Oh, That Crazy Vegan Panini!

Anything called Chickpea, Apple and Beet anything

should not taste good.

When I saw this recipe in Vegetarian Times

I immediately made a sour face at it.

But when skimming the next issue,

I saw a Letter to the Editor stating how great this panini was

and I couldn't pass it up.

I had to try this outrageous panini to see just how crazy this person was.

Seriously, how could anyone think this actually tasted good?

Looks good, right?

Let me tell you something strange,

it is good.

Yeah.

And I do want to make this again.

Great, now I've joined that crazy weirdo

who liked this bizzar combo of a panini. 

First of all, I don't have a panini maker.

I used lightly greased pan

and put a smaller pan with two cans 

on top of the sandwich.

I felt so ghetto.

But it worked!

I used a purple beet, my regular Ezekiel bread 

and I didn't have sprouts or tarragon 

so my panini had to live without them. 

It survived, and it was still fantastic!

This was actually a memorable lunch. 

Any excuse to eat more beets works for me!

I used to not want to eat them when I was little.

My mom told me that beets add color to your cheeks

and vanity was the only way I was able to stomach them. 

Purple vegetables are becoming more and more popular

as we are realizing how important they are.

Eat your purples everyone! 

                  Chickpea, Beet, and Apple Panini

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 Tbs. vegan mayonnaise
• 1 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
• 8 slices sesame semolina bread (8 oz.)
• 1 medium golden beet, peeled and sliced
• 1 Granny smith apple, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup broccoli or radish sprouts    
• 4 Tbs. prepared black olive tapenade

DIRECTIONS

1. Pulse chickpeas, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and tarragon in food processor until chunky.

2. Spread chickpea mixture on 4 bread slices. Top with beet and apple slices, and sprouts. Spread remaining 4 bread slices with tapenade; close sandwiches.

3. Spray panini with cooking spray. Coat skillet or grill pan with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Place panini in pan; weight with smaller-diameter saucepan weighted with 2 cans. Cook 3 minutes. Flip, replace weight, and cook 2 minutes. (Or cook 4 minutes in panini maker.)