Weekly Recipe: Fancy Grilled Cheese

Fancy Grilled Cheese

By Rachel Jambois, RD LD, OAM Nutrition Specialist

Is there anything better than a grilled cheese and tomato soup? One of my favorite comfort foods has to be this classic combination of creamy tomato soup and a hearty grilled cheese. This pairing is a great quick dinner or lunch that can be prepared in less than 10 minutes, but the traditional version tends to be fairly processed. This rendition of a “fancy grilled cheese” is a very simple and delicious way to elevate this class dish with a healthy twist.

This recipe is prepared by using whole grain bread, which adds 8 grams of fiber, but can also be made with any type of bread, such as sourdough. The whole milk mozzarella adds a creamy mouth feel and provides a good source of calcium, while the tomato and fresh basil bring a bright, healthy freshness to the dish. A different component to this grilled cheese is that instead of butter on the outsides of the bread, low-fat mayonnaise made with olive oil is used. The mayo adds a savory, mouth-watering flavor that isn’t difficult to spread like butter can be when making a grilled cheese. Trust me, it’s a game changer! Enjoy this Fancy Grilled Cheese with the Fresh Tomato Basil Soup recipe from last week, both made with fresh tomatoes from Open Arms CSA Program!

Fancy Grilled Cheese

Makes 1 sandwich

Recipe by Rachel Jambois, RD LD

Ingredients

• 2 slices of 100% whole grain bread
• 2 slices of whole milk mozzarella cheese
• 2-3 slices of fresh tomato
• 1 Tablespoon of fresh basil, chopped
• 1 Tablespoons of low-fat mayonnaise made with olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Spread the low-fat mayo made with olive oil on both outsides of the bread slices. Build your sandwich by adding layers of cheese, tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper.
2. Over medium heat, toast the sandwich on each side for 3-5 minutes until the cheese has melted and the bread becomes warm and toasty. Slice in half and enjoy!

Nutrition Info
For 1 Serving: 470 calories, 22 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 690 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrates (0 g added sugars), 9 g fiber, 13 g protein.