Breakfast Sandwich of Champions...

Because, sometimes, when you get home from working the graveyard shift, you don’t want to sleep, and oatmeal just ain’t gonna curb that hunger. Instead you need something big, hearty, filling, and dare I say decadent? At least that’s how I felt this morning when I got home at 8:30am. I was wired from a cup of coffee I had, and simply ravenous - I knew no normal breakfast would suffice.

The first question was, what will I make? I didn’t want anything sweet, I was in the mood for savory. However I didn’t feel like tofu or a scramble, in fact I didn’t really want ‘breakfast food’ at all. After being up all night I didn’t feel as though it was really breakfast time, and so what better compromise then having a breakfast sandwich? Once the thought entered my head I pulled out my handy copy of Celine Steen and Tamasin Noyes wonderful book “Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day!” and promptly settled on the Country Sausage Sandwich - which is the amazing and mouth-watering concoction you see in the photographs before you.

Since the tempeh requires some time to marinate, this is a meal you’ll want to plan ahead for. I failed to plan ahead so I just steamed the tempeh - rather then boil - and let it marinate as I cooked everything else first. Really it all comes together rather quickly If you have a plan.

The tempeh in this sandwich is sliced into four ‘steaks’ and then marinated in vinegar, liquid smoke, vegetable broth, onion, fennel, red pepper flakes, cumin and coriander. Then it’s pan seared. After that you load the tempeh up onto some English muffins, and top it off with some hash browns - yes has browns on a sandwich! Amazing I know! - baby spinach, and a delicious sauce made from chopped onion, bell pepper, lemon juice and vegan mayo

It might not sound like much, but believe me when I tell you that this thing is phenomenal. A bit of a mess to eat, the sauce and the hash browns have a way of spilling out all over, but man is it worth getting your hands - and your face dirty. If you happen to own a copy of this book I encourage you to give this sandwich a try!

And yes, my husband and I both ate two of these monsters for breakfast. Like I said, we were starving - don’t judge, we did enjoy a nice afternoon at the gym to make up for it!