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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Spice up your sandwich

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The sandwich. It is the best staple for any college student. It’s healthy, filling and, if made right, delicious.

But like most foods, the sandwich is stuck in a rut. Most people put the same toppings on their sandwich every single time, not leaving room to experiment.

See, what’s so wonderful about the sandwich is that it is an open canvas, a perfect outlet to explore what you like about other types of food and put them in between two pieces of bread.

Deciding how to add some variety to your sandwich is as hard as wandering the aisles of Kroger. There’s almost nothing that you can’t put on a sandwich — your only limit is your imagination.

So instead of a recipe this week, I’ve listed suggestions for you for when you decide to spice up your sandwich.

Breads:
Pepperidge Farm 15-Grain:
This bread has been a favorite of mine for several years. It’s hearty but soft. It’s one of the few breads that has a variable texture. This bread isn’t just a supporting actor in the sandwich; it’s the main act.
Challah:
Growing up in a Jewish household, I was lucky enough to occasionally have challah. The braided bread is perfectly sweetened and thick enough to hold any number of toppings.
French bread:
You can buy a fresh loaf of French bread for less than $2 at Kroger or Marsh, and it’s big enough to make a hoagie or sub.

Toppings:
Fruit:
There’s no rule that says sandwiches can have vegetables only. Adding fruit to your sandwiches can add texture, balance taste or create a completely different flavor.
          o Apple slices
          o Grapes
          o Orange
Vegetables:
Lettuce and tomato are the usual vegetable toppings for a sandwich. But the following are good alternatives if you’re sick of the usual stuff.
          o Celery
          o Alfalfa sprouts
          o Arugula
Spices:
It’s pretty rare for a sandwich to call for fresh herbs and spices, but adding just a couple of leaves can make your sandwich go from an easy fix to a carefully crafted meal.
          o Cilantro
          o Basil
          o Mint

Sauces:
Pesto:
This sauce is usually reserved for pasta dishes, but it can also be a unique addition to any sandwich. The trick here is not using too much or it can overpower the other flavors in your sandwich.
Honey mustard:
I am a lifelong devotee of honey mustard, and using it on sandwiches is a different option than regular mustard. Instead of adding spice, you add sweetness to your sandwich.
Bleu cheese:
Bleu cheese is probably my favorite dressing, and its tangy taste is something that you usually don’t get in a typical sandwich.

Meats:
Flavored deli cuts:

When I buy turkey for my sandwiches, I usually try to go for the Cajun-flavored cut. Sandwiches can be bland, and adding some flavored deli meat is an easy way to add some complexity to your sandwich.
Flank steak:
It’s easy to think of sandwich meat as the usual deli cuts, but adding meat like flank steak can make your dull sandwich into a gourmet feast.

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