There are lot’s of reasons to share this Strawberry and Mozzarella Grilled Cheese with you today. One is that it’s the tail-end strawberry season here in Central Florida (Dec- March) and you can get fresh local berries for cheap just about anywhere. Two is that it’s grilled cheese, because… well, it’s grilled cheese. Three, it’s time to ease up on the soups and chilis and start back up with the salads and sammies because SPRING has SPRUNG! And last but not least, it’s Meatless Monday. Even if you have a house full of hardcore carnivores, I’d highly doubt you’d put this on the table and have them feel slighted.
I’ll admit grilled cheese doesn’t have the reputation as the healthiest food on the planet, but when it’s not a wrapped in plastic piece of “cheese-food” hugged by two pieces of nutrient-less white bread slathered in margarine, it’s got a lot of potential. I amped up the nutrients by adding strawberries and arugula as well as a whole grain, fresh bread made with chia seeds. Omega 3’s anyone? Mozzarella tends to be a healthier choice as far as cheeses go with less calories and less sodium than your average.
It’s OK to drool, as long as it’s not on someone.
If you have yet to move past the Kraft-single-and-white-bread-with-ketchup grilled cheese phase of your life, I highly recommend that you grow up, Peter Pan. Grilled cheese has a lot of potential, don’t kill it by sticking to grandmas version.
For more awesome grilled cheese ideas, check out my Peach Butter, Pecan and Aged Cheddar Mini Grilled Cheeses and my Smoked Gouda and Apricot Grilled Cheese… both to die for.
Do you have any off-the-beaten-path grilled cheese favorites?
Strawberry and Balsamic Grilled Cheese
Total Time: 12 minutes
Serving Size: Makes 2 sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons aged balsamic
- 10 strawberries, cut into quarter inch slices
- 4 slices bread (I used whole grain Chia bread from HEB bakery)
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
- handful of arugula
Instructions
- Warm the aged balsamic over medium heat in a pan. Sautee strawberries for 3 minutes until soft. Remove strawberries from pan with spatula, reserving the remaining juices in pan.
- Place all four slices of bread in the same pan. Add mozzarella to 2 of the slices and strawberries on top. Once bread is crisp and cheese in melted, remove from pan, add arugula to the slices and top with the other slice of bread.