Adulting. That bittersweet word of inexplorable truth that sometimes makes us excited and scared at the same time – but we do it anyway. I was browsing through my blog archive when I realized how my food preferences have matured significantly for the past years. Before, I will eat anything I fancy with reckless abandon. These days, I can’t even finish a scoop of ice cream in fear that I might get the nasty diabetes everybody hates. Yep, hello adulting.
Before, I deemed it was blasphemy to serve bacon with anything green. These days, the ratio of bacon to veggies on my plate is 1 to 3. Before, I would enjoy a greasy grilled cheese sandwich straight up. These days, I would sneak in something healthy, like spinach.
Welcome to my world of adulting. Try this recipe for Spinach and Grilled Cheese Sandwich, you will love it – both the sandwich and the adulting.
There are people who are damn straight purist when it comes to Grilled Cheese Sandwich they should probably have their own religion. I should know, I was one of them. Bread, butter, and cheese. Nothing else. Then I grew up. I finally understood the meaning of the old adage, health is wealth. So, whenever there’s a chance to make things healthier, even if it is just a teeny weeny bit of difference, I grab the chance.
Ergo, this recipe.
Making this Spinach and Grilled Cheese Sandwich is very fast and easy, flexible even, provided that you do not have problem veering away from the classic. Ingredients are very minimal, so again, like what I have been mentioning in my recipe posts here on the blog, it is highly recommended to use the best quality ingredients you can get your hands on.
I am all about multigrain bread these days so, that's what I used for this recipe. On an equally good day, I would also use Italian ciabatta or even French boule - basically those variants that's sturdy enough to handle a cheesy filling and wouldn't turn soggy when grilled with butter.
I normally use a combination of sharp cheddar and provolone cheese but I got myself acquainted with the amazing Organic Smokehouse Jack Cheese recently when kindly people from California Cheese Board sent some of their cheese products to try. The cheese surprisingly taste like ham and it melts beautifully upon grilling.
The organic spinach I used I got from Organic Veggie Mommies, an online marketplace for fresh and the best organic produce you can get here in Manila. I cannot stress enough the importance of eating organic produce which are devoid of the usual pesticides and chemicals most regular produce has. I have blogged about them here, and I highly recommend for you to check them out and try their organic products.
So to start, you just have to sauté the spinach in vegetable oil and season it with salt and pepper. Some days I add some Italian seasoning but even without it, it will still yield a delicious mix that can make your grilled cheese a bit more healthy and exciting.
Be wary of the quantity of spinach that you will use because its volume will significantly decreased when wilted. So, feel free to use more than what was indicated in this recipe especially if your love for spinach can put Popeye to shame.
Once you have your spinach sautéd and your cheese sliced, it is time to assemble the sandwich. This is totally optional but I love spreading a bit of butter on my bread before placing two slices of cheese. Depending on the thickness and the size of your cheese, you may settle for one slice per layer or you may opt for two. I'd say thou shall not scrimp.
Add a spoonful or more of the sautéd spinach on top of the cheese slices then add more slices of cheese before covering with another piece of bread. You can be as modest as you want with your filling. But when in the mood to be a bit indulgent, feel free be as generous as possible.
On a day when I want to stuff myself silly with calorie bomb of a grilled cheese sandwich, I would spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the outer face of the bread before grilling it. But that extra step will defeat the purpose of making this sandwich a bit healthy so let's skip that, shall we? Rest assured you will still end up with a beautiful crust that holds a gooey cheesy sandwich together.
As with any grilled cheese sandwich, this one goes perfectly well with a bowl of tomato soup. But even without an accompaniment, it can still easily fill you up because of the added spinach in the mix.
How To Make Spinach Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Recipe by YedyLicious.com
This Grilled Cheese and Spinach Sandwich is a healthy delicious twist to the classic comfort food sandwich we all love. It's very easy to make so you can whip this up and you'll have a delicious healthy snack in no time.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
- A bunch of Organic Spinach
- 4 slices of Multigrain Bread
- 8 slices of Cheese (any good quality that melts easily)
- 4 Tbsp. of Vegetable oil
- A pinch of Salt
- A pinch of Pepper
Cooking Directions:
- Prepare the spinach: In a hot pan, sauté spinach in vegetable oil until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Assemble the sandwich: Place two slices of cheese on a piece of bread that's been slathered with butter. Put in sautéd spinach then add another two slices of cheese. Cover with another piece of bread.
- Grill the sandwich: Melt a tablespoon of butter In a skillet over medium heat, add the sandwiches and grill until golden brown and until the cheese melted, approximately 2 to 4 minutes in each side. Add butter if necessary.
- Serve while still warm.
As mentioned, this Spinach Grilled Cheese Sandwich is very fast and easy to make. It is also a good way to give your classic favorite a healthy twist. I have tried this recipe and substitute spinach with other leafy greens and I find kale a good alternative as well.
I believe that there is nothing wrong with indulging on our favorite food from time to time no matter how sinful those are. However, if we can make it a bit healthier, we shouldn't dodge the chance either. After all, that is what responsible adulting is all about, right?
If just like me, you also love grilled cheese sandwich, I suggest that you try this one out. Very easy to make and the ingredients are easy to come by there are probably some already lying in your pantries. And if ever you make this recipe, I would be very happy to see it when you upload some photos on social media. Feel free to tag me @yedylicious on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Also, pin this recipe for later.
