If you are anything like me, then you know and appreciate just how amazing roasted vegetables can be. The roasting process easily turns vegetables from being “ordinary” to being “extraordinary.” Some of my favorite vegetables to roast include brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, parsnips, radishes, and potatoes. The best and most efficient way to roast vegetables is to roast them in large batches. Roasting vegetables in batches leaves me with multiple side dishes for the week and with delicious vegetables to add to main dishes and salads. Recently, I came up with another quick and easy way to incorporate roasted vegetables into my meals. I added them to two of my other favorite ingredients: toasted bread and cheese!
Roasted Veggie Melt Sandwich
Servings: 1
Ingredients
water, for cooking
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2 an avocado, mashed
assorted roasted vegetables (I used butternut squash, parsnips, sweet potatoes, and broccoli)
olive oil cooking spray
2 pieces 100% whole wheat bread
1 to 2 TB coconut oil
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used Daiya vegan “cheese”)
Directions
1. Line a small skillet with a thin layer of water. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot. Once hot, lower the heat to medium and add garlic and onions. Cook for approximately 6 to 8 minutes, or until softened. Add additional water, as necessary.
2. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add roasted vegetables to the pan and cook for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, or until warm.
3. Heat a griddle pan or small skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray.
4. Spread one side of each piece of bread with coconut oil. Place the coconut oil side of each slice of bread onto the sprayed pan.
5. Top each piece of bread with half of the mashed avocado and half of the vegetable mixture.
6. Sprinkle cheese onto the vegetable mixture.
7. Cook each slice of bread for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted. You can also under-cook the bread slightly and place the pan into the oven and “broil” the sandwich for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese further.
The Daiya vegan “cheese” does not melt quite as well as dairy cheese, but trust me when I say that it still tastes very good!
You can serve the Roasted Veggie Melt Sandwich in the more “traditional” sandwich form…
…or serve it open-faced, as I did. I also served my sandwich with a side of cooked mixed vegetables.
Seriously, how easy is this sandwich to make? Oh, and did I mention how delicious it is? There is really no excuse to not be able to use up all of those leftover roasted vegetables that are hanging out in your fridge!
A Blogcation
And now, to announce my plans for the coming week. As many of you fellow food bloggers know, blogging can really act like a part-time job. Meal planning is time-consuming, grocery shopping is time-consuming, cooking takes up a hefty chunk of my week nights, picture-taking has become a pre-dinner requirement, and writing blog posts and comments take planning, creativity, and of course…time! Now do not get me wrong, I absolutely love blogging, commenting, and participating in the health and food blogging “world.” However, I have begun to notice that my time spent away from my computer is often limited (I am also on my computer for much of the day at work). As a result, I am dedicating the following week as a sort of “blogcation,” or a vacation away from blogging. I will not be writing and posting blog posts on my blog, and my comments on my blog and other blogs will be limited. It is my goal for this week to get in more “me time,” to be off of my computer by 8:30 p.m. each night, and to just get a breather from the realm of technology. I recognize that I need some personal “me time” and a break from my computer. I hope to return next week feeling rejuvenated and with my creativity level renewed :).
So while you likely will not hear a whole lot from me in the coming week, I will at least leave you with a few recipes to look forward to in the coming weeks, including:
Pea and Carrot Rice Soup
Kung Pao Tofu and Veggies over Brown Rice
Thai Chickpea Cabbage
