Meatless Mondays

http://www.meatlessmonday.com/

I'm a bit behind the 8-ball on this trend of going meatless on Mondays but honestly, I end up going meatless at least a day or two a week anyway.  It's just in the nature of my personal eating habits.  I love a really great steak or burger, meat and potato meals are comfort food for me, but I also really love vegetables and beans (and cheese and yogurt... I admire vegans, and even own two vegan cookbooks, but I don't see that happening as a lifestyle for me right now).  Fresh in a salad, sandwich or wrap, pureed for hummus or a burrito, roasted or grilled (which makes even brussel sprouts taste amazing... seriously), our meat-free foods really deserve center stage more often than not.

So on the second day of 2012, I'm officially declaring that I will be going meatless on Mondays.  This isn't a big deal, it's not a resolution.  There's something about that word resolution that sets off instant rebellion in me.  My personality is a bit tricky that way... a suggestion, an idea that actually fits what I would do normally (just in a more innovative way), a realistic goal I can wedge into the always unpredictable reality of raising two children (without benefit of childcare for my part-time job or a maid of any sort) are perfectly doable. But if I, or anyone else, start saying I have to resolve to be better, it implies I'm failing in the first place somehow.  I know I can always do better.  I try to wake up every morning with that attitude.  There's enough judgement in the world... so resolutions?  Eh, I can leave 'em.

So really, Meatless Mondays are just an excuse to find a few more veggie-centered recipes for me to add to my kitchen rotation.  Today, I'm starting with a simple one, because I got a new Cuisinart "Griddler" (electric grill, griddle, panini machine) for Christmas that I'm dying to start using.  Additionally, I've been dreaming about re-creating the best grilled cheese I've ever eaten (from Melt Bar and Grilled in Cleveland, Ohio called "The Spinach Pi"e.  It's a heavenly combo of garlic kissed spinach, roasted red peppers, and feta cheese, all grilled together on some amazing and enormous slices of bread, probably coated in at least half a stick of butter.  Mine is going to be a little healthier, because like most everyone else, I indulged over the holidays and it's time to clean up my diet again.  So here is my version, and despite being lighter, it's still a killer sandwich (that probably won't kill you).

Spinach Pie Grilled Sandwich
2 slices of your favorite bakery bread -- please don't use a standard grocery loaf for this!
1 T. olive oil, plus more for oiling the bread
2 c. fresh baby spinach
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
4 large red peppers, halved and seeds removed (I roast extras for later)
salt and ground pepper
1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
To prepare the peppers, wash, cut in half and remove the stem and seeds.  Place face down on a rimmed baking sheet.  Lightly oil the peppers with 1/2 T. of the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes.  The skins should be black and splotchy in spots.  Remove from oven and place peppers in a glass bowl, covered with plastic wrap, for about 15 minutes.  Remove peppers, peel off skin and discard, and slice peppers into strips.  Reserve about 6 strips for your sandwich and store the rest in the fridge for another use.

To prepare spinach, wash leaves well and preheat 1/2 T. olive oil in a pan over medium high heat.  Add spinach and season with salt and pepper.  Saute spinach until nice and wilted.  Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly for the last minute, or until garlic is nice and fragrant.  Remove from heat.

To assemble sandwich, pre-toast both pieces of bread on a lighter setting, as the ingredients are a bit soggy.  Then lightly oil the outsides of both slices of bread with olive oil.  Turn slices over.  On one slice, top with spinach, red peppers and feta.  Top with other slice of bread to make sandwich.  Grill on a panini press, or in a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray, until desired doneness is achieved.  Serve with fresh sliced fruit.