I’ve been on a probiotic kick lately, so I picked up a jar of real Sauerkraut made from a San Fransisco Company called Bubbies.
And I mean REAL Sauerkraut – not that canned stuff you see in the store.
You see REAL Sauerkraut is full of healthy probiotic cultures – kind of like Yogurt – that are super important for building the good kind of microbiotic bugs that live in our gut.
During digestion, these gut bacteria (which number in the trillions) perform all kinds of functions – like make vitamins , send signals to the immune system, and even help your brain work.
The wrong kind can also make you sick – so it’s imperative you are feeding these little guys the right stuff to encourage the beneficial ones to grow.
Naturally fermented foods – like Sauerkraut is one way of doing just that.
So the question soon became:
What recipe can I post today that includes Sauerkraut?
Thank you Vegan Dad for the perfect St Patrick’s Day recipe – Vegan Corned Beef.
And when you have Corned Beef, and a jar of Sauerkraut, all you need is some homemade Vegan Thousand Island Dressing and you have everything you need for some pretty darn tasty Reuben Sandwiches.
And I get to post a recipe…. yay!
Happy St Patrick’s Day!
Vegan Corned Beef
Since the Corned Beef part of this sandwich is NOT my recipe, I’ll post a link here to Vegan Dad’s Reuben Sandwiches.
Vegan Dad has been around for quite a while so even though I tweaked his recipe a bit – he deserves the credit.
One thing I will say – ELIMINATE THE SALT – maybe even some of the Seasoned Salt as well. Trust me – I used the amount called for in the recipe and OH BOY HOWDY was it SALTY! Wow. The Kraut is going to be salty enough – no need to add any more.
Other than that – it was really good. I did add some additional Fennel Seeds for flavor, and I cut back on the Cloves (I hate cloves) but otherwise I followed the recipe exactly.
Although a tad bit too salty – the flavor was really good, and the texture was awesome.
So good job Vegan Dad!
Vegan Thousand Island Dressing
Ah – here’s where I come in.
I needed a Thousand Island Dressing for these sandwiches and since store-bought dressing is based on Mayonnaise – I was going to have to make my own.
And it’s super easy.
Tofu, Lemon Juice, Vinegar, Ketchup, and some Dill Pickles and you’re set to go.
This is a blender recipe too – so cleanup is a breeze.
Now I’ve always been a Thousand Island fan.
Sure Ranch is ok – occasionally. And I absolutely LOVED Blue Cheese – but we know how unhealthy THAT was, so I usually stuck with my tried and true Thousand Island.
And THIS Vegan Thousand Island Dressing is everything I remember – and more.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do – especially when it’s spread on some Hearty Rye Toast piled high with Vegan Corned Beef and Sauerkraut.
YUM.
And …….. since it IS St Patricks’s Day I’ll leave you with this old Irish Blessing.
May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons bring the best to you and yours!
Prep time: 10 mins
Total time: 10 mins
Serves: About 1 pint
- 14oz Tofu, Silken or Firm
- 3Tbls + 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbls Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tbls Dill Pickle Juice
- 1 tsp Soy Sauce
- ¾ tsp Prepared Mustard
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Onion Powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 3 Tbls Ketchup
- ½ cup diced Dill Pickle
- Drain Tofu and add to blender.
- Add all remaining ingredients to blender except for Ketchup and Pickles.
- Process until smooth
- Turn out into a small bowl and stir in ketchup and diced pickles.
- Refrigerate until ready to use