Veggie Deli Heroes with Herb Mayonnaise

These vegan heroes bridge the gap between not wanting to cook and not wanting to do take-out. They're also a good choice for brown-bag lunch, picnics, or warm summer nights. Add baked sweet potatoes and some sliced fresh fruit, and you've got a reasonably nutritious meal in a short time. While we're not all that much into "fake meat" in our VegKitchen, these are very appealing to die-hard meat eaters and hungry teens. Look for brands such as Tofurky, that don't use soy protein isolate to make their deli slices. Photos by Evan Atlas.

Serves: 3 to 4, depending on size of rolls.

Herb mayonnaise:

½ cup vegan mayonnaise
2 teaspoon prepared yellow or grainy mustard
¼ cup minced fresh herbs of your choice (try a combination
of dill and parsley, and chives or scallion)
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3 to 4 individual whole grain hero rolls (about 6- to 7 -inch)
6-ounce package vegan deli slices (see headnote
for a good brand choice), cut into halves
2 cups finely shredded lettuce, or as needed
2 to 3 medium firm, ripe tomatoes, or as needed, thinly sliced
4-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained, patted dry, and very thinly sliced

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.

Split the hero rolls lengthwise. Spread each half with the herb mayonnaise.

Divide the deli slices among 6 of the roll halves.

Divide the lettuce, tomato slices, and red pepper slices among the other 6 roll halves. Put the halves together and pack to transport, or serve at once.