I Tried TikTok Viral High-Protein VEGAN Sandwiches

[@MerleONeal]

Thank you so much for watching, now let me know which one you're going to try first!!! (Also any sandwich puns are always welcome)

[@ricardorojas3872]

I think I would go out of my way to get some chickpeas, some red onions and make that quick healthy spread with two toasted loaves of bread and try it. And, just in case I leave something left I would still use it as a filling to slather into an arepa and have second nutritious meal :D

[@dannyczorrilla]

@@ricardorojas3872that chickpea filling sounds LOVELY in an arepa! (Technically also a sandwich right?)

[@mm0901]

As a tofu lover who is always trying to convince my non-tofu-loving friends that they’re just making it wrong, I really appreciate all you do to SQUASH ( 😉 ) people’s perceptions of tofu and show that it can be both versatile AND delicious!

[@NaturalistTaurus]

I would try the blt first and then maybe the tofu. Also been wanting to try wildgrains so now that you have a code (and once I get room in my freezer), I will just have to do that!

[@docAvid314]

Definitely think your own tempeh sandwich looks like the winner, here. After that, I'd maybe try the chickpea one, although I have no idea how you could do that in eight minutes - peeling the onion and garlic alone must take three, four minutes, no?

[@jifij89]

tofu sandwiches don’t have to be as complex as that first one! i toss slices of firm tofu in cornstarch with some chilli powder or herbs, and then fry on both sides. the rest of the sandwich is just hummus, some tomato, hemp seeds and a drizzle of lemon juice. that first sandwich looks great but it’s the kind of thing i’d make on a saturday/sunday morning when i have the time, rather than a weekday lunch

[@MerleONeal]

that sounds deliiiiiicious

[@pqrstsma2011]

5:51 for the parchment paper hack, you gotta pack it tightly and wrap it properly, like you were selling the sandwich at a shop/deli; then give it a minute or two to sort of become a cohesive unit, before slicing it in half for the camera....

[@kirstennielsen5832]

Will you do Derek Sarno’s tofu breakfast sandwich? I tried his block tofu potato sheet pan to breakfast taco thing and it was SO EASY AND GOOD. All of his tofu recipes that I have tried have been phenomenal so I’d love to get your opinion!

[@kirstennielsen5832]

Honestly, if you did any of his recipes I’d be interested. I love crossover vids and lately I’m obsessed with his approach to tofu

[@kirstennielsen5832]

This is the one I tried that the whole family loves: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXSkenSVg86Lrsksi=NztUsIq-xP49NntB

[@ValerieBrown-w8b]

I just made that today with the zucchini! Excellent.

[@GreciaS92]

You have to completely wrap the sandwich like a burrito or subway and then once it’s all closed up then you cut- I do that with my overly filled sandwiches lol.

[@MerleONeal]

NOWWWW ya tell me

[@arj-peace]

I love that you bring the real real to these viral recipes. Who can spend 2 hours making a sandwich? That's insane. I like your idea for how to streamline. Maybe for a make ahead thing, have all the components ready, then during the weekday you can toss them together for an appropriately QUICK lunch. Thanks for showing that it's a good idea to boil tempeh first. It makes all the difference in the word and helps it to soak up marinades. What about also adding that tempeh bacon to a reuben? SO good! Make the sauce with ketchup, mayo, and relish; toasted bread; tempeh; vegan swiss if you choose (I don't think it needs it), and then heat up some sauerkraut, put it all together and...YUM. I'm definitely going to use your tempeh marinade recipe. Thanks for your great REAL videos.

[@charliebrown1184]

Smoked tofu can do a lot of heavy lifting in a sandwich too, especially with the right condiments or additions! Personally I love it with a vegan red pesto or an olive tapenade plus salad leaves and avocado.

[@sadwitchlover1129]

merle, do u still interact with rachel now that yall out of buzzfeed ? i really want to see u 2 together again for a video , i really miss the goodful days of u 2 doing fun vegan challenges

[@monicatoro2286]

I love and miss Rachel!

[@jenn1zero6]

YES please!

[@angelaschaffner664]

I'm sure they are still friends. They were friends before Merle moved to the L.A. Buzzfeed office

[@barnaray4229]

Yesss miss them both

[@charliebrown1184]

Merle did a vegan food at disneyland video a while back with Rachel!

[@rosesnlilies]

The easiest tofu sandwich is just slicing up smoked tofu, with greens, tomatoes and a spread of any kind (hummus, vegan cream cheese, etc). I agree that a good bread is the best base for a good sandwich, but I also think that most of the flavour lies in the unique combination of sauces and spreads you put in it!

[@anntecz]

I was just looking for some sandwich inspo! Could you make more of these videos in the future? Sammies are just so universal!

[@MerleONeal]

you got it!!!

[@margarett_b]

I eat super plain sandwiches 90% of the time because to me, they have to be QUICK but I must say with regards to the first recipe - meal prepping the ingredients and putting it together whenever you want to eat it is genius! I would switch the avo for hummus as it keeps better in the fridge and would go well with these flavors too! Also, what an AMAZING sponsor! Like, wow. I am not sure I have seen a cooler sponsorship!

[@redotter4608]

Just made your TLT Sammie. I didn’t have any greens , so I used some thinly sliced mini cucumbers. OMG, I just found my new favorite sandwich!! 💕❤️

[@MerleONeal]

YAYYYY i'm so happy to hear that!!

[@Dybwmlt]

She makes me feel safe. Like it’s very chill, very demure

[@cdocenko]

I'm loving all this high protein content. Keep it coming!

[@jillianomalley5379]

I’m loving all the protein cooking ! Getting me inspired again for making lunches for my desk job ❤

[@Adrian_CC]

Your like to dislike ratio is CRAZY in all of ur videos, ive seen a bunch of videos with 2k likes and 0 dislikes, congrats girl

[@ViCT0RiA6]

your sandwich is the clear winner here 😍

[@gayegerard]

Merle, you are always such a delight to watch and I appreciate your authenticity, how creative you are in your videos and just being so honest with your reviews. I hope you have a wonderful week lovely!😊

[@traciechakraborty3829]

squash cooks REALLY WELL in the microwave. I simply add a lil onion, sprinkle of s&p, a teensy drop of oil & let it rip. Btw, I think sando #1 would make a killer pasta or Budha bowl topping

[@blobymcblobface]

I know I'm Canadian but I have to stop getting so excited every time I see maple syrup in a recipe. My maple trees produce fine syrup every year.

[@kimthaelf]

plantbasedrd has sooo many good recipes 💖

[@MerleONeal]

I totally agree!

[@dinkthedinorawr]

Loving these vegan recipes with protein as I am trying to build muscle, can you try seitan recipes? I want to make it from scratch but I’m honestly scared of it

[@MerleONeal]

I loooove seitan, that's not a bad idea!

[@dinkthedinorawr]

@@MerleONeal I am so excited to see what you show us next! ❤❤

[@looloo.M]

Thank you Merle. My go to is everything bagel, spread red pepper hummus and pour chick pea salad on top of hummus 😋. I will try the first of your, Thank you so much ❤.

[@MerleONeal]

omfg yummm

[@tyghe_bright]

My favorite vegan sandwich lately has been garlic sauteed greens and balsamic roasted mushrooms. (Which I can make in bulk ahead of time.) Also my "tunish" salad that's mashed chickpeas, hearts of palm, vegan mayo, capers, and dill pickles. Great over lettuce or on a sandwich.

[@nanc2907]

Make the chick pea salad in the food processor! Just pulse the ingredients instead of chopping, they mix in your liquids. That's how i do it. Takes 2 minutes and you don't have to cry for the onions.

[@umafa1645]

Inspiring Merle! Thank you for sharing (:

[@MerleONeal]

you are so welcome

[@katarinakrizova2969]

Ok I needed it today👍😘 I love what you are doing.

[@MerleONeal]

Thank you for the love!!!

[@evannfrancisryan]

Would totally try your sandwich first! Looks delicious!

[@mjs28s]

I've not had luck with tempe in the past. Am I maybe not cooking it long enough? Or does the flavor vary widely depending on brand?

[@HannaPramholt]

I just found your channel yesterday, and I'm in loooooove

[@MerleONeal]

omg welcome!! Happy ya made it here :)

[@lambulance]

Plant Based RD (Catherine) has amazing recipes!! Tried her caramelized onion chickpea sando the other day and OMG so good. The chili crunch tofu bowls with edamame is also a recipe on repeat in this house! I'll definitely try her tofu sandwich, thank you 🥰

[@margarett_b]

Also - totally add your own recipes into these videos! We love your personal touch

[@magorzatagaazka2971]

I’m not even vegan , but I love watching you cooking 🩷

[@AdaminaCarden]

Love the idea of adding neutral beans to avocado mash! I love making a tofu banh mi. Just fry the tofu in soy sauce/ Maggi, mayo, grated carrot, cucumer and some sriracha. YUM! My main thing is my sandwiches always be slipping!

[@TheMavyStar]

Blending the tofu into mayo is GENIUS! ❤

[@D3clanb]

Would making the pesto for the tofu sandwich in a food processor save time and still work?

[@MerleONeal]

thats a great idea!

[@_Redtailhawk_]

I’m going to try all 3! But the third one is the one I really really want to try !!

[@tracyehrenberg6074]

not a sandwich, but I make a layered caprese with tofu instead of mozz, and it's fantastic, especially now that heirloom tomatoes are in season. I use vegan pesto instead of basil, salt, pep, olive oil, and balsamic. takes minutes to assemble, very filling, and it's delish!

[@JubeiKibagamiFez]

3:17 This could get bulk prepped, though. Especially the tofu. The salt content from the soy sauce is a perfect preservative. You could even keep whole blocks in this marinade and just slice on demand.

[@mariannewaszak8253]

Hi Merle I actully think yours was the best 😃😃😃

[@InternetFad]

I hope you're doing okay

[@MerleONeal]

🥹 I'm doing very well but it never hurts to hear that, thank you

[@TheTinnman]

Love your mortar and Pestle. Where ever did you get it. I want one!!!!

[@ingridchristensen8142]

Thank you for this video! I would be lovely if you could make some more easy mealprep lunches 🙏

[@jaygatsby8588]

gonna try these out for sure

[@Classiclover4ever]

i ve made the fitgreenmind sandwich and it did take me 5 mins, it was delicious!

[@Livv_it_is]

Yum! I am such a biiig sandwich fan! Bread is just life and fill it with something delicous - whats not to love about that?! I will defo try the TLT. this one looks sooooo good!

[@adamwithanaccent]

Hi Merle! I've been watching your videos and recipes for a while, as well as other vegetarian/vegan producers', and I was planning on going vegan. But then something changed my mind, yet I hope you'd help me through it. For context, my dietary goal right now is to maintain a diet that helps me gain muscle and weight, so I ought to consume a lot of protein. However, I read recently that plant protein isn't the same as animal protein when it comes to digesting it. I learned that plant protein is made up for the sake of, well, the plant, so protein can be "connected" to other nutrients like fiber and carbohydrates. Therefore, the "bioavailability" might not be as high for plant proteins as it is for animal proteins. Something that has to do with PDCAAS? Anyway, I concluded that 100g of cooked lentils might have 9g of protein, but my body isn't really consuming the entirety of those 9g. This idea worried me, as I planned a whole vegan meal prep and I was ready to get into it, then after reading about PDCAAS rates in different foods, I realized my calculations for my protein intake can be all wrong. In your opinion, how do you think I should go about this? What would you do to ensure you're consuming enough protein when considering the "PDCAAS" factors? Thank you and I love your videos!

[@dragonpop]

I add edamame to my avocado mash.Also adds some good protein.❤

[@haydenr4335]

Even if I don't get around to making the whole sandwich, hundy percent gonna try mashing beans in with my avo. Great idea!

[@MerleONeal]

heck yeah! bean hacks ftw

[@davidvllr]

Not now babe, Merle has posted

[@IsinMoon]

Merle I made the first sandwich and genuinely did not think it was that hard hahaha 😂 I even made the bread for it!

[@d.elainemiller1375]

To save your eyes,put a wet paper towel or a wet kitchen towel on the Cutting Board, while you're cutting your onions, the fumes will gravitate to the wet paper towel instead of your eyes. Blessings

[@saigiridhar2147]

Ok so @MerleONeal you wet a bunch of paper towels or a wet cloth and keep it next to the onions when you’re cutting them. The onion fumes get attracted to the nearest water source (your eyes), so it’ll get attracted to the wet ball of paper towels/cloth, thus saving your eyes :)

[@MerleONeal]

oh wow!!!! Thank you! that is a hot tip

[@plantedinlove]

So my biggest flex in life is that as long as i'm wearing my contacts, onions wont make me cry while cutting them. Dunno what the science is behind that, like it creates a seal or something lol but I always wonder why no one mentions that

[@vduback]

These all look delicious. I’d try the TLTA. I’m so confused how the first recipe took so long. The third recipe seemed to have the same amount of steps. Squash/boil, marinade/marinade, tofu/tempeh, avocado spread/avocado spread….what am I missing? 🤔

[@dandles2010]

Does the first one start with white wine vinegar? The first ingredient that comes through is soy sauce, but there is something else in the bowl. Actually, I looked at the TikTok and I think that's it. Looks delish. Thanks for sharing!

[@MerleONeal]

oh yes!! rice wine vinegar!

[@dandles2010]

@@MerleONeal Thanks! Top tier work, all these looks so good!

[@PeiPeisMom]

I would love to see a seitanwich, which is what I ate while I watched this vid 😆

[@MerleONeal]

i don't know if I have ever had a seitanwich but it sounds AMAZING

[@PeiPeisMom]

@@MerleONeal Mine just had pesto, seitan, and sliced tomatoes. I used homemade whole wheat because that's what I had, but sourdough would have been better for sure

[@amerynpeters429]

AHHHHH IM SO EARLY AND SO HAPPY TO SEE THIS THANK YOU FOR POSTING!!!!!

[@MerleONeal]

YOU'RE WELCOME happy ya made it early :)

[@andreabellini6796]

Tofu egg salad is my go to

[@Aprilan138]

oh crap, now i'm hungry haha. They look amazing!

[@MerleONeal]

Which one you gonna try first 👀

[@itscarolinemary]

Awesome video! ❤ I love a good sandwich

[@JubeiKibagamiFez]

4:34 Wow. This is the first time I'm seeing an Everything Loaf..... I'm so jealous right now.

[@ValerieBrown-w8b]

Also- can you do more anti inflammatory food? Turns out that’s a big problem in perimenopause.

[@lillianv6805]

I already do avocado + nooch, but the beeeeeans....def trying

[@MerleONeal]

yeeeeeees beans for days!!!

[@Deb_BG]

Edamame blended with avocado is also good.

[@retired_man_about_town]

love the shirt!

[@MerleONeal]

thank youuuu I love P Town so much

[@JubeiKibagamiFez]

11:24 This is another first for me..... I've never seen chunky tempeh before.

[@tommystix87]

Have you seen the watermelon caprese salad sandwich where you use watermelon as the bread? I could see you make a vegan version of it with vegan mozzarella.

[@ValerieBrown-w8b]

I was in PCB and got a vegan banh mi sammy that BLEW MY MIND!!!

[@michelewillems7538]

What's the first ingredient you poured in the zucchini tofu sandwich? before the soy sauce?

[@amethystdgem]

She is the Protein Queen 🎶 (in my Abba voice)

[@margarett_b]

Also, sloppy sandwiches are a big no for me - would absolutely put it in a wrap lol :D

[@remmer7010]

Sorry but as someone who cooks a lot I know there’s no way in hell the first one took 2.5 hours😂

[@AlliyahPerry]

As someone who cooks with ADHD this could take me 2.5 hours.

[@coldbrew6053]

LOL you have to TIGHTLY warp the sandwich in parchment paper THEN you cut it. I was screaming when you were trying to cut the first sandwich lol

[@JubeiKibagamiFez]

10:21 Not bad. I was predicting 15 mins, but I thought it was getting cooked. But yeah, the prep is going to take 5 mins, regardless.

[@justin_g_smith]

Okay but like I need to try that bread

[@MerleONeal]

I have some loaves waiting for you

[@justin_g_smith]

Bless you

[@mm0901]

Yummmm 🤩

[@heatherandersen5623]

21/2 hours!! Dang

[@heatherandersen5623]

You always look like it was way too much work

[@Kitty-no3de]

i have got to keep trying to get over not liking tofu.. my favorite sandwiches are an entire avocado lettuce and tomato with mayo and sweet hot mustard but its probably not the best idea to eat a whole avocado regularly o___o

[@amandac3005]

I think Ill make that BLT for dinner!! :)😋

[@amandac3005]

I am glad Im not the only one who doesn't like the chickpea salad stuff, would much rather have tofu

[@MerleONeal]

same!!

[@VerhoevenSimon]

The final one was my favourite. The first one looked great, but that's an awful lot of preparement for a sandwich for yourself.

[@MerleONeal]

i hope you enjoy it! lmk if you try any of em!

[@1Arinea]

Maya needs to be protected at all cost! :D

[@sunny5ma]

Two and a half hours to make a sandwich???? Absolutely NOT!!! Ahaha 😂😂. I don't care how good it is! It doesn't take me that long to meal prep my week's worth of work lunches hahaha. I honestly wouldn't make any of these as they are way too intense or just cause of how picky I am 😅. I am fine with my lettuce/tomato/onion/cheese/mayo/Veggie patty sammie 🙃 . Love our reigning vegan queen tho as always!! I am, however, still waiting on some high-in-iron recipes...🧐. Anyway, ciao for now, can't wait for the next one!! 💖 💖💖

[@pandacain59]

If you throw onions in the freezer half an hour before you cut them it will make you cry.

[@varshanaidu8033]

Is buttering sandwich breads not a thing? extra layer of flavour!

[@walternumber123]

Gonna try the tofu sandwich .I don't have TikTok, would it be possible to post besides the TT also YT links of the videos please? So I don't have to leave YT and begging me to ma an account on TT. Greetings from the Netherlands

[@coventional]

The first sandwich could easily be turned into a grain bowl sans the bread

[@MerleONeal]

very true!!

[@MsSagittariusA]

Definitely would take me long to cook that chickpea one. I am inclined to blitz it in the food processor. I'm a Slow chopper

[@emopigs]

Never thought I’d be second to a video, but here I AM!

[@Dubnoreix]

Congrats.😊

[@MerleONeal]

EARLY early

[@ricardogutierrez9008]

I'm not even vegan and want to try the all!

[@MerleONeal]

Do it!!!!

[@gwenkruger1380]

🎉

[@sumaraahmad5567]

❤❤❤

[@steamyvegan]

Yesss! Sandwichtok has found me. Just went to Trader Joe's for the first time ever, love that tofu! Can't wait to try all of these. As always, great recipes, great video Merle!

[@aoe2dog]

🤤

[@masdanar9321]

Yummy. You look extra cute in that shirt tho 😊

[@jkabhishek16]

From shreks swamp pasta to sandwiches now

[@MagisterialVoyager]

🤤 ❤

[@pixelated.peachyangel]

I wanna eat a sandwich so bad now. I have to buy bread.

[@Dubnoreix]

Never thought I would be first for a video. But here I am.

[@MerleONeal]

dangggg you're earlier than I am!

[@Dubnoreix]

@@MerleONeal, fun fact: I’ve made a mix of the two sandwiches you and Rachel made for Goodful a while back. I think I used your tofu recipe and Rachel’s red peper sauce and olive tapenade. It was delicious.

[@COACH-CARBOHYDRATE]

If you want to feel your best it’s not always a good idea to focus on these higher protein meals even if you are lifting lights your body only builds a tiny amount of muscle every day and it’s not even worth trying to get extra protein if you’re not in a calorie restriction diet just focus on eating as much as you want and building elite level fitness whether this getting PR running a 5K or pushing yourself past beyond absolute failure in the gym, Carbs FTW!! 💪💪💪