THE DONATELLO eggplant + avocado + purple watercress

This sandwich is named after Donatello, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Pretty much because it's purple and green, and that's Donatello's colour. I used to fucking love the Ninja Turtles growing up in the late 80s, early 90s. I mean, who didn't? It was all action, all do-gooding, there was pizza. The pizza looked gross, but I mean, ass-kicking turtles, and a rat sansei? And a babe reporter in a tight yellow jumpsuit? Hello. Probably all my first crushes were on that show. I remember really digging Michaelangello, 'cause he was such a goofball shit-disturber, but not in the way Raphael was kind of just a hotheaded, violent jerk. I always revered Leonardo and Donatello for being the more useful seeming of the brother pack. Leonardo was a bit boring though, let's be honest. No one gravitates to the pristine hero. Donatello was interesting because he seemed like he had the most going for him, without needing the charisma of the other brothers. He was the brains of the outfit, the most intellectually inclined. Always saving the day by figuring shit out, and by way of invention. Totally my style. If there was one TMNT I'd like to think of myself as, it would be him, and according to a highly reliable internet quiz, Donatello is my turtle identity. Anyway, this post is arguably vegan. COWABUNGA DUDES!

THE PRASANNATA vegan mango salsa

I've read a million different translations of 'prasannata', but I've deduced it's use is somewhere around rejoice, joyful, tingling with happiness, and sunshine. Which is fitting, 'cause I recently spent the day with my way yogic friend Becca. She taught me some yoga, we made an awesome set of vegan sandwiches, and she left me feeling super zen. And really limber, and light on my feet. Like I had put down a backpack of daily bullshit for the day. Feels great. Also, I kind of needed a detox from all the meat I've been eating for the blog lately.

avocado + shiitake + ginger + mint

Hey glorious readers and friends. First sandwich back:

So, honestly, I never eat sandwiches anymore. No gluten = total change in diet. I'll make myself some gluten-free muffins, or pancakes every now and then, but for the most part, my main source of carbohydrates is LETTUCE. No joke. I eat a lot of salads. Lots of vegetables. I pretty much avoid grains and starches 90% of the time. Yea, even rice. Though sometimes I make my salads into spring rolls. I also rarely eat meat. Maybe once a week at most, sometimes not for months at a time. I even hold off on the cheese and eggs most days a week, and seem to be doing just fine. I'm not prescribing any diet. I'm not saying everyone should go paleo/gluten-free/or vegan. Do what makes your body feel good, and educate yourself.

In turn, this sandwich is very befitting of the re-naugural post, because were it not in sandwich form, this is pretty representative of what I eat on a daily basis. This wasn't really deliberate, this was just what's in my fridge. I imagine this will change, as I try to cultivate a food blog. Anyway, I love cooking with ginger. Ginger and mint, I don't think I could live without, at this point. Shiitake mushrooms are definitely the standout mushroom for me. They've just got this buttery, sweetness to them. Oh, and did I mention lime? At any given point, I have a bowl at least half full of limes in my kitchen. Running out would be the worst. Oh yea, and unless you previously read about this "bread", this post is VEGAN.

Hello world

Hello world. 

As forecasted, albeit a bit late, Glorious Sandwiches returns! This makes me happy. Happy to announce. Happy to mean sincerely. Happy to have back in my own life. 

It IS just a silly blog. Yet another silly blog, in the long list of trivial things on the internet, for readers and authors alike to spend their time on, and become disconnected from life. But what I've come to realize, growing up in a time when people spend increasingly more of their lives online, is that there's really something to that, and something to how we are coming to use the internet, online media, social media websites, etc., not at all, in fact, to disconnect from life, but to become more connected. Go read a book, I said to myself, come to the park he said, you can do that later, she said. Well, in my two years' hiatus from this blog, there grew an enlarging sense of absence. 

From the few hours a week I used to spend making sandwiches, and putting them on the internets, I gained a real sense of purpose. Which isn't to say that I derived my sense of purpose as a human being from sandwiches. No, not that. But there was a satisfaction that I got from being connected to something I liked doing, something that I thought was neat, and something I could share with others, who also thought, "Hey, this is neat." It's good to have an outlet. It's great to do something purely for the gratification of doing it. Whether anyone else gives a shit, or not. And it's especially fun if it's something you can throw out there, so other people can share in the minor, but important joy of such things. So look, or don't look, this blog is back. And I'm going to try to challenge myself, and offer a higher caliber of luncheon entertainment. With occasional focus on gluten-free, paleo, vegan, and other dietary restriction-friendly foods. So if you are looking, welcome, I hope you enjoy, or welcome back, it's nice of you to come. Comment if you like. Share with a friend if you think there's some small joy to be had. 

ANYHOO, a reintroduction! Read on...