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Go Ahead Take a Bite
Your favorite hot sandwiches just got healthier
by Lesley Porcelli and Cynthia Sass, RD
When the mercury slips below zero and snow is swirling outside the kitchen window, nothing sounds more delicious and cozy than sitting down to a hot, crusty sandwich, gooey with melted cheese. The catch: Hot sandwiches invariably have whopping calorie counts and staggering levels of sodium. Right?
Not necessarily. But because delis and diners tend to pile on so much meat and cheese, these meals can be nutritional napalm: A typical Reuben packs as much fat as two McDonald's Quarter Pounders with Cheese and sneaks in more sodium between two pieces of bread than health experts think you should eat in 2 days.
We turned your favorite hot sandwiches into healthful comfort foods by scaling back the high-calorie and sodium-laden ingredients, and adding fiber, flavor, and nutrients in the form of vegetables and seasonings. (If you're on a restricted-sodium diet, some of these sandwiches will still be off-limits.) We also replaced popular, but greasy, cooking methods, such as frying in inches of oil or butter, with waistline-friendly ones. Get ready: A warm, gooey, healthy treat is just moments away.
Skinny Monte Cristo
4 slices whole wheat bread, toasted
3/4 oz low-sodium deli ham (about 2 slices)
3/4 oz low-sodium deli turkey (about 2 slices)
2 slices Swiss cheese
2 pinches nutmeg
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp confectioners' sugar
1. On two slices of toast, layer ham, turkey, and cheese. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Top with other slices of toast.
2. Heat cast-iron skillet over medium heat 2 minutes. In shallow bowl, slightly stir nutmeg into egg whites. Dip one side of a sandwich into egg whites and let excess drip off. Repeat on other side. Repeat with other sandwich.
3. Coat skillet with cooking spray. Cook sandwiches until meat is warmed through, cheese is melting, and egg is cooked, about 3 minutes on each side. Slice diagonally. Dust with sugar and eat hot.
Makes 2 Sandwiches
Per Sandwich 319 cal, 18 g pro, 40 g carb, 10 g fat, 4.5 g sat fat, 32 mg chol, 6 g fiber, 706 mg sodium