It’s my birthday today! Are you guys big on celebrating your birthday? For as long as I remember, my birthday has been an obsession of mine. It’s probably just a bit (okay, a lot) egotistical, but I just love the idea of a day celebrating me. I like planning elaborate themed parties with tons of friends (DIY grilled cheese party anyone?), but I also love the flip side of that – spending a day celebrating, just me and my boo.
No matter what I end up doing, there is one absolute must: eat ALL the things. It’s the one day you shouldn’t hold back. I know, I know, veggie sandwiches aren’t what one usually thinks of when they’re thinking about birthday eats, but when I saw this glorious picture of the ultimate veggie sandwich on Instagram, it had to be mine. I’m all about veggie sandwiches (and pizzas too, to be honest). I love the the different textures, the crunch, and the freshness.
This sandwich was truly epic – perfect for a pre-birthday treat!
The Ultimate Veggie Sandwich Recipe
makes 1 sandwich
- 2 slices bread of choice (I used multigrain)
- mayo and mustard, to taste
- 6 leaves romaine lettuce
- 1 small carrot
- 1/2 small cucumber
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1/8 head red cabbage
- 1 avocado
- handful of sprouts
- 3 slices tomato
- thin slices red onion
Start off by prepping your vegetables. Trip the lettuce leaves to the size of your bread. Julienne or shred the carrot, thinly slice the cucumber and cabbage. Pit and peel the avocado and thickly slice. Toast the bread and let cool (so it doesn’t get soggy). Spread on mayo and mustard to taste and build your sandwich: 1/2 of the lettuce leaves, carrots, cucumber, salt and pepper, cabbage, avocado, sprouts, tomato, onion, then the remaining lettuce and top slice of bread. Wrap tightly in parchment paper or wax paper and slice in half. Enjoy immediately!
i put a candle in it, because birthday :)
Giveaway: I hope you guys like chopping vegetables (and everything else) because for my annual birthday giveaway, I’m giving away a shiny sharp Shun Nakiri knife and a Walnut Boos Block Cutting Board from cuttingboard.com. I absolutely LOVE my nakiri and there’s nothing better than chopping and slicing on a beautiful wood cutting board.
To Enter: Leave a comment below with your favorite birthday memory. I want to hear ALL the details! I’ll randomly choose a winner and notify them through email. Open to US residents only. (Sorry international friends!) Also, if you’d like some extra entries (one per follow), follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest (and let me know in your comment). Contest ends September 17th at 12pm PST. Good luck!
Update: Congrats Willow! Get ready to get your knife skills on! Keep an eye out for an email :)
My favorite birthday memory was a surprise party when I was 8! My mom and family were all in the local park waiting for me and my dad when we arrived. They had my favorite three layer cake with them and all of the stuff for a picnic!
My favorite birthday memory is of my third birthday. It snowed so much the day before, the snow drifts were taller than I was. And my birthday is in October!
My birthday is in the middle of winter so I never got to enjoy the fun of going to theme parks or water parks that my friends got to do for their birthdays. One year, I bought a bunch of discount tikets to a water park and 5 of us jumped in a car and drove to the local water park in 55-60 degree weather. It was cold and we only lasted 2 hours before chills set in, but we were the only ones in the park and had a blast!
My mother was always creative in throwing birthday parties! I was in first grade and all I ever wanted was chocolate-that year we had a CoCo Party! We traveled to Brooklyn to get plastic molds, there was lollipop’s mini stars, animals. I was in absolute awe of this shop-there was pounds of melting chocolate chips in every color. I remember the baby blue chocolate, pink, green and purple. To me this was like jewels. I was so excited that for my bday -that in the middle of the night my dad caught me sitting on the kitchen floor with all the chips spread out and me eating like I never seen food before! I legit had the rainbow smeared across my hands and face. To say the least this was one of my favorite memories. Nothing like experiencing new treats as a child.
Favorite birthday memory? Ringing in 25 with omakase at Kusakabe.
Followed on Insta!
My 21st birthday was awesome, and not for any of the alcohol related reasons you’d think. I was living in NYC at the time and we went to the Coney Island Aquarium and I got to hang out with the coolest walrus ever. Then we went to a Yankees-Red Sox game! I did buy my first beer at that game, but I didn’t get carded!
(I follow you on both Instagram and Pinterest! I’m @psyckology on both)
My fave birthday memory is definitely my 30th. My husband (boyfriend at the time) drove us out to a secret place deep in the woods. It was totally mysterious, and awesome. When we got there, it was a house on the water in the woods filled with 8 of my best friends and a ton of really great food and wine. The best weekend ever! P.S. Following you on all 4 platforms!
a. that sandwich is making my mouth water!
b. my favorite birthday memory has got to be when my sister surprised me the morning of my birthday with a day filled with some of my favorite things! we grabbed coffee from a local spot, equator coffee. then got our nails done, on her dime, so sweet of her! and then headed over to the berkeley farmers market and got a TON of veggies and treats for the week!
These veggies sandwiches look like a great picnic sandwich!
Favorite Birthday memory was my 21st birthday that lasted for about a week ;) I got to eat at The Publican (amazing restaurant with the best charcuterie) and then went to a club with my friends for the rest of the night on my actual birthday, spent the next three days hitting the bars, and then going to a delicious restaurant called Parachute in Chicago and had a lovely boudin noir that made my night. The best part was sharing it with all my friends and family.
This would awesome to win!