Kids and grilled cheese sandwiches? Why, they go together like peas and carrots. Milk and chocolate. Apples and pies. In my home, we’ve got a George Foreman grill. Sure, it gets used to grill hamburgers, but its main use? Hot grilled cheese sandwiches. And not just any old grilled cheese sandwich. I’m talking grilled cheese sandwiches that will knock your socks off.
The key is variety. We use farm fresh smoked cheddar made from the milk of grass-fed cows. Or maybe we use a cave-aged gruyere. Sometimes we do gouda. We also add in nourishing foods like eggs or tuna. But one of our favorite combinations? Grilled smoked cheddar and broccoli.
Grilled Cheese and Broccoli Sandwich
The Players
For each grilled cheese sandwich you will be making, you’ll need:
- 2 slices of sourdough or sprouted grain bread
- 2 oz of grated smoked cheddar
- 1/8 cup of leftover steamed broccoli, shredded or finely chopped
- dollop of homemade enzyme-rich mayonnaise
- butter made from the cream of grass-fed cows
The How-To
1. I begin by assembling the filling. Mix the shredded smoked cheddar, shredded or finely chopped broccoli, and mayonnaise together in a small bowl. Spread between two slices of sourdough or sprouted grain bread and make a sandwich. (Interested in trying sprouted grain flours to make your favorite homemade breads? See my Resources page for listings.)
2. Heavily butter both sides of the sandwich. (Yes! Butter is good for you.) Place up to 4 sandwiches inside your pre-heated George Forman Grill, then close the lid and cook for 4-5 minutes or until cheese melts. If you don’t have an indoor grill or sandwich maker, grill in a cast iron skillet for 3-4 minutes per side over medium heat.
3. Remove from heat and enjoy!
We eat these grilled cheese and broccoli sandwiches served with sliced fruit, a couple of slices of braunsweiger, and a tall glass of raw milk from grass-fed cows.
The best part of this grilled cheese sandwich? The smoked cheddar. It pairs so well with the broccoli!
(photo by tamaraburross)
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What a great idea–and combination! Can’t wait to try!
Great Idea!!! I love broccoli and cheese together, I just never thought of using it in other ways.
Lately, I have really fallen in love with smoked cheeses so I can only imagine that smoked cheddar would be amazing on this grilled cheese. The broccoli is simply a nice touch. Really great idea. I may just have to make this for myself…
Smoked cheese is DEFINITELY what makes this particular sandwich. I’ve used smoked gouda before, too, with great success.
We used to have grilled cheese and movie/gaming parties in college — one guy had a George Foreman grill, and we would each bring something for the sandwiches (bread, cheese, bacon, etc.). Then, we could grill sandwiches right in the room where we watched a movie or else networked computers to game. So much fun.
I don’t think George Foreman grills existed when I was in college, otherwise I would have had one too! (Well, I just read on Wikipedia that they, in fact, had been invented when I was in college. But they sure weren’t as widespread then as they are today!)
What an awesome way to make the grilled cheese – and you can make multiple ones – my iron skillet only holds 1 or 2 sandwiches but on a George Foreman I can make many! And I have never messed with the delicious straight up cheddar cheese – I can’t wait – I am so having this for breakfast tomorrow (why wait for lunch?!)
We love any kind of grilled cheese and love experimenting. Our favorites are tuna melts, pastrami & swiss, and smoked cheddar & broccoli.
That sounds REALLY YUMMY!!!!
Love it already! Great idea–I thank you.
Why will kids eat the exact same ingredients in a grilled cheese that they won’t eat in another form? Just teaching me humility, I guess!
That sounds amazing! We are big grilled cheese fans in this house, so this will most certainly be tried asap. You are so right about the types of cheese making all the difference.
This is awesome–I might even beable to get my 16 month old to eat this!! I will try this weekend!
I never thought of putting broccoli in grilled cheese. What a great idea! AS a kid we would make grilled cheese with our leftover bolognese sauce. It was good.
I have a George Forman grill that I won at a party. 🙂 I’m always hesitant to use it because of the coating? Do you know if it is coated with anything toxic? I’d love to hear it was okay because it makes great sandwiches and it can be really convenient for quick dinners.
(Do you have a reply notification on your site? I don’t see a box to check and I never get email notifications.)
Hi Jenn,
It is a non-stick surface, which means it is coated with undesirables. Since I do most of my cooking in cast iron, stainless steel, or glass, I’m not too concerned that the grill isn’t ideal (particularly when it’s only used for one meal out of 30). That’s what a clean, probiotic, and detoxifying diet is for!
I’m so happy to see this addressed. I’ve had the same concern but would really like to use one. We’ve been making our grilled cheese on a stone in the oven. Here we come George! Now I just need to get over my fear of cast iron (ie the curing and care of it). Thanks!
My 11 year old adores broccoli .. and cheddar cheese. They are her 2 favorite foods. I will definitely be making this for her, and soon.
I am drooooooooooooooling!
Venison filet (my sister is a generous hunter) and CSA veggies.
a roasted chicken slathered with butter and rosemary
I am slow cooking an all natural local grass fed chuck roast in a red wine sauce while I’m at work! For sides-salad and bacon wrapped asparagus. Dessert is homemade chocolate dipped strawberries with coconut shavings 🙂 Can’t wait to get home!
{Get Ready For It…} 😉 We are making a heart-shaped pizza and have yams.
Food Renegade, what kind of sprouted bread are you buying at the store? I looked for some the other day, but the wheat wasn’t 100% sprouted because it contained both sprouted wheat AND regular whole wheat. Thanks! 🙂 Does the regular added whole wheat take away from the sprouted wheat benefits?
Holly Carter Beck I’ve got a pastured hen in my freezer. But it’s a bit late for me to defrost it and roast it in time for dinner. Wish I had planned ahead, as that sounds lovely. BTW, does anyone know of a “fast” way to defrost hens? For example, I defrost steaks by putting them in a sink full of hot water. They’re usually fully thawed within 20 minutes.
Elizabeth Otte Stowers — I don’t remember! But it’s all sprouted grains, no flour at all. That’s actually one of my peeves about a lot of commercially available so-called “sprouted grain” bread. They *include* sprouted grains, but don’t exclude the non-sprouted variety either.
Thanks! I’ll look around more, so if I need sprouted bread (without doing the sprouted work), I’ll have some in a pinch. 🙂 I’m glad to know it’s out there, it’s a pet peeve of mine when they mix the two also.
I buy Ezekiel bread in the freezer section.
now that looks great! totally going to make the mayo too. I just read a blog that whipped it up in seconds with a cuisinart imersion blender and so want to try that with the olive oil and coconut oil. 🙂
What a great idea
I’m braising some short ribs in a a scrumptious port sauce 🙂
I’m simmering an awesome pot of venison stew with leeks and spinach for crew.
Hot Pink Manicotti (we do grains) the pink came from the filling of beets combined with ricotta & egg. Sauce was a basic bechamel.
YUM
Polly Thurston — Our favorite is smoked gouda and broccoli! You should totally try it. 🙂
I will. And I can’t even wait!
The only true sprouted breads I know of are Manna Bread in the freezer. Now… how much of the raw goodness is diminished due to the freezing, I don’t know. Anyone?
I need to learn how to make a basic grilled cheese, lol, I don’t like GCSs so I never learned!
I prefer toasted cheese with a slice of tomato under the cheese. Open faced cooked in the broiler until golden brown.
Grilled cheese and broccoli?! That’s brilliant!
Angie Garbie Thompson, that sounds yummy!
Drooling! Lol
Perfect lunch