roasted artichoke and spinach melts

Everything you love about spinach and artichoke dip, combined with everything you love about grilled cheese!

ROASTED ARTICHOKES:

Drain a large can of artichokes. If the artichokes are marinated in oil and spices, leave them plain. If they are packed in saltwater, rinse and toss them in olive oil and Italian seasoning like thyme and oregano. Add a few whole cloves of garlic to add to the dip. Roast at 425 until crispy.

SPINACH-ARTICHOKE DIP:

Add the following to blender: roasted artichoke hearts, one large pack of spinach that you have blanched or steamed or sauteed, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste, a pinch of garlic powder, roasted garlic cloves (or raw minced garlic if you’re daring,) and any combination of creamy things like plain yogurt, mayo, cream cheese, or their vegan substitutions.

ARTICHOKE-SPINACH MELTS:

Butter slices of bread, sprinkle with garlic powder, and toast in your toaster oven. When it’s almost crispy garlic bread, top the slices of bread with spinach-artichoke dip and tons of shredded cheese. You can use any blend of cheeses. (I used just sharp cheddar.) Place on small baking tray and toast in toaster oven, or bake at 425 for maybe 7 min or so.

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roasted artichoke recipe adapted from Anna Stockwell @epi – sandwich recipe adapted from Deb Perelman @Bon Appetit

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Exactly as good as it sounds. Fantastic way to trick yourself into getting some serious greens!

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healthy arugula and sunflower seed vegan sandwich spread

i have been on a sandwich kick lately, since i have been baking bread for the first time in a while.

i tried this recipe from leanjumpstart for a cress and sunflower seed sandwich spread.

the recipe calls for:
a splash of water
about a cup of sunflower seeds
a tablespoon of lemon juice
a “bed” of cress
pepper to taste

mixed in a blender and ready to eat.

my recipe:
i added a cup of sunflower seeds, a splash of water, and a ton of lemon juice. then i added a few handfuls of locally grown arugula, because there was no cress at the co-op.

things it’s been amazing in so far:
– tastes like pesto when added to tomato sauce
– tastes creamy on a sandwich with tomatoes and goat cheese and a little mayo-based sandwich spread (mayo, fresh lemon juice, steak seasoning, roasted garlic, a splash of worcestershire, and horseradish mustard) and it was great
– tastes like sour pine nuts mixed into hummus or used as a dip

on its own, it tastes like sour sunflower butter, so it seems like a great way for vegans and athletes and dieters to get some extra protein and a nice kick of sour flavor.

ideas i had for it?
– sandwich spread with roasted red peppers
– caprese sandwich with tomatoes and basil, or goat cheese
– spread on bread with sharp cheddar for grilled cheese
– scooped onto a salad in clumps, like vegan ricotta, on a salad with nuts and dried fruit
– creamed up and added to coconut vegan yogurt, it would make an unbelievable vegan dipping sauce for spicy vegetables
– as a savory note added to some vegan sauce

if you want the world’s creamiest texture you may need an expensive (or at least effective) blender, but a used cheap blender makes a nice texture, partially crunchy and partially creamy, thicker than thick store-bought hummus, which some might find meaty and fun and others might find annoying and seedy. for a vegan sandwich i think the texture it adds is really interesting. i like it. i like it a lot more than i thought i would, and i have been putting it in everything.

as a meat eater i think it would go great with chicken salad with spinach, green apple, and dill on a sweet whole wheat bread.

thanks to leanjumpstart: simply clean eating habits to get in shape for your recipe “garden cress sunflower seeds spread”

chicken salad with spinach, apple, and dill

breast meat of 1 whole roasted chicken (stuffed with half a lemon, fresh oregano, and a few cloves of garlic), shredded with 2 forks
1 small package organic dill
1 sour green apple, like granny smith
1 pinch crumbled feta (optional)
1 spoonful sliced kalamata olives (optional)
minced raw garlic and/or minced scallions or onions, to taste
washed raw spinach leaves, torn into small pieces

salt to taste

combine all.

add a bit of mayo, then slowly add enough plain (unsweetened!) yogurt to lightly coat, and lemon or apple cider vinegar to taste
if dry, add a splash of vegetable stock or chicken broth.

green curry crab rangoon sandwich

I had extra won ton wrappers left over from making Sichuan pork won tons, so I bought some krab (crab is very expensive out here). My attempt at making crab rangoon was a miserable failure. The won ton wrappers had dried out and developed a weird texture. I was left with half a bag of krab and half a stick of cream cheese. I came up with this sandwich.

It’s a hundred times better than crab rangoon.

It isn’t bland, and it isn’t deep-fried, but it will dissolve your craving for crab rangoon.

You can make small pieces of toast and serve this to guests as an alternative to mayonnaise-y crab dip, & it takes less than five minutes to make.

I’ll definitely make this again.

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a tiny pat of butter
just a little sesame/canola blended oil

get pan fairly hot

add green curry paste and water

toast the bread you like for sandwiches

when curry is incorporated into a sauce (~2 min), add krab, green onion or dried chives, a little fresh ginger, 2 drops of fish sauce, and stir-fry medium heat for four minutes or until the smell changes slightly

smear bread with cream cheese and lay cilantro on it. add whatever greens you like on a sandwich. add crab mixture and eat while hot.

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recipe by siegfried @ fried sig