below!