From restaurants to grocery stores, panini’s seem to be popping up everywhere!! The word “panini” is just the Italian word for “sandwich” and the term is used today to describe a sandwich that is pressed on a two-sided grill, cooking the top and bottom simultaneously. The best part?? With the help of a George Foreman or a panini maker, these are a snap to create at home!
Breads that are soft in texture are not the optimum choice for this type of sandwich because they do not stand up well to the pressure of the “squeeze” from the grill. You want to select breads or rolls that have a denser texture such as ciabatta, French, foccacia, or the soda bread I mentioned yesterday. There are no rules for sandwich ingredients either, so stuff your sandwich with foods that suite your taste buds!
Now to my recipe. I chose to concoct a panini that was both sweet and savory. I have always wanted to try constructing a panini that highlighted fruit. I gathered ideas from several different recipes and created a Colby and Pear Panini. On one slice of Mummy’s Soda Bread, I carefully layered thinly sliced wedges of Bosc pear, a couple leaves of curly spinach, a thin piece of Colby cheese, and a drizzle of honey.
Bosc pears are known for their sweet-spiced flavor and have a crunchy yet tender flesh that provided a juicy bite. The honey added a nectarous tang after seeping into the thick slice of toasted bread. While the Colby may not seem like the ideal selection for cheese, it is what I had on hand, and actually meshed well with the other flavors in the panini. The spinach adds a mild flavor and a brilliant green glow. I paired the sandwich with the rest of my Bosc pear. This was an effortless dinner that was absolutely gratifying. Perfect meal for one!
Colby and Pear Panini
Makes 1/2 a panini (1 serving)
1 slice of dense bread cut in 1/4-1/2″ thickness
1/2 oz Colby cheese
1/2 medium Bosc pear
1 tsp honey, drizzled
pinch of salt and pepper
2-3 arugula or spinach leaves
cooking spray
Directions:
Warm up bread on a two-sided grill. Remove from grill, drizzle honey on inner sandwich sides, and assemble sandwich. Layer 1/2 oz of Colby cheese, thinly sliced pear wedges, spinach leaves, salt/pepper, another small drizzle of honey, top with other half of bread slice, spray grill with cooking spray, and press on grill.
Nutritional Profile: 277 calories, 5.4 g Fat (2.9 g sat.), 10.6 g Protein, 4.7 g Fiber, 48.8 g Carbohydrate
Words of advice:
My only caution with panini sandwiches is to be wary of caloric content. The bread alone can carry quite a heavy caloric density and additives like cheese and mayonnaise can add up quickly, especially when eating out! I suggest making your own panini vs. eating out, simply because you are in control of the ingredients. However, if you must stop at some place like Panera Bread, check out their menu and nutrition calculator on their website first! Their menu provides a detailed nutritional profile of all menu items and they did an excellent job of allowing you to easily pair sandwiches and sides. Kudos to Panera!!
Try to choose whole wheat bread whenever possible, skip the calorie laden condiments, and watch your portions!! There is nothing wrong with saving half for another day!!
Nutritional Comparison:
I tried to find a sandwich that had similar ingredients but gave up and went with a vegetarian panini from Panera Bread. Most people eat the whole sandwich AND a bag of chips or a roll. That is almost half your calorie intake for the day! I would suggest eating half the sandwich and pair it with a piece of fruit, classic cafe salad, or fresh fruit cup for an additional 60-140 calories. Not too bad for a lunch out!
Tomato Mozzarella Panini at Panera Bread: 770 calories, 29 g fat (10 g sat., 0.5 g trans), 1290 mg sodium, 96 g carbohydrate, 6 g Fiber, 30 g Protein
