Typically sandwiches are a lunch time thing, it’s not often that I have them on our dinner menu. However, a Panini feels a bit more fancy and exciting making it worthy of dinner time! My family is big on meat in our diet, it’s part of at least two of our meals daily. Recently we’ve decided to go meatless at least once a week. This is not a problem for me because I’m all about the veggies! My husband on the other hand took some convincing. I knew if I was going to get him to skip the meat for his main course, I’d have to replace it with something filling and delicious! This veggie panini is perfect for that, it’s packed with protein, fiber and flavor and doesn’t have him asking where’s the meat?
I absolutely love zucchini and eat it every which way…spiralized, sautéed, over pasta…you name it! For this panini I went with grilled zucchini, roasted red pepper, baby spinach and hearty artichokes! Lately we’ve been on an Ezekiel bread kick, it’s a great way to get your whole grains in, however feel free to sub in your favorite bread! Rather than using a dressing I opted for avocado not only is it delicious but it’s also a good fat. Of course a true panini must have some sort of cheese oozing out the sides of the crispy grilled bread. I chose mozzarella, it goes great with zucchini and roasted red pepper.
The best part about this sandwich is you don’t need to invest in a panini maker! I use my nonstick grill pan and a small lid to get those beautiful grill marks and perfectly melted cheese.
Tips & Suggestions:
- If you want to make it even easier grill the zucchini ahead of time, this way all you need to do is assemble. Just pat the zucchini dry before grilling to reduce moisture. It will keep well up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- If you like a little kick add some sriracha or whatever hot sauce you prefer!
This veggie panini is a great way to get your plant based protein! It's full of flavor, fiber and will keep you satisfied!
Ingredients
- 8 slices Ezekiel bread
- 3 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise with a mandoline on thinnest setting.
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (plus more for pan)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ½ an avocado
- 1-12 ounce jar roasted red peppers. Drained, patted dry and cut into 1/4" thin slices.
- 1 ⅓ cups baby spinach (about 35 grams)
- 4 ounces jarred and marinated artichoke hearts, roughly sliced.
- 4 slices low moisture part skim mozzarella cheese
- Sriracha to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Grill Zucchini: Heat a nonstick grill pan on medium, meanwhile pour 2 teaspoons of olive oil into a small dish. Brush the grill pan with the olive oil and set first batch of zucchini on pan, brush the tops with oil and season with salt pepper to taste, then flip. Grill each side for about 30-45 seconds. Once complete remove the zucchini from the heat, divide into 4 equal servings and set aside. NOTE: You can prep the zucchini ahead of time, just pat dry before grilling to reduce moisture.
- Assemble: Heat the same grill pan (no need to clean) on high and spray with a bit of olive oil or nonstick spray. When the pan is hot put one slice of bread down. Using a fork evenly smash ⅛ of an avocado onto the bread. Turn the heat to medium and add zucchini. Then add ⅓ cup spinach, 1/2 of a roasted red pepper, 1 ounce of artichokes and 1 slice of mozzarella cheese. Top the sandwich with the other slice of bread then remove it from the pan and set aside. Spray the pan with more oil, then flip the sandwich raw side down. Using a small pan lid or spatula press down on the sandwich and let it heat for about 1 min and 30 seconds until cheese is melted. Repeat the above for the remaining 3 sandwiches.
Nutrition: Yield: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 421 Total Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 737mg, Total Carbohydrate: 57g, Fiber: 17g, Sugars: 8g, Protein: 21g
