Grilled Veggies, Pesto & Ricotta Sandwich: Real Convenience Food

One of the things I always suggest to my health coaching clients is that they always make extras when they're grilling veggies. After all, it's not much more work to grill three zucchinis than it is to grill one. And, when you have them on hand, they are great for snacking (as is), drizzling with a balsamic syrup, or simply adding to everything from salads to sauces to soups to...sandwiches! And, that's what I've got for you today.

As with some of my other posts, this isn't a recipe as much as it is an easy, nutritious and tasty idea. I happened to have all the ingredients on hand, which is why I've had this for lunch a couple of times this week. For the record, I'd argue that having good ingredients on hand is a huge part of what makes good eating possible on a regular basis. If you don't have easy-to-assemble, yummy, good foods around, you're much more likely to run out to a fast food joint for a quick meal.

This sandwich is simple, but provides lots of nutritional benefits: calcium and protein from the ricotta; vitamin K, folate, and omega-3s from the chive-wanut pesto I used; and carotenoids, Vitamin C, and manganese from the squash. Squash also offers a significant amount of lutein, which is key for pregnant and breastfeeding moms, as it helps protect babies' eyes and has also been found in infants' brains in the regions associated with memory and learning.

So, without further ado, here's how to build this sandwich: Toast a slice of bread and spread with some ricotta (try my easy, creamy homemade ricotta!) and pesto (use your favorite kind). Now, you could stop here and still have a nice little meal.

Then, top with some chopped, grilled squash; I used a combo of zucchini and yellow squash. (If you have different grilled veggies—maybe peppers and mushrooms—go ahead and use them; whatever you like and have in the fridge is fine to use.) Again, it's perfectly yummy at this point.

But then I topped it with some thin slices of red onion and a bit of shaved parmesan and threw it in the toaster oven on broil, for just a minute or two. The cheese melts, the ricotta gets warm. It all comes together really nicely.

And, yes, I am aware that I've been posting lots of ricotta recipes lately. But, after I realized I'd been blogging for a year and had never included a ricotta recipe, I feel like I've got a lot of catching up to do!

UPDATE: Culture Magazine: The Word On Cheese featured our sandwich on their website!