Reubenesque

Yesterday was gorgeous. Scott and I met my friend Jessica at Deep Run Park and we had a great time walking, chasing each other around, and playing on the FitCore course they have there. Afterward, Scott and I went to Whole Foods to pick up a few staples and contemplated what our growling tummies might want for lunch. We looked at the hot bar, we looked at the salad bar, we looked at the deli. Nothing really seemed that appealing, so we did our shopping in the hopes that something would jump out.

Sauerkraut jumped out. The best part, was that I had a jar at home that needed finishing up. Bubbie's is the only brand I've found worth buying. The bagged stuff my parents used to use in the slow cooker, and even most jar brands are just floppy and gross. You buy Bubbie's in the refrigerated section near the deli meats. It's crispy and tender at the same time and has a magnificent flavor.

Reubens sounded fantastic. I had some of the aforementioned seitan at home which would be a great corn beef substitute, and although the apple sage variety would have been my first choice, I had Italian, so Italian is what I would use. I went over to the bakery and managed to snag the last loaf of Jewish Rye and then scoured the basket of cheese bits for a good swiss. I love that Whole Foods has cheese scraps. You can buy really great cheese without spending a ton of money, because you just buy what you need. This swiss was called Robust and it was fantastic. I could even eat it straight and I'm not a fan of doing so with the cheaper varieties. It had a great bite without that gross aftertaste I often associate with swiss cheese. And for $2.50 I got just enough for 2 sandwiches.

We headed home. I sliced the seitan and put a nice sear on each side. Next, I sliced up the swiss and made a quick Russian dressing by mixing up some Duke's, Heinz Organic, chopped dill pickles, garlic and onion powder, paprika, and a couple dashes of cayenne. I couldn't resist dipping a piece of the Rye to check for flavor- yummy.

I coated a slice of the bread heartily with Earth Balance butttery spread and placed it in a non-stick over low-medium heat. I piled the seitan, swiss, and used up my remaining sauerkraut. I topped it with another slice of rye that I also smothered with Earth Balance. I got a good browning on both sides- the key is using a bit more buttery stuff than you might consider healthy. That way, it seeps into the bread and just gives you the perfect golden crunchiness you want, while still being soft.

After they were done, I opened them up and poured on some of the Russian dressing. A few Jalepeno Kettle Chips on the side and lunch was served. I knew I was putting back in every calorie I burned at the park, but so be it. I would be working my tail off all evening and that would manage to even things out a bit. Even if it not, it was a damn good lunch.