Yesterday’s forecasted rain turned into heavy large-flaked snow, so I wanted to make something warm and comforting for lunch. Grilled cheese & tomato soup fit the bill, but I wanted to amp up the classic sandwich a bit. I also wanted Lily to be interested in and be able to eat what I was having, so I settled on adding some broccoli into the grilled cheese.
| Name | Broccoli Grilled Cheese Sandwich |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | American |
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 15 minutes |
| Total Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings | 2 sandwiches |
Rather than add in whole florets, I finely chopped lightly steamed broccoli with freshly shredded cheddar cheese until everything was in uniformly small pieces.
I sandwiched the mixture between two slices of whole wheat bread, and cooked it just as you would a regular old grilled cheese sandwich.
While I prepped and photographed lunch, Lily watched the snow falling while snacking on a piece of cheese. This girl would eat cheese all day long if we let her ;).
The resulting sandwich was golden brown & crispy on the outside and cheesy & gooey on the inside; everything a grilled cheese sandwich should be, with the added nutrients of broccoli.
I cut Lily’s serving into bite-sized pieces so it would be easy for her to pick up and eat by herself. She LOVED it!
If you have a picky eater who normally doesn’t like veggies, this is a great lunch or dinner to try. It’s impossible to pick out any pieces of broccoli; and the cheese masks any strong broccoli flavor anyway.
Green food for the win!
Broccoli Grilled Cheese Sandwich {Toddler Approved}
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup broccoli florets, preferably organic
- 3/4 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 slices soft whole wheat bread
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 slices of your favorite bread (whole wheat, sourdough, or white)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or any cheese of your choice)
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories: 400 kcal per sandwich
- Protein: 18g per sandwich
- Carbohydrates: 30g per sandwich
- Fiber: 5g per sandwich
- Sugar: 5g per sandwich
- Fat: 24g per sandwich
- Saturated Fat: 12g per sandwich
- Cholesterol: 60mg per sandwich
- Sodium: 800mg per sandwich
Instructions
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add broccoli florets, cover, and cook for 1 minute. Drain well and lay out on paper towel to dry completely.
Combine freshly shredded cheese and dry cooked broccoli florets on a cutting board. Finely chop mixture.
Evenly divide cheese & broccoli mixture between two slices of bread. Cover with remaining slices of bread; press down lightly (this will help to keep the mixture from spilling out when flipping the sandwiches).
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick (or cast iron) skillet set over medium heat. Add sandwiches and cover skillet. Cook until the bottoms of the sandwiches are golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Add remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil to skillet, flip sandwiches, cover skillet, and cook until the other sides of the sandwiches are golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 1-2 minutes.
If serving to a toddler, allow sandwiches to cool for a few minutes before cutting into bite-sized pieces.
