Quick avocado veggie sandwich

Ripe avocado mixed with tomatoes and hot pepper sauce makes a tasty, vegetarian sandwich. Adding a little bought pesto sauce adds more flavor. This sandwich is perfect for a quick dinner.

You may have to plan a little in advance to ripen your avocado. One tip to help avocados ripen is to remove the stem and place them in a bag in a warm spot.

HELPFUL HINTS

› You can use any type of bread.

› If pesto sauce isn’t available, use a mild drained salsa.

› You can use any type of shredded cheese.

SHOPPING LIST

› To buy: 1 tomato, 2 small ripe avocados, 1 lemon, 1 small bottle hot pepper sauce, 1 container reducedfat pesto sauce, 1 loaf whole-wheat bread, 1 package Monterey Jack or Mexican-style cheese, 1 package washed, readyto-eat lettuce, 1 cucumber, 1 bottle reduced-fat oil-and-vinegar dressing.

Avocado Veggie Sandwich

1 small tomato, sliced

(about 3/4 cup)

2 small ripe avocados, peeled, seed removed, mashed (about 1 cup) 1/2 tablespoon lemon

juice

Several drops hot pepper

sauce

2 tablespoons reducedfat pesto sauce 4 slices whole-wheat

bread

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack or Mexican-style cheese

Several lettuce leaves 1/2 cup sliced cucumber 2 tablespoons reducedfat oil-and-vinegar dressing

Slice tomato. Mash avocado in a bowl. Add lemon juice, hot pepper sauce and pesto sauce. Mix well. Toast bread. Spread avocado on 2 of the slices. Add sliced tomato to the avocado. Add cheese over the tomato. Place the two remaining bread slices on top to form a sandwich. Place on two plates. Divide the lettuce leaves between the two plates. Place cucumber slices on the lettuce. Drizzle dressing over the cucumber.

Yield 2 servings.

Per serving: 526 calories (57% from fat), 33.2 grams fat (7.4 grams saturated, 16.9 grams monounsaturated), 21 milligrams cholesterol, 16.5 grams protein, 43.3 grams carbohydrates, 14.9 grams fiber,

499 milligrams sodium.

— Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer