One of my friends swears she’s happier when it’s cloudy and gray outside, but I couldn’t be more the opposite. June has brought longer days and an abundance of sunshine. I feel so energized by all the light that I have to remind myself to pause and soak up the summer vibes. Cookie is pretty jazzed, too, since it means that we can go for a quick walk at 9 pm and watch fireflies blink along our path.

Now that warm weather is here, I’m craving more light and refreshing meals, and this sandwich is one of them. Ripe tomatoes, fresh lettuce, avocado instead of mayonnaise, and homemade coconut bacon collide in this vegan BLT recipe.

Bacon was the one meat I really missed after becoming a vegetarian, and coconut bacon is a surprisingly satisfying alternative. It’s savory with a sweet edge, a little salty, and crisp, just like the real thing. It’s the one and only meat substitute that I can get behind.

I have a few tricks to making a satisfying sandwich without meat, and it starts with some great bread. You want whole grain bread, preferably one that’s full of seeds, which is rich in fiber and keeps you full longer. Bonus? It has more flavor, and in my book, more flavor is always better than less. That’s why I was so pleased to learn about eureka! bread. Their motto is “Don’t Be Bland!” and after trying it, I can attest that their bread is anything but! It’s also organic, and free of all the unnecessary ingredients that are typical of store-bought sandwich bread—preservatives, artificial colorings, and high-fructose corn syrup. I bought the loaf shown here at Target, and you can find a store near you here.

So, once you have picked out some great bread, you want to add some healthy fat for satiety, like avocado, nut butter, or hummus. You can also add cooked tofu or tempeh, or a fried egg, if you’re not trying to keep it vegan. Then, load it up with fresh veggies and crisp greens, and you have one stellar sandwich.

This BLT is great on its own, and I imagine it would also be delicious with a side of my favorite bean salad or a simple green side salad.

Vegan BLT Sandwich Author: Cookie and Kate

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 2 mins

Total Time: 12 minutes

Yield: 1 sandwich 1 x

Category: Sandwich

Cuisine: American ★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews This vegetarian/vegan riff on the classic BLT sandwich features coconut bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado! This BLT makes a delicious, simple lunch or dinner. Scale 1x 2x 3x Ingredients Per sandwich 2 slices eureka! Grainiac® whole grain bread

slices eureka! Grainiac® whole grain bread 1 medium ripe avocado

medium ripe avocado Salt, to taste

¼ cup coconut bacon

coconut bacon 1 medium ripe red tomato

medium ripe red tomato Freshly ground black pepper

Several small leaves of romaine or butter lettuce Instructions Be sure to make the coconut bacon before you get started on the sandwich (it’s easy to make, and you’ll have lots of leftovers, which freeze well). When you’re ready to make sandwich(es), first toast the bread to your desired doneness. Halve and pit the avocado, and scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl. Add a pinch of salt, and use a fork to mash the avocado until it’s pretty smooth and easily spreadable. Taste, and add more salt if necessary. Spread avocado on top of both slices of bread. Spread coconut bacon heavily on one piece of toast, and lightly press it into the avocado to help it stick. Slice the tomato into ½″ thick slices. Top the bacon-covered toast with 2 to 3 slices of tomato, and sprinkle it with black pepper. Top the tomato with lettuce, and place the remaining slice of bread on top, avocado side down. If you prefer, carefully slice the sandwich in half with a serrated knife. Notes Make it gluten free: Either use gluten-free bread, or make my heirloom BLT sandwich instead, without the croutons.

Change it up: Mayo lovers, feel free to add mayo or substitute it for the avocado. Use vegan mayo to keep the sandwich vegan.

More coconut bacon recipes: Check out my heirloom BLT kale salad and grilled summer salad. ▸ Nutrition Information The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

This post was created in partnership with eureka! Organic Bread and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!