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Major Tom Recipe

Name: MAD Rebel Health Kitchens Major Tom Recipe
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 1 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 oz roast turkey, thinly sliced; 1 each ciabatta roll (or sourdough sandwich loaf), split; 1 cup arugula, packed; 0.25 cup red onion, thinly sliced into rings; 0.25 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained; 0.5 cup fresh basil leaves, packed; 0.25 cup parmesan cheese, grated; 2 tbsp pine nuts (or walnuts/almonds), toasted; 1 each garlic clove, peeled; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp lemon juice; 0.125 tsp red pepper flakes; 0.25 tsp salt; 0.125 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 2 tsp olive oil; 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard; 0.5 tsp honey or maple syrup; 0.125 tsp salt; 0.0625 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp butter or olive oil (for toasting bread); 1 each lemon wedge (optional, for brightness)

Inspired by MAD Rebel Health Kitchen

Time20m

Serves1

Roast Turkey, Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, Arugula, Red Onion, Balsamic Vin

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Ingredients

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Turkey & Sandwich Assembly

8 oz roast turkey, thinly sliced

1 each ciabatta roll (or sourdough sandwich loaf), split

1 cup arugula, packed

1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced into rings

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tbsp pine nuts (or walnuts/almonds), toasted

1 each garlic clove, peeled

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp ReaLemon lemon juice

1/8 tsp Red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

Balsamic Vinaigrette (for drizzling)

1 tbsp Aged balsamic vinegar

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp honey or maple syrup

1/8 tsp Celtic sea salt

0.063 tsp black pepper

Optional/Finish

1 tsp butter or olive oil (for toasting bread)

1 each lemon wedge (optional, for brightness)

Method

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Toast nuts

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts (or chosen nut) until fragrant and just golden, 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Remove and let cool.

Combine drained sun-dried tomatoes, toasted nuts, basil leaves, grated Parmesan, garlic clove, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper in a food processor or high-speed blender.

With the processor running, stream in the 3 tablespoons of olive oil until the mixture becomes a coarse, spreadable pesto. Scrape down the sides and taste; adjust salt, pepper, or lemon if needed. If too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon additional olive oil or a teaspoon of water to reach spreading consistency. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

In a small bowl or jar, whisk together balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey/maple syrup until combined.

Slowly whisk in the 2 teaspoons olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity. Set aside.

Turkey & Sandwich Assembly

Prepare the bread: If desired, lightly butter or brush the cut sides of the ciabatta roll with 1 teaspoon butter or olive oil. Toast in a skillet over medium heat or under a broiler until golden and crisp, 1–2 minutes per side. Remove and place cut-side up on a work surface.

Spread a generous layer (about 2–3 tablespoons) of the sun-dried tomato pesto on the bottom half of the toasted roll. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of pesto for the top half if you like.

Layer the roast turkey evenly over the pesto, distributing the 8 ounces across the sandwich. Season the turkey lightly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper for balanced flavor.

Scatter the thinly sliced red onion rings over the turkey, then mound the arugula on top of the onions (about 1 cup). If you want to soften the onion's bite, briefly toss the onion with a pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinaigrette before adding.

Drizzle approximately 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste) of the balsamic vinaigrette over the arugula. This adds acidity and ties the flavors together—avoid over-wetting the bread.

If reserved, spread the remaining pesto on the top half of the roll. Close the sandwich, press lightly to compress, and slice in half if desired.

Serve immediately with the lemon wedge on the side to squeeze over the arugula for brightness, if using.