Vegan Maple-Mustard Apple & Sweet Potato Melt
Autumn is right around the corner, and I’m finally back from my summer hiatus with a recipe that I am truly beyond excited to share with you!
If you’ve been keeping up with me on Instagram, you know that my summer has been packed to the brim with moving, trips to Seattle, upstate NY and Florida, working on cookbook #2, hanging out with Baby V and trying to sneak naps in whenever I can since I’m 5 1/2 months pregnant. Whew- that wore me out just to type everything!
We’re finally settled into our new house and things are starting to get back to normal, which means I’m getting back to cooking up a ton of new recipes to share with you here. Even though it’s still officially summer, we’ve had a couple of cooler days here in the Northeast that have started to get me excited for my favorite season: fall!
Today’s sandwich recipe is the ultimate back-to-school, comfy-cozy fall day lunch. If you’re over summer like I am, this Vegan Maple-Mustard Apple & Sweet Potato Melt is for you! The Maple-Mustard Sauce is a staple in my house (you may remember it from the Maple-Mustard Squash & Lentil Bowl in my cookbook) and it’s made extra special in this recipe thanks to my secret ingredient: Sir Kensington’s Dijon Mustard. I’ve mentioned my love of Sir Kensington’s Fabanaise (their vegan mayo made from chickpea brine) a few times on the blog (like in this pot pie which I cannot wait to make again once the weather is actually cold!), but they also happen to make my very favorite mustard and ketchup! You can find all of Sir Kensington’s products at Whole Foods or other natural grocery stores.
Let’s chat about this sandwich for a minute. It’s a little sweet, a little savory, and packed with the prettiest fall color palette. To keep things extra easy, I like to roast the sweet potato slices ahead of time (whenever I happen to have the oven on for dinner) and since they’ll stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days, having them on hand brings the prep time for this recipe down to 10ish minutes.
For a slightly spicier kick, you swap out the Dijon for Sir Kensington’s Spicy Brown Mustard. I’m usually a Dijon gal, but Ross LOVES their spicy mustard and makes special requests for it on his sandwiches.
Ok, let’s get to the recipe!
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Sir Kensington's Dijon Mustard
- 2 teaspoons tamari
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 purple sweet potato
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 8 slices of your favorite bread
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 apple, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup sauerkraut
- ½ cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese
- Prepare the Maple-Mustard Sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Prepare the sweet potatoes by preheating the oven to 400°. Scrub the sweet potatos, then use a knife to cut thin slices that are ¼"- ½" thick. In a large bowl, toss the slices with the coconut oil. Spread the slices out on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes (flipping halfway), until the slices are lightly browned.
- Preheat the panini press.
- To assemble the sandwiches, lay the slices of bread out on a cutting board. Spread the Maple-Mustard Sauce on each slice of bread. Layer the spinach over 4 of the slices of bread. Next add the sweet potato, then apple slices. Spread a little more Maple-Mustard Sauce over the apple slices. Next, layer the avocado, sauerkraut and vegan cheese. Top with the other slices of bread.
- Gently transfer the sandwiches to the panini press. Grill until the cheese is melted. Transfer the sandwiches back to the cutting board and slice them in half before serving.
This post was sponsored by Sir Kensington’s. All opinions expressed are my own.
I can’t begin to describe how beautiful this sandwich looks! Sweet potatoes with apples and veggies are a great combination. Never would have thought to include them in a sandwich, but I’m down to give it a try!
This is a yummy sandwich! I omitted the sauerkraut because it’s not my favourite but turned out great anyway!
Yay!
what is the purple in this sandwich
I see the sauerkraut but what is the other
It’s purple sweet potato!
What kind of sauerkraut did you use?
My Hot Pink Kraut! Here’s the recipe: https://thecolorfulkitchen.com/2017/08/08/how-to-make-sauerkraut/