I am officially declaring the sweet and savory combination the best thing ever. Hearing about my love for sweet and savory foods is nothing new. You’ve heard it over and over again, and are probably getting tired of it ;). But…I am not getting tired of creating and eating sweet and savory foods, so hopefully you can bear with me and embrace the recipes. And hopefully, some of you are just as excited (or more!) about new sweet and savory recipes as I am.
So when you first read the title of this post, you may have thought…”hmm, that sounds a bit weird.” But I have come to find that most sweet and savory combinations do sound strange. However, usually the stranger they sound, the better they taste! That is so very true of this grilled cheese sandwich. This is one grilled cheese you can savor, LOVE, and feel great about eating.
Sweet and Savory Cabbage and Jam Grilled Cheese (Vegan)
Servings: Makes 1 sandwich
Ingredients
roasted green cabbage (I used some that I had leftover in the refrigerator)
1/4 yellow onion, sliced
olive oil cooking spray
fine sea salt
black pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
2 pieces sprouted bread (I used Ezekiel flax bread)
2 TB coconut oil
2 slices Daiya vegan cheddar “cheese”*
2 TB blackberry jam (or whatever flavor you prefer)
*This was the first time that I tried cooking with the Daiya sliced “cheese,” and it was so good!
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Slice your onion, place it on the baking sheet, spray it with cooking spray, and sprinkle with seasonings. Roast the onions for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip the onions halfway through the roasting process.
2. Heat a griddle over medium heat. Spray with olive oil cooking spray.
3. Spread one side of each piece of bread with coconut oil.
4. Place one piece of bread (coconut oil side down) onto the griddle. Compile the sandwich in the following order: 1 slice of cheese, cabbage slices, onions, 1 slice of cheese, blackberry jam, and the second piece of bread (coconut oil side up).
5. Turn the heat down to medium low. Place a pan lid over the sandwich to help the “cheese” melt. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until the bottom piece of bread is golden brown.
6. Flip the sandwich over, cover with the lid, and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
At first, I was a little uncertain about how the Daiya vegan cheese slices would perform. I really enjoy the taste of the shredded cheese, but it does not melt very well. But…
…that obviously was not the case here. The “cheese” melted beautifully (I think placing the lid over the sandwich and cooking it slowing definitely helped) and tasted fantastic! I am so excited to have found sliced “cheese” that is plant-based!
I served my Sweet and Savory Cabbage and Jam Grilled Cheese with some delicious turnip french fries. This was seriously the perfect meal.
And it is the perfect meal to enjoy outside on a Summer afternoon or evening. But trust me, this is one sandwich that I will not just be eating during the Summertime. This is a year-round keeper.