Avocado Lettuce Tomato Sandwich (ALT Sandwich)

 
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” ― Henry David Thoreau

When I get overwhelmed with 101 things all at the same time, I try and surround myself with positive quotes. I read (and re read) them to calm me down, which doesn’t help much but I do it anyways. The above quote pretty much sums up my frenzy state of mind, trying to contemplating a lot all at once. Currently, I am mentally, maximally exhausted which is starting to take a toll on my physical health. I believe the lightheadedness, dizzy and just a very weak feeling is a tell-tale sign for me to channel the stress away before it’s too much. I have been napping a lot and eating wholesome, quick meals to allow my mind, body, and soul relax. Avocado Lettuce Tomato (ALT) Sandwich is one of those wholesome things I have been eating lately and since it was pleasantly so delightful, I thought you guys would enjoy it too.

Avocado Lettuce Tomato Sandwich is a spin-off of a popular Bacon Lettuce Tomato (BLT) except that bacon is replaced by perfectly ripe avocados. I am using the finest, high quality produce because the sandwich is so minimal and simple, I wanted to enjoy every bite of it. Raw tomatoes are not my favorite except during summer, especially when they are firm and lightly sweet. Use heirloom, hot house or even roma if that’s what you like.

Once you’ve picked your produce, we’ve got to have a bread talk. A bread is a carbohydrate, which also happens to supply steady energy and keep blood sugar levels in check. Even though it is suggested that 45-65% of calories should come from carbohydrates, many people treat them as an evil food, going as far as to avoid them completely. I think a lot of it comes from a big misunderstanding that ALL CARBS ARE BAD. There are different types of carbohydrates – Simple carbohydrates — found naturally in foods like fruit, milk products, white bread, cookies, candies and table sugar are broken down and absorbed quickly, causing a sharp rise in your blood sugar levels that can leave you feeling tired and hungry soon after eating them. Even though fruits and milk are simple sugar (fructose and lactose) they both provide other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber (in fruits) that are beneficial to our health.

On the other hand, complex carbohydrates are fibrous and starchy and are found in foods like legumes, starchy vegetables, and whole grains. They release glucose more slowly into the bloodstream, offering a steadier source of energy to keep blood sugar levels stable and pesky hunger pangs away.which are the quickest source of energy. Complex carbohydrates definitely leave you more satisfied than their simple counterparts, so it is really important that you incorporate them into your life regularly. My friend Pragati from Simple Medicine here talks about how to lose weight with carbs! 

Buying bread at the store is a pretty tricky task, don’t let that brown color, wheat, multi-grain, 9 grain etc confuse you. Always go with “100% whole wheat” or “100% whole grain” and make sure the first ingredient listed in the ingredient label says whole-wheat flour or 100% whole-wheat flour. While assembling the sandwich, make sure the bread is lightly toasted because otherwise, it becomes a soggy mess. Pile up the toasted bread with lettuce, tomato and avocado slices, douse it with tabasco sauce (optional) and generous amount of salt and pepper. Enjoy!

[Tweet “Vegan spin on popular BLT with Avocado, Lettuce, Tomato Sandwich! “]

PS. these  hummus wrap are pretty simple and totally lunch friendly.

How do you destress?

Any fun plans for this long weekend?