The GAIA Health Blog

My normal "quick note": I actually eat very little bread and grains. I just went 3 months without any grains of any kind. When I do eat bread and/or meat, I utilize papaya enzymes to help digest gluten and meat

That being said….I have the worlds longest commute, I live in Seattle and work in Portland Oregon. I'm always at the airport, but always find it amazing how an entire airport can not have one selection of food that lives up to my "Healthy but Delicious" standards.

Thus, I am making my own creations and eating them why I am waiting on my 30 seat, United Airlines Express Jet, that  "kinda" looks to me like a private jet if it weren't for the propellers, very nice.

I always make a sandwich for the plane ride also, as many of us know that most planes don't serve food free anymore (airplane food was such a big thing when we were kids and teens on our first plane ride, now such a big letdown).

Anyhoo, I digress………….

I had run across this recipe for "Banh Mi" sandwiches, a traditional Vietnamese "street food", as every culture, and every city in every culture has one, and I'm always playing around with recipes, so I thought I'd knock this out for my next run back down to Portland Oregon.

So check it……I'm chilling waiting for my plane, this really cute chick sitting nearby ask me "O my gosh, I gotta have one of those sandwiches, which vendor did you get it from?" I told her "I don't eat airport food, I made this at home".

I had another in my pack, and that split second decision had to be made…..Pretty Girl….keep my delicious sandwich? Or give it up to Cutie-Pie. Think man…think!!!!!

The All-American male within caved in (In about 2 seconds), I said "But, I have another one wrapped up you're welcome to it". She first refuses, then after about 2 seconds, she caved in, assumedly after seeing that delicious sandwich creation in my lap.

She took one bite and I swore she made a sound like she was having a mild orgasm, I didn't know I had that kinda power 🙂 but I did used to say I wanna be able to make a woman "cringe"………. I think it, and it happens…….sometimes life imitates art…..

She said "Oh-mi-gosh, what it this?"….I said, "It a Vietnamese Style Breakfast Sandwich they call 'Banh Mi', although Americans call it 'BANG ME' "

…there's another joke there, which I won't touch in this blogpost…….. well, maybe not

The Banh Mi Sandwich
(This is the Original Recipe before I Modified it)

1 French baguette (soft centered crumb, crispy crust)
Vietnamese cold cuts or head cheese
Or other meat filling such as Braised Pork Belly
Fried Eggs
pickled carrots and daikon.
fresh cilantro
soy sauce
pork liver pate
mayonnaise
thin slices of chili pepper
thin slices of cucumber

My Modifications to the Original Recipe

I used pasture raided turkey slices (I AVOID COMMERCIAL COLD CUTS)

No "Braised Pork Belly" for me, but I will eventually try this with my "once a year" bacon)

I used regular shredded carrots instead of pickled. I added a little pre-cut shredded broccoli slaw from Trader Joes

My body has been loving lemongrass herb lately, so I add a little along with the cilantro

I omit the soy sauce, most soy sauce has poor ingredients GMO Soy, and too much sodium. I could use naturally fermented soy sauce, but haven't had time to make any, nor can I find it at the stores

I always have Coarse Ground Black Pepper and Pink Himalayan Salt on my eggs

Fried Pasture Raised Eggs (I AVOID COMMERCIAL EGGS TOTALLY!!!)
I fry my eggs only in Coconut Oil (AVOID CANOLA OIL!!!)

I can't get with the Pork Liver Patte, so I took some Spicy Garlic and Diced Apple Turkey Sausage from Whole Foods, cooked it up, diced it into fine bits, and made a rough paste made of Manuka Honey and Dijon Mustard, for an AMAZING honey mustard Sausage Spread.

…maybe all this makes it a totally different sandwich, but whatever, I'm not breaking the law 🙂

Directions

Not sure if directions are needed, in essence, everything is "slapped on the bread" and you are good to go.

Like I said before, the only oil I recommend frying in is Unrefined Coconut Oil.

It's not my place to say how people should deal with meats, but for me, I TOTALLY AVOID COMMERCIAL MEATS, and stick to meats from grass fed  and pasture raised animals (besides, they taste better).

like I said, I ain't feelin' that liver patte….

For the turkey sausage spread, fry the turkey sausage as normal, dice as fine as possible, mix in Dijon mustard and the amount of Manuka Honey as you prefer for your desired level of sweetness (This was a really great concoction!!!)

….if you really wanna break away from the Traditional Vietnamese sandwich, throw on a slice of Grass Fed Cheese, don't worry, the police won't show up at your house for violating a recipe…….. (I AVOID COMMERCIAL CHEESES)

food photography and recipe credit to the WhiteonRiceCouple Blogspot

So, eventually they call my flight for boarding, I tell the cutie who is literally devouring my sandwich, with these sexually provocative "moans and groans", to hand me her cell phone, I punched in my number, and for her to give me a call in Seattle or Portland.

While focused on her sandwich more than me, she says while still chewing and examining the sandwich, "Okay, I might give you a call". But I've been in the game longer that the game existed, when they say "might" call, they ain't  gonna call. I feel like I just got "played".

I always remember that Humphrey Bogart line from a movie when he was trying to get an engine to start, he said "An engine is like a woman, you don't feed them , they don't do nothing!!!"

Sitting on my plane, in my leather seat, in row Nine, which I always reserve for $25 extra, 'cuz it has more leg room because its an emergency exit, I chuckled to myself, "Damn, she was cute, but was it worth sacrificing the sandwich lunch I would be eating on this plane ride? I think she 'played' me  for my lunch"………

I realized that is the price I have to pay, and the task I was sent here on earth to do, to promote the concept of health and wellness, but with enjoyable cuisine and lifestyle choices. Giving my masterpiece of a sandwich to a beautiful woman is a testament to where my convictions really lie, so I am cool with that….

……I just wish the English translation of the sandwich was not "Bang Me", sometimes life doesn't imitate art 🙁  

~stay healthy~

P..S….That's not me to the left, that's how I see myself, the modern man, the mover, the shaker, making things happen, the "fly-jock", doing what needs to be done to get to that next level in my business endeavors, and loving it!!

Anyhoo, you know by now I am always putting playlists in my blog, because I always come back to my articles to play my favorite music.

One of my favorite "Airport" playlists, take a listen if so Inclined, otherwise, thanks for stopping by 🙂

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