Green Grilled Cheese Sandwich - Spinach, Avocado, and Gouda Goodness

When I was in my first trimester, one of the few foods that actually appealed to me was a grilled cheese sandwich. I had one practically every day; I guess the carb-y, salty, protein-filled meal just hit the spot in those early, queasy days. I made my sandwiches with the best quality ingredients—organic cheese, sprouted bread, extra virgin olive oil—but I knew they weren't ideal meals. 

Grilled cheeses are still just a once-in-a-while treat for me. This green version features spinach and avocado. It is bright and decadent; you probably shouldn't eat it all the time, but when you do, you can feel pretty good about it! 

A word about the bread I used: I got mine from a fabulous bakery called Bread Alone that has a stall at our farmer's market. My loaf was an organic "peasant bread," which is a wide, rustic bread that is chewy and delicious; I sometimes see it sold as "Tuscan bread." If you're using regular sandwich bread, you could probably use four slices and make two separate sandwiches. 

Ingredients
yield: 2 servings

• 2 slices peasant bread 
• about 1 1/2 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
• 1/4 avocado
• about 3 oz smoked gouda (extra sharp cheddar would work well, too)
• extra virgin olive or coconut oil for grilling
• salt, to taste
• Tabasco or other hot sauce, to taste (optional)

Beautiful, verdant spinach brightens up any sandwich.

Y'all know that I worship the avocado, right?

Pack the spinach into a small food processor and chop. Add the avocado and process a bit more. Spinach and avocado are both nutritional powerhouses; they are especially good sources of folate, which is crucial during pregnancy to prevent birth defects.

It should turn into a nice paste.

I roughly chopped the gouda, then threw it in the processor and pulsed a few more times, until the pieces of cheese are small and dispersed throughout. If you'd prefer to shred it, just fold the shredded cheese into the avocado-spinach paste. This is a good time to sample a bit of the mixture and add salt and/or hot sauce, to taste.

Spread evenly over the slices of bread. At this point, you could certainly throw these under the broiler and you'd have two fabulous, open-faced sandwiches.

But the draw of a grilled cheese is too strong for me. So I closed up that bread, brushed some oil on the outside, and grilled it for a couple of minutes on each side over medium-high heat. The bread should be golden and crispy; the cheese should be ooey and gooey.

Warning: it is so ooey and gooey that—when you take a bite—some of the filling may squish out of the other side. Keep a napkin handy, my friends.

 I took a ridiculous amount of pictures of this darn sandwich. Food porn!

And, yes, I did say earlier that this yields two servings. Seriously, it is a rich and filling sandwich and you will feel good if you split it with someone and have a little soup or salad on the side. If you can't help yourself and you end up feeling overstuffed, don't come crying to me, missy!

UPDATE: Ann of Sumptuous Spoonfuls (who has guested posted for us) featured her version of this recipe with a lovely review!

UPDATE: Our sandwich has been featured on She Knows in celebration of National Sandwich Month!