Creamy Avocado Sandwich Spread

We vegans and vegetarians have to keep our eyes open wide; it's very rare that a fast food restaurant actually has decent meat-free offering. One blaring example is Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches. "America's Favorite Sandwich" shoppe offers a vegetarian sandwich and a gourmet veggie club. I was a huge fan of the club, which features your usual sandwich veggies smushed in between provolone cheese, alfafa sprouts (a nice touch), and a very yummy avocado spread.

Not to knock Jimmy John's--for I do appreciate a vegetarian-friendly restaurant--but I wanted to find out how to make the avocado spread at home; after all, lunchboxing a sandwich is a much cheaper option than purchasing one from a restaurant every day. I actually found a recipe for what is supposedly the exact avocado dip they use at Jimmy John's on a web forum, offered by a user who calls himself "Josh, Jimmy John's employee of the month." And as the Louisville Cardinals have just started their big game against the Kentucky Wildcats, I'm needing a good veggie club right now and am about to whip up a batter of this avocado spread!

I can't even count how many times I've made this spread, which my boyfriend sometimes uses as a chip dip. (Quite frankly, it's just too delicious on veggie sandwiches for me to waste as a dip!) For probably about a year now, there's usually a bowl of avocado spread waiting in my refrigerator. Why not? It's a very quick recipe, one that stores well, and one which has leftovers than can be savored day after day in various ways (on hors d'oeuvres, sandwiches, chips, veggies, etc.).

I've never used the chili pepper this recipe calls for, because I'd rather have a cool, refreshing sandwich than something that sets my mouth on fire. Instead, I just sprinkle some chili powder into the mix. I also often add in an extra avocado or two, along with some minced garlic. Sometimes it also helps to add in about a teaspoon of table mustard for flavor and texture. Be warned if you don't frequently cook with avocados: they are messy.

This is a very yummy and nutritious spread with many uses. People who need lunch on the go will certainly appreciate being able to prepare their own gourmet veggies clubs, as I have for so long. It's a scrumptious copycat recipe worth trying!