Cranberries and Croutons: Veggie Sandwich & Citrus-Scented Green Beans

Hubby is involved with the awesome and inspiring program, Big Brothers, here in Richmond, and his weekly involvement is just another one of the zillion reasons why I love him. He was out with his little bro one night recently, and I was craving some serious vegetables for my solo dinner night.

When I eat my dinners solo, I love to create simple vegetable dinners. So, on this specific evening, I made the following DELICIOUS simple sandwich accompanied by a small bundle of orange-garlic green beans. I honestly cannot wait to make it all again!

I used a “sandwich thin”, which I have become obsessed with lately. I enjoy a big ol' piece of focaccia or ciabatta as much as the next person, but it is nice to slow down the carb-loading every now and then. Our new obsession for our work-week lunches? “Everything Bagel” bagel thins. Wowza. Anyway, I used the thinner bread for this sandwich so that I could cut the calories a bit but also so that I could let the vegetables rock it out, front and center, as the stars of the show. The citrus-scented green beans were bright and fresh, and they served as the perfect side-dish to the sandwich.

Veggie Sandwich Ingredients:

1 sandwich thin

2 slices cucumber

2 thin slices avocado

1 big tomato slice

Small palmful of sharp cheddar

Whole-grain mustard

Freshly cracked black pepper

Citrus-Scented Green Bean Ingredients:

Fresh green beans, ends cut off

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

½ orange, juiced and zested

S & P

The Process:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim and wash your green beans. Zest and juice 1/2 of an orange into a small bowl. Add olive oil (a little goes a long way), S & P, and chopped garlic to the orange juice mixture.
Place green beans on the cookie sheet and pour the delicious citrus mixture on top of the beans. Use your hands to coat all the beans evenly. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes for slightly soft/slightly crunchy beans.

Add a touch of olive oil to a pan (or you can use non-stick cooking spray to make it even healthier), and warm on medium heat. Once pan is hot, add each slice of your sandwich thin, top sides down. Add cheese to each side of the bread. Cook approx. 2-3 minutes until the bread is a golden brown and the cheese is melted.

Slice your vegetables and set aside. Remove the bread from the pan, and spread a little whole grain mustard on one slice of the bread. Assemble your veggies on the bread however you choose. Add a bit of pepper.

The crunchy cucumber paired with the creamy avocado is a match made in farm heaven. The bright burst of tomato brings everything to life. And, what sandwich isn’t better with melted cheese??

You will be so impressed by these green beans, as well. I love the combination of citrus and garlic, and the orange is a beautiful choice for this dish. Lemon would be phenomenal, as well, although I feel that because the orange is sweeter, it adds a special touch.