Veggie Panini Bento
Feeling healthy? You bet! Instead of the usual meat / cold-cut filled sandwiches, I decided to try going with veggies. They were surprisingly yummy! I guess it’s all a matter of putting the right ingredients together. See? Healthy doesn’t have to mean bland!
Contents:
• Tomato & Cheese panini. I’ve always enjoyed eating tomato and cheese open-faced sandwiches so this one’s not a surprise. Only difference is, this time, it’s in panini-form so it’
• Eggplant & Jalapeno hummus. Cafe Mediterranean serves a yummy vegetarian panini slathered with hummus. I figured, why not try making my own?
Eggplant and Hummus Panini v. 30 August 2007
• 2 slices bread
• half an eggplant
• olive oil
• sea salt / rock salt
• prepared hummus (homemade or store-bought, your call)1. Wash, then cut the eggplant into half-a-centimeter thick lengthwise slices.
2. Lay the slices in a single layer on foil or a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake in an oven or an oven toaster for 3-5 minutes. Test for doneness, it all depends on how thick you cut your eggplant.
3. Smear hummus generously on both slices of bread.
4. Layer eggplant on hummus-spread side of bread, then top with the other slice, hummus-side facing eggplant.
5. Slip into your panini grill and toast following your grill’s instructions.Note: Zucchini would also be an excellent addition!
• Pork & Beans, microwaved until the grated cheese I added on top melted. Mmmm!
• Green tea-filled marshmallows.
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YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Very nice ^_^
Next time, try some sundried tomato, grilled capsicum (bell pepper), cucumber and feta cheese (Swiss also works - but nothing too strong flavoured) panini/foccacia. They’re pretty good for vegetarian sandwiches ^_^ OH!! And spread some basil pesto on it too! Rocket pesto works as well - but it’ll have to have anchovies in it (which for some people, negates the whole vegetarian thing).
lol I know you’re capable enough not to need tips - I just suddenly got a craving for it and wanted to see pics! XD
/2 cents
@lalalady7
It was
@KF
Of course suggestions are always welcome! It’s always great picking up new food ideas. I always have sundried tomato in oil at home, hehe, but the capsicum will probably need prior planning. Won’t the cucumber be icky when stuck in a panini press though? I remember making a mistake of sticking a panini with lettuce in—eeew! The lettuce turned pretty icky after getting heated. Had to fish it out.
I’ve never tried rocket pesto–haven’t even tried rocket yet either. I’m sure it’s available here but I’ll probably have to trawl the delis and gourmet shops. But I don’t mind trying the one with the anchovies since I’m more of an eatanythingarian.
Yeah, but there’s a different prep method if you want to include it… instead of pressing the whole sandwich together, just toast the bread first, then construct from there ^_^ you can always leave it out so that everything else is warmed through, but being that sundried tomato and grilled capsicum are preserved, the cucumber just adds a freshness to it. Alternatively you can use avocado, but then I’d switch out the pesto with light sour cream, or go with guacamole instead. Some jalapenos would be a welcome addition too…
^_^ anyways, again, great pics! Looks so appetising…
Ah, that’s a better idea, preparing it as a toasted sandwich instead of as a panini. The avocado however–I think I’ll draw the line there. For some reason, I never did get along with avocado. ^_^;; Oh, I’ll eat it if I have to, but I’d rather not, given the choice.