Grilled Cheese for Grown Ups

Let's face it; growing up is hard to do. At the same time, it's inevitable. However, with this grilled cheese more suitable for adults...your job growing up just got a bit easier.

Inspired by Cafe Gitane right down the street, I started to make a version of their avocado toast (Have you tried it? If not, get on it. Stat.) and things just started happening from there. As I was finishing to prepare my avocado toast I got really in the mood for some cheesy goodness and the rest is history...

Ingredients:

For the orange vinaigrette:

1/3 cup Orange muscat champagne vinegar

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. fresh pepper

For the grilled cheese:

2 slices Ezekiel bread

1/4 avocado

2 slices tomato

2 pieces romaine lettuce

1 1/2 oz. fresh mozzarella

2 thin pieces fresh Parmesan

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

dash garlic powder

2 tbsp. orange vinaigrette

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 425.

For the dressing: Mince the garlic. Throw all ingredients (garlic, orange vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, salt and pepper) together into a blender or a cup and beat well with a fork. You now have a delicious dressing that can be used in a variety of recipes. Here we are using it as part of the grilled cheese and can also be used as a dipping sauce on the side.

For the grilled cheese: Take the avocado and spread it out on to one slice of Ezekiel bread. Add the crushed red pepper and garlic powder. Pour 2 tbsp. orange vinaigrette on top. Then, place the tomato slices on top of the dressing covered avocado, followed by the fresh Parmesan cheese. Next, layer the lettuce and then the mozzarella to complete the stacking of our ingredients. Cover with the second slice of Ezekiel bread. Spray both sides of the sandwich bread with olive oil cooking spray, and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes (or until you can start to see the cheesy goodness). Serves one. Enjoy the perks of being a grown up!