When I was a kid, I loved grilled cheese with a crusty outside and soft melted cheese inside. I've probably eaten hundreds of grilled cheeses in my lifetime and now that I'm a healthy chef, I haven't stopped enjoying them; I just make them smarter. So you can still savor a grown-up version, keeping the gooey melted cheese, but with some add-ins to make it healthier and more flavorful. A Crust Above the Rest
I love to use thinly sliced whole grain breads like pumpernickel, rye and wheat. Not only do they taste great when they crisp up, but whole grains have a host of health benefits including fiber and minerals. Use cooking spray and a teaspoon of olive oil to lower saturated fat, but keep that delicious crusty texture that makes grilled cheese so heavenly.
Get more delicious grilled cheese tips from Jennifer after the jump.
Protein Boost
Cheese has protein, but it's also very high in fat. Reduce some of the cheese and pack in more protein by adding a savory slice of low-sodium ham, baked turkey breast, or prosciutto, trimmed of fat.
Add Antioxidants
Antioxidants are all the rage in the health world these days, but really it's just a fancy word for vitamins and minerals that help your body ward off and repair cell damage. Spinach is loaded with them and baby spinach easily cooks inside the sandwich as the cheese melts.
Add Tang or Heat
Coat one slice of the bread with one tablespoon of honey mustard, sweet pickle relish, a sliced jalapeno or sliced sweet peppadew peppers or jarred tomato salsa. For the serious hot head, try one tablespoon of thick hot sauce like Sriracha or chopped kimchi.
Comfort with a Twist
Grilled cheese is the king of comfort food, but sometimes it's fun to freshen up the flavor. Try these combos for something new.
- Cordon Bleu Grilled Cheese: Two slices of whole wheat bread, one slice of Swiss cheese, ham, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Italian Grilled Chees: Two slices of whole wheat ciabatta, 2 tablespoons of pasta sauce, mozzarella, four large fresh basil leaves
- BLT Grilled Cheese: Two slices of marble rye, two slices of cooked turkey bacon, tomato and 1/4 cup torn arugula leaves
Learn more about Jennifer at skinnychef.com, and read her exclusive Slashfood blogs every Monday and Friday.
6-15-2009 @1:18PM Yummy said... Best Grilled Cheese...
2 slices of bread, each broiled with cheese, bacon (cooked) and tomato slices (seeded) until brown. Then close sandwich and finish normal grilling in a frying pan (after covering outsides of bread with butter to brown).
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6-15-2009 @1:39PM ESC said... cheddar cheese and thinly sliced granny smith apples! mmmmm!
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6-15-2009 @1:45PM Dean said... Grilled cheese should be grilled cheese. Adding other ingredients may produce something tasty, but not a "grilled cheese." A true grilled cheese joins the pantheon of sandwich purity that includes the BLT, Reuben, and that almighty of almighty, holy of holy sandwiches, the PB&J (say hallelujah!).
A true grilled cheese consists of good quality white bread, high quality yellow cheese, and butter.
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6-15-2009 @1:59PM Amanda said... I like brie, turkey, and Granny Smith apples!
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6-15-2009 @4:18PM Rt said... Dean, brudda, I'm with ya. Still, I like to use rye bread on occasion for variety.
The original grilled sandwich was born out of necessity (read that poverty). Panini means "small bread" in Italian but now has become associated with a toasted sandwich.
Grilled (which seems to be a misnomer), as opposed to griddled, sandwiches are numerous - but Dean and I remember what a "grilled cheese sandwich" is (you could buy them in a diner that looked like today's RV - ten people would be a crowd).
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6-15-2009 @10:47PM Howard said... Caramelized Onion, Apple, Walnut Grilled Cheese
http://beyondsalmon.blogspot.com/2008/06/caramelized-onion-apple-walnut-grilled.html
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6-19-2009 @12:12AM Rileysmom said... Grilled cheese with peanut butter.
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9-06-2009 @6:30PM skaht said... The best grilled cheese I have had was with chunks of delicious tuna at the Melt in Lakewood Ohio. GC is pretty much all they make.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/skaht/3511161645/
http://meltbarandgrilled.com/
Hope this isn't considered spam!
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9-07-2009 @12:23AM totoro said... i love grilled cheese right now, with all the fresh tomatoes in season..
thin white bread, thin layer of cream cheese, a nice gooey cheese like cheddar or jack, thin sliced tomatoes, and lots of butter.
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9-07-2009 @9:17PM smetter said... Fast grilled cheese really isn't grilled at all. Take pita pocket bread and sliced cheese, I like aged cheddar, and pop it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
You can add apples or onions or whatever. It's fast and great. I've run out of the house with one of these for breakfast.
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9-08-2009 @4:47PM nora said... Best grilled cheese:
Butter both sides of bread, grill one side, flip over and put a slice of American cheese with a smidgen of miracle whip, lots of horseradish, and a pile of shredded mozzarella (and maybe a slice of ham) on one of the slices of bread in the skillet. Cover with the lid, then assemble when mozzarella starts to melt. Delish!
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9-09-2009 @3:41AM Roger said... Dark Rye and Velveeta
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