Open-Faced Awesome-ness

For as long as I can remember, my mom has prepared Pork Chops and Sour Kraut on New Year's Day, as tradition claims that this meal brings one good luck for the upcoming year.

Regardless of how marvelous my mom's p-chops are, I have to ask: Where does this meat-centric tradition leave vegetarians? In a perpetual cycle of bad luck...year after year?

Of course not, friends. We're simply left to create our own good-fortune meal.

Enter Open Face Barbeque Tempeh Sandwiches with Carrot-Cayenne Slaw. Yes, it's truly as awesome as it sounds...times ten.

We received a rockin' new cookbook under the Christmas tree this year: Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry. This 5-star cookbook features healthy, high-quality vegan versions of all your Southern favorites. Tonight's recipe was highlighted in Terry's "Favorites" chapter, whereby he shares his top 6 favorite recipes (and who doesn't want to try a chef's personal favorite?).

You know I love fork n' knife vegetarian sandwiches, and this little number was no exception. I piled my bread mile-high with barbeque tempeh, slaw, and caramelized onions, and I'm already looking forward to the leftovers.

Do you have any New Year's food traditions?

Open-Faced BBQ Tempeh Sandwich with Carrot-Cayenne Slaw

(adapted from Bryant Terry's Vegan Soul Kitchen)

This flavorful vegan sandwich will fill you up for sure--and it will definitely bring you good luck for the new year!

Sandwich Ingredients:

• 3 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 3 TBSP lime juice
• 3/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup canned tomato sauce (plus more for later, if you like it saucy)
• 3 TBSP olive oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 TBSP cumin
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 2 TBSP water
• 1/2 pound tempeh, sliced
• Homemade bread, sliced
• 1 large onion, caramelized or sauteed until browned

Carrot Slaw Ingredients:

• 2 - 3 cups chopped cabbage (we used pre-chopped bagged cabbage)
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• Finely chopped dill pickle (as much as you'd like! I probably added about 1/3 cup)
• 2 TBSP toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2) To prepare the tempeh: In a food processor, combine the apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, tomato sauce, olive oil, honey, cumin, cayenne, and water. Divide sauce in half. Set one half of sauce aside, and add the tempeh to the remaining sauce. Stir to coat, and pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 40 minutes.

3) When you remove the tempeh from the oven, dice it (so it's chunky!). If you like your barbeque tempeh saucy (like I do), you can mix your serving of tempeh with some of the reserved barbeque sauce, or extra plain tomato sauce.

4) To prepare slaw: Combine mustard, honey, white wine vinegar, salt, cayenne, and olive oil in a food processor and blend until smooth. Combine cabbage and carrots in a large bowl, and pour vinegar sauce over top. Stir to coat; stir in sesame seeds and chopped pickle.

5) To assemble: place a piece of toasted bread on your plate. Pile with tempeh, slaw, and caramelized onions. Rock out your New Year :) It's 2011: Bring it on!