Grilled cheese w/ avocado, spinach and pesto
It seems like there is a day for everything in the U.S., and today is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich day! Seeing as how I already posted my favorite grilled cheese a little while ago, I had to come up with a new one. And since you guys are all crazy about avocados…
Opening an avocado and seeing THIS stare back at you can turn a bad day into the best – like the rainbow after the storm. Yesterday I told you about just some of the many reasons avocados are good for you. I think there are just as many ways, if not more, that people have for selecting the best avocado:
- The lookers and squeezers will take a dark, but not too dark avocado, apply a bit of pressure to the outside see how hard it is. It shouldn’t be hard, but it shouldn’t be too soft either.
- More precise squeezers will only press on the the top part of the avocado – if it gives way to some gentle pressure, they’re good to go.
- The stem removers, pull away the small “cap” at the top of the avocado. If it comes away easily and if it’s the right color green underneath, you’re avocado is ripe and ready to eat.
I do a bit of squeezing, but the cap removal technique is what always works for me – as you can see here!
I’m not sure if it’s because Spring is in the air and I’ve been outside more lately, but it’s pretty clear that I’ve been feeling green! Almost everything in these grilled cheese sandwiches is green! First the avocado, then some baby spinach and some dairy-free vegan pesto! Green, green, green! I fried these in olive oil (green) and even the plant-based margarine I chose this time has olive oil in it (green again!)
There’s not a whole lot more to say actually! Depending on much stuff you stuff between the two pieces of bread, flipping, cutting, and eating them could get just a little messy. But trust me, half the contents of every single mile-high packed sandwich that you’ve seen in 100 gorgeous food photos always ends up on your fingers, chin, shirt… Haha, no, but really, these aren’t that bad – in fact, they’re amazingly good. So no matter where you are, I think it’s time to celebrate today with a grilled cheese sandwich full of avocado, spinach and pesto!
Ingredients
- 4 slices of bread
- 1 avocado, halved and then sliced
- 1 cup (2.4 dl) baby spinach - chopped
- vegan cheese - any kind that melts well
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) - dairy-free pesto
- plant-based margarine
- salt/pepper
- olive oil
Instructions
- Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan.
- Spread some plant-based margarine one side, of all four slices of bread, and place 2 slices, margarine side down in the frying pan.
- Working quickly, on each slice of bread: spread 1 Tbsp (15 ml) pesto, followed by a slice of cheese, ½ the sliced avocado, ½ the chopped spinach, salt/pepper, and more cheese. Finally place the remaining slices of bread, butter side up, on top.
- Cover the pan (so cheese will melt) and cook about 3-5 minutes – you want the bread to brown, but not burn. Flip the sandwiches and repeat. Yes your filled sandwich can get a little messy, but that's just part of the fun!
- Cut each finished grilled cheese sandwich diagonally, or "kitty corner" as I used to say :)
EightOneFivr April 23, 2016 (9:23 pm)
Definitely giving this a try ASAP. what kind of cheese did you use? Typically use the Daiya cheddar shred/slices for grilled cheeses but not sure if that would overpower the rest of the ingredients in this one?
Also, for the garlic infusion, try pressing some garlic into the margerine and mixing it in before you spread it. Helps take away some of the rawness bite but leaves the flavour, works great.
Chris April 23, 2016 (11:04 pm)
I live in Sweden and used a melting, vegan cheese, that is only available here. However, if I understand correctly, it is exactly the same as a Violife pizza cheese. From what I’ve heard and tasted myself, a melting Daiya cheese would work well. If you make it, please let me know what cheese you chose, and how it turned out! And thanks for writing! 🙂
Hanna April 24, 2016 (10:35 am)
Amazing man, I have not dared to get to know the vegan cheese yet, I heard that you can use nutritional yeast, not sure if that gives a “mushy” consistency like cheese, but together with some avocado it could give some flavor 🙂 (sharing some knowledge)
Perfect and wonderful recipes man. Love em all! Keep sharing this beauty!
Chris April 24, 2016 (11:14 am)
Hi Hanna, and thanks! I love nutritional yeast, but think of it more as “Parmesan” that I sprinkle on top of foods. Vegan cheese has come a looooong way! My favorite melting cheese is Astrid & Apornas, Perfekt Pizza. It gets so nice and gooey 🙂 They make all kinds of other good stuff too!
Mary Lynne Ashley May 22, 2017 (5:14 pm)
Where does one find non-dairy pesto? I don’t think I’ve seen it before.
Chris October 23, 2017 (7:10 am)
Hi there, I’m lucky enough to have a couple of all-vegan supermarkets near me. However, I have often found non-dairy pesto at places like Lidl. The brands there are “accidentally vegan” and my guess is that the manufacturers are just trying to save money and leave the milk out – so always read the ingredients! Sometimes helath food stores or places like Whole Foods often care special brands. Good luck!