Yesterday around lunch time, I was hit with the CRAZIEST craving for a grilled cheese sandwich. The problem? Grilled Cheese sandwiches have about as much nutrition as my sock. Especally that American favorite made with white bread and processed american cheese. So I got out my handy dandy skillet and made a way healthier version! It was so easy, I had to share it with you.
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"Grilled Cheese, Etc." Sandwich
Ingredients:
2 Slices of WHOLE GRAIN bread
4 Very thin slices of a strong cheese
1 Serving of Turkey or Chicken
A Whole Ton of Spinach (or other dark green leafy veggie)
Small Pat of Butter
Take 2 Slices of a Whole Grain bread (not Multi-Grain...that is not nearly as healthy) and spread a very little bit of butter on the bottom of each slice. You only really need enough to keep the bread from sticking and to get it to grill. I used maybe 1/2 Tbsp total at the absolute most. Place the bread butter-side-down in the hot pan. Place 2 thin slices of a very strongly flavored cheese on each piece of bread. I use Pepperjack. The key to this whole sandwich is the strong cheese...you can taste it even when you use a very little amount. Also, please excuse my messed up cheese slices...I had a little trouble with the knife.
Add Turkey or Chicken. Follow that with as much spinach as you can fit. Don't like spinach? Choose any dark green leafy veggie like Kale or even Romaine. Just don't use Iceberg Lettuce. That stuff has no nutrients whatsoever.
Carefully place the meat side of the sandwich on the spinach side. Serve with veggies and fruit.
And BAM! Fantastic sandwich in just over 5 minutes.
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Now some of you are probably thinking "Thats not even Grilled Cheese anymore!" Well, it certainly isn't the classic version, thats for sure. But it is a much healthier alternative. Is it the most heathy thing in the world? No. Please don't think I am saying this is so good for you, you should eat it every day. But even the cheese in these small amounts has healthy proteins. The only thing that is honestly not good for you is the butter. All in all, you have given your body something significantly better than Classic Grilled Cheese!
*Side view just for good measure...yummmm....*
Never thought of putting spinach on grilled cheese....sounds yummy! I know this isn't much healthier, but if you want to jazz up the flavor a bit....use garlic butter to baste the outside of the bread slices, in place of plain butter....besides tasting good, garlic is good for you too....or you could use garlic unfused olive oil to baste the bread..even healthier :-)
ReplyDeleteThose are great ideas! Garlic is fantastic for you! I also thought of simply spraying the pan and seeing if that would work, but then forgot to try when I was actually making the sandwich.
ReplyDeletehmmm, you can try it, but I wonder if it will work as well...or be a tasty ...let us know if you try it :-)
ReplyDelete