Fancy Grilled "Cheese" DF/SF/EF/Vegan and E-Z!

It isn't a super wild and crazy recipe but it is pretty darn tasty. First, a word about Daiya---- these are faux cheeses. Be sure to read the ingredients in each of the three varieties-- you can get pepperjack, mozzarella, or cheddar. Pea protein, and tapioca starch are the red flags for us over here in regards to B--- when they list the starch it is one of those "arrowroot or tapioca starch" ingredient labels so just be aware!

Fancy Grilled "Cheese"
Shredded Daiya "cheese" in cheddar
Shredded Daiya "cheese" in mozzarella
Long-cut portobella mushroom slices (slices should be length of the bread)
Safe bread (I use a simple french bread recipe that contains whole wheat, yeast and olive oil)
Safe oil or earth's best coconut spread
Caramelized onions (optional)

Prepare your onions (if using them) and mushrooms. Heat a medium skillet over low to medium heat. Add a tablespoon of oil or coconut spread to the pan and allow to melt.

Place one slice of bread on a microwave safe plate and add desired cheese to the top. I used 1 part mozzarella and two parts cheddar. A little goes a long way! Nuke the bread with the "cheese" for a few seconds in the microwave--- essentially just until it starts to melt. If you are a master at flipping grilled cheese with shredded cheese in between the bread, you may not need to worry about this step. But since I lost about half of my cheese in the pan when I chose not to melt it a bit in advance, I will be melting from now on.

Place bread with melted cheese on top in the center of the skillet. Add mushrooms and/or onions to the top of the melty cheese. Place another slice of bread on top of the first. After a few minutes of cooking (depends on how your burners run), flip your sandwich over and toast the other side of the bread. Your sandwich is ready when both sides are a nice golden brown and a touch crispy!

And zesty is only my middle name. . .

I have been eating a lot of produce lately. A LOT. This will likely continue to some extent throughout the summer. As any of you mamas on elim diets know, fresh produce (that is safe!) tends to fill the majority of the shopping cart on grocery day (and takes up the majority of the grocery bill! Ouch!). Because I have been looking for a bit more zest in my life, I decided to make a veggie dip. Here it is!

Very Veggie Dip
1 cup safe mayo (spectrum makes a DF/SF variety)
1/2-3/4 cup of safe mustard (I used Chardonnay Dijon)
1 1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
1 1/2 tsp rosemary leaves
1 tsp sage
1-2 pinches of celery seed
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix mayo and mustard together in a small bowl. Add in spices and blend. Chill and serve (or eat immediately with whatever crudities you can scavenge out of the fridge or garden).

The perk of chilling it in the fridge is that it allows flavors to meld a bit better. You can also play around with adding in honey and/or lemon juice for a bit of extra flavor. This works well as a potato salad or pasta salad dressing also!