Growing up in the brutal Chicago winters, often times coming home looking like Dr. Zhivago on bad day (photo right, LOL), I never thought until I got to Oregon and Washington State, that grass and trees can still show their greenery in the dead of winter. It totally suits me 🙂
So, I invented a new recipe that I borrowed from another blogger {chuckle, chuckle}, and I am dubbing it the "Winter Green" Grilled Cheese Sandwich. And a note at the bottom on why I don't sweat occasional [quality] grains and cheese.
"Winter Green" Grilled Cheese Sandwich
(Celebrating the "Winter Greenery" I see over Oregon and Washington State)
* 2 slices bread (right now my fav is Sami's Bakery Millet and Flax Bread)
* 2-3 tablespoons Winter Green Herb Pesto (recipe below)
* 2 slices mild white melty grass fed cheese
* handful fresh organic baby spinach
* ¼ organic avocado, sliced
* 2 tablespoons grass fed goat cheese, crumbled
* Organic Virgin olive oil (and grass fed butter, if you’re so inclined)
"Winter Green" Herb Pesto
* 1 clove organic garlic
* 1 (or 2 if you’re ballsy) anchovy filet (in oil), from the original recipe but I prefer to omit it
* ½ small organic shallot, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
* 1 teaspoon organic lemon juice
* handful chopped organic fresh Italian parsley
* handful chopped organic kale (I prefer mine lightly steamed since raw kale doesn't digest well with me)
* 2-3 tablespoons chopped organic fresh tarragon
* 1 tablespoon chopped organic chives
* ¼ cup organic olive oil
* Pink Himalayan Salt
* Coarse Organic Ground Black Pepper
Directions
Pulse garlic, [optional] anchovy, and shallot in food processor until chopped. With the food processor running, add lemon juice, parsley, kale, tarragon and chives. (It won’t process very well yet, don’t worry).
Very slowly drizzle in olive oil until kale and herbs get sufficiently chopped and everything is the consistency of a pesto. You may need more or less of the olive oil depending on how big a “handful” of herbs is to you. You can also turn off the food processor and push herbs down the side of the bowl with a spatula every once in a while.
Season to taste with salt and pepper (You probably won’t need too much salt if you used 2 anchovies).
Spread about 1 tablespoon of Winter Green Herb Pesto onto each slice of bread (2 tablespoons total, but if you’re sensitive, go light, the pesto is STRONG).
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan over medium low heat. (If you want to use butter, add it to the oil and let it melt). Add the sandwich to the oil and cook until bread is golden brown. Press down on the sandwich lightly, then flip the sandwich over and cook until second side is golden brown.
Why I don't sweat occasional grains and cheese………
I think the quality versions of the above mentioned are totally processible by the body, (such as in grass fed cheese, and cancer fighting millet grain in breads), plus I use chlorella to pull toxins from the body, as well as other detoxifiers and healers such as reishi, and recently, I have been using papaya enzymes (I make my own capsules), to digest gluten and animal protein, allowing me to enjoy occasional grains, cheese and meats.
…..just a little "Food For Thought" 🙂
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You know how I do it on my blog by now, any excuse to post one of my favorite songs.
Just a cool track called "Color Green" by the South African artist Jonathan Butler. Just loving these 45 degree "no snow" winters in the Great Northwest.
Take a listen if you feel like it, if not thanks for stopping by.
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~stay healthy~
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