As the weather grows warmer, a whole new type of food began to dominate the Wesleyan culinary scene: picnic food. The salads, sandwiches, and juices characteristic of the summer season have crept onto Foss Hill, where students are drawn to soak in the sun during their free time. However, pre-made Bon Appétit sandwiches are the most prevalent.

This article, in addition to containing a tried-and-true recipe for crispy tofu sandwiches, is a call for change. Though time constraints and limited points stop us from picking up the spatula as often as we should, I think it’s extremely important for college students to have a few recipes under their belts.

This recipe makes four sandwiches, but you can adapt it and eat the leftover ingredients (peanut butter, tofu, bread, and peppers) later. What’s more, fresh-made foods are more nutritious than packaged ones, and you can adapt them to suit your unique dietary needs. To make this recipe vegan, all you need to do is use vegan bread.

 

Nutty Vegetable Sandwiches (adapted from ohmyveggies.com, serves 4)

1. Cut tofu into 8 slices; cut each slice into 2 triangles. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place tofu in skillet (the oil may splatter a little!); cook about 5 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy. Transfer tofu to plate lined with paper towels to absorb any extra oil.

2. Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, and ginger juice. Add additional water (or coconut milk), 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin sauce if necessary. (Some peanut butters are thicker than others, so the amount you need depends on the type of peanut butter you use.) You can also try adding brown sugar, rice vinegar, and cayenne.

3. Heat sandwich wraps, tortillas, pitas, or naan according to package instructions. You want them to be pliable so they can be folded over without breaking. Top each with 4 pieces of tofu, shredded carrot, red pepper, and peanut sauce and fold. Feel free to add green onion, cilantro, or lime if desired.

Ingredients:

1 14 oz. package extra-firm tofu

1 tbsp. vegetable or peanut oil

6 tbsp. creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. ginger juice

1 small carrot, peeled and shredded

1 small sweet red pepper, sliced

1/4 cup sliced green onion

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

4 sandwich wraps, pitas, tortillas, or naan