Did you guys know April is National Grilled Cheese Month? I have been taking full advantage, while still trying to keep things relatively healthy.
Relative to what, I don’t know. I’m pretty sure italicizing it blurrs that line even more.
This is one of my new favorite sandwiches. I have had three this week. I am confident in saying it’s healthy – I stack it full of vegetables and use a fantastic sunflower seed bread. I feel great after eating this, and it tastes amazing.
Each sandwich has one half an avocado, one half of a red bell pepper, and one large roma tomato. Toasting the bread gives it that crunch I like, as does the iceberg.
This is a fresh and flavorful alternative to the sometimes heavy grilled cheese – crisp and cool while also warm and comforting. A perfect pairing in my opinion.
garden fresh grilled cheese
dairy and gluten free, vegan
serves one
2 slices gluten free bread
2-3 slices non dairy cheese (Daiya)
1-2 tablespoons homemade thousand island dressing
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1/2 avocado, sliced thin
1 large roma tomato, sliced
2-3 leaves iceberg lettuce
Toast bread, place on baking sheet (preheat oven to 350). Spread one slice with 1 tablespoon thousand island dressing, arrange cheese on the other slice. Arrange bell pepper slices on one bread, tomato slices on the other. Warm in oven for 7-9 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove from oven, drizzle another tablespoon of thousand island (optional) onto the melted cheese. Top with avocado slices and lettuce, finishing with the other slice of bread. Enjoy!
Please, make one of these this weekend.
Celebrating the wonder that is grilled cheese:
jalapeno popper grilled cheese
chipotle, pineapple and brie sandwich
Have a great weekend!
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I can’t have anything with soy, so your vegan cheese is out. However, a sandwich I make a couple of times a week has a whole smashed avocado and a generous amount of nutritional yeast or hummus added before grilling which makes it seems cheesy. How can you go wrong with that?
Beautiful color in your photos, by the way, as usual!
FYI – Daiya is actually soy free.
wow, Rebekah, thank you… honestly, I did not know this either? I don’t really buy Daiya much (the pepper jack is good, though…), but now I am curious, what are the main ingredients?
According to their website – “Daiya products are free of dairy (casein, whey and lactose), soy, gluten, eggs, rice, peanuts and tree nuts (except coconut oil). We have our own production facility which eliminates the chance of cross-contamination with other pesky allergens, making our products 100% vegan.” Here is their ingredient list – Filtered water, tapioca and /or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, inactive yeast, vegan natural flavors, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (for flavor), annatto, titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral).
I think I’ll take one of each, even the one with avocados! I’m hungry LOL
I love how you use jalapenos. YOu know the way to my heart. How are you? how’s dad. xxoo
OMG! I LOVE your combination with avocado!!! I am def going to have to make this this week, ya know, before the month is over!
Omg that looks so good! I just got back from an avocado farm tour!
bookmarking this one for my little ones! Need to mix up the boring grilled cheese they eat every.single.day.
Holy Craving Inspiring Post Batman! You were eating gluten-free for awhile, any gluten free breads you loved?
I do dairy, so my grilled and toasted cheese sandwiches have actual cheese–but under the cheese glue they also have massive stacks of vegetable just like that! I’m jealous of your beautiful avocado–all the ones at our store are entirely black and bruised right now.
Holy moly, woman … I think you may need to open a “all grilled cheese, all the time” restaurant. Seriously. I just happened to pick up three avocados today. Coincidence? I think not.
xo,
Shirley
Ok.. I’m headed to the jalapeno popper post so I can pin that shit ASAP!
Oh. Um. Yeah!
It’s amazing how something so simple can be so beautiful!
Grilled cheese might be my favorite food—I love to jazz it up–thanks for the ideas
Im drooling! 😊
The jalapeno popper sandwich looks AMAZING! So simple, yet so beautiful and (I’m sure) tasty! Grilled cheese with tomato soup is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods and you’ve given me tons of inspiration for mixing up my classic grilled cheese.
Fantastic recipes and pics! (I believe grilled cheese to be the Greatest of all Sandwiches.)
OMG you’re killing me!! I am such a sucker for grilled cheese – let alone grilled cheese with avocado and other yummies inside! YUM!! Beam me up one, please?
That looks fantastic! In fact they all do…now I need a grilled cheese
Ohh, it takes so little to get me excited about grilled cheese–and this post isn’t even a little, it’s a whole lot! I have got to try avocado in my next grilled cheese. I even have a carton of tomato soup on hand, which I see as a necessary accompaniment for any GC sandwich, regardless of season. Or maybe I’ll just see if I can track down my city’s grilled cheese food truck (which has a vegan option!).
You always make me hungry when I read your blog – these look amazing!!
Mmm, I love a good grilled cheese. Especially on a cold, rainy day, which is what we have here in NY today! Anyway, I haven’t tried the grilled cheese w/ avocado thing yet but it looks delicious. You think I can celebrate National Grilled Cheese Month the month after?
nothing beats a good grilled cheese! one food that we loved growing up! need to start making them again
love your versions of them! YUM
Uuuuuuiiiiii, faaaaaancy sandwiches!
I’ve been craving like crazy grilled cheese sandwiches this month. I don’t know which one is better. I’m pretty sure my tummy would love one of each. MMM
oh, Roxanna, you should try the veggie cheese, OH MY it is so good! then try the jalapeno popper… then the…
In my (non) expert oppinion, the veggies and avocado totally cancel out any calories and saturated fat in the cheese.
This looks tremendous!
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