I try to serve the family a meatless meal once a week. I'll be frank, it's not all for dietary reasons, sometimes I'm just plain cheap. I'll be picking up nice plump chicken breasts at the grocery store when I decide I don't really feel like spending an extra $10 on more carnivorous food. So I head back to the produce in search of vegetarian options.
This is how this glorious veggie melt came about. I found the Italian bread and knew sandwiches were the perfect way to enjoy a meatless meal. I spotted the peppers, the zucchini and mushrooms, and without really knowing what was happening, I started forming these veggie melts in my cart.
Don't you love how that sometimes happens? I mean, it's never a good idea to go to the grocery store hungry, but it definitely is a good idea to go ready for inspiration. I'm all for a good meal plan, but sometimes spontaneous meal planning is even better.
In my mind I wanted something akin to an oven baked pizza sub with hot melted cheese and crusty bread. I created a cream cheese mixture that almost melts into a sauce for the tender veggies. The crunchy bread makes these melts feel hearty and satisfying. After licking the last bit of cheese off my lips and wiping away the last crumb I realized something very important. Meatless meals are easy and wonderful, and I need to be cheap more often!
There are lots of great ways to go meatless more often, and many of them can be found right here on Food Fanatic. From Urvashee's baked eggplant parmesan to my Greek veggie sandwich, there are plenty of tasty ways to eat cheaply, and well. Stephie even put together a great week-long vegetarian meal plan that I'm going to implement to save some cash and get the family a little healthier at the same time.
What's your favorite way to eat veggies?
Veggie Melt Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 loaf italian bread
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 4 ounces jalapeño cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced
- 1 large portobello mushroom, sliced
- 1 small zucchini squash, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 slices havarti cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the vegetables, olive oil, vinegar, oregano and salt. Toss to coat.
- Cut bread in half lengthwise. In small bowl combine cream cheese and butter. Spread mixture on both halves of the bread.
- Top bottom half of bread with vegetables and cheese slices. Top with remaining bread half.
- Cover loaf in aluminum foil and bake for 25-30 or until cheese has melted. Serve.
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