Confessions of a Mother Runner

Healthy Living, Running & Vegetarian

You are here: Home / Main Dishes-Vegetarian / Grown Up Grilled Cheese & Baked Polenta Fries

Appetizers/Snacks Main Dishes-Vegetarian Meatless Monday Recipes

Grown Up Grilled Cheese & Baked Polenta Fries

Welcome to Meatless Monday! Sometimes you really just want NEED some really good carbs! This week was one of those weeks for me. I have been playing around with grilled cheese since I got the idea from my friend Judy to add hummus into it. Since I had tons of hummus to use up from last week’s epic hummus fest, I did some creating. I know you are all going to love this one! My version of Grown Up Grilled Cheese & Baked Polenta Fries might just change your sandwich life for good. So I’ve got 2 recipes for you to enjoy today. Thanks for joining Sarah and me for Meatless Monday.

Grown up Grilled Cheese

I used a flavored hummus but any hummus will do! It sounds kind of weird to think of grilled cheese and hummus but trust me, it’s seriously phenomenal. I don’t think I could ever eat plain old grilled cheese again.

This #GrownUpGrilledCheese will change the way you think about lunch

Click To Tweet

Grown Up Grilled Cheese

Grown Up Grilled Cheese & Baked Polenta Fries
Yield: 1

Grown Up Grilled Cheese & Baked Polenta Fries

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

ooey gooey delicious grilled cheese just the way you remember it with a few grown up twists

Ingredients

  • For 2 sandwiches:
  • 4 slices of hearty, whole grain bread
  • 4 slices of cheddar or gouda cheese
  • 1 tomato thinly sliced
  • handful of Arugula
  • 1/2 Avocado-thinly sliced
  • 4 tbl of hummus
  • cooking spray
  • For the baked polenta fries:
  • 1 tube of Polenta cut into strips
  • Cooking spray
  • salt, pepper, rosemary & parsley to taste
  • optional grated Parmesan cheese to garnish
  • Serve with warm marinara sauce or spicy ketchup

Instructions

  1. Grilled Cheese:
  2. Heat skillet to medium low (you want to go low and slow on this)
  3. Spray what will be the outside of each sandwich with cooking spray
  4. Spread the hummus onto each slice of bread
  5. Add 1 slice of cheese to each side
  6. layer in avocado, tomato and Arugula
  7. Carefully place into skillet and cook until browned
  8. Flip over and repeat until you have a nice crispy bread and melted cheese
  9. Slice & enjoy immediately
  10. Baked Polenta Fries:
  11. Preheat oven to 425
  12. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray
  13. Line up Polenta sticks and spray as well
  14. sprinkle on salt, pepper, rosemary & parsley
  15. Bake for 45 min turning half way through until crispy and brown
  16. Serve warm with marinara or ketchup
© Deborah Brooks
Cuisine: american / Category: Main Dishes-Vegetarian
What goes best with Grown Up Grilled Cheese? These amazing and healthy Baked Polenta Fries! If you’ve never cooked with Polenta before, you do not know what you are missing. Polenta is made from corn meal and is naturally gluten free. It’s a great substitute for potatoes and is super easy to cook with. You can purchase Polenta in a tube all ready to use at your regular grocery store. I’ve used rosemary, parsley and Parmesan cheese to give a wonderful flavor to them.

Baked Polenta Fries

polenta|fries|baked|healthy|sides|vegetarian|Meatless Monday

Baked Polenta Fries are the perfect side! #healthy #MeatlessMonday

Click To Tweet

I served mine with a spicy Siracha ketchup but they also dip really well with a warm marinara sauce. A healthy, easy way to enjoy fries that your whole family will love. Just so happens that National Grilled Cheese Day is April 12th! I know what I am having 🙂

 

Have you tried any grilled cheese variations? What do you think of Polenta?

I just linked up for @MealtessMonday w @Miss_Whisk and @deborahbrooks14 join us for tasty eats!

Click To Tweet

Meatless Monday link up|vegetarian|vegan|meatless|Monday|gluten free| healthy|clean eats

 Loading InLinkz ...


About Deborah Brooks

Hi I'm Deborah! I spend my days successfully raising a husband & 2 teens in the VA/DC area. I am a lover of all things running & fitness. As a life long vegetarian, I've always been passionate about healthy living & exercise. Looking for partners in crime, I started my own chapter of Moms Run This Town (MRTT) which has grown to over 700 members. I've met so many amazing women who inspire me daily to keep moving forward. You can usually find me running with my crew and training for the next crazy adventure they talked me into. I love to keep up to date on new running & fitness trends. I definitely choose my running gear based on color and love to express my fashion sense while exercising.

Oh hello, join the newsletter

Get the latest recipes right to your inbox:

Your email is safe with me.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Angela says

    The Grilled Cheese looks so delicious with the addition of Hummus & I also like the greens you added to the sandwich! I have not mad polenta ties, but will have to give them a try!!

  4. Susie @ SuzLyfe says

    There is a restaurant in Charlottesville that does AMAZING polenta fries. I’m not a huge polenta person in other forms, but you know that I will eat it in fry form!

  7. Jennifer F says

    I have loved polenta fries ordered when eating out, but my recreation at home failed (tried to pan “fry’ in a little bit of EVO) . . . I’m so trying your versions, sounds a little healthier anyway! thanks for the recips

  14. Sarah says

    Oh my doesn’t that look amazing! It’s been so long since I’ve had a grilled cheese and I was actually wanting one a week ago but apparently the girls aren’t fans. I think we’ve gone through 2 very short phases where they have wanted them and it’s been awhile. Maybe I can tempt them with your delicious looking fries!

    Happy Meatless Monday!

  17. Chaitali says

    Wow, I love trying new grilled cheese combinations. I would never had though that hummus would work with grilled cheese. That’s good to know 🙂

  18. Sana says

    I will have to be honest. I am not a huge grilled cheese person. It always just tastes bland. However, I think you just changed the game for me with hummus!

  22. RFC says

    My mouth is WATERING looking at that grilled cheese! Grilled cheese has to be my #1 comfort food, no question!

  26. Christina says

    I’ve made my share of elaborate grilled cheeses, but I’ve never used hummus in one! So clever, and a must try. That pic of the sandwiches stacked up makes me hungry again… Despite just having eaten lunch 🙂

  27. Kimberly Hatting says

    Again, more yummies to try 😉 I always use cheddar instead of American cheese, but have not done much with hummus. And Polenta…never tried that either. I’m gonna be looking for both of these next time I”m in the store 😉

  31. MCM Mama Runs says

    I love grilled cheese, but I’m dairy free for the moment. Sadly cheese is one of those things that there is no real substitute for.

  32. Coach Henness says

    oh heck yes! I loved attending the Grilled Cheese Festival in Los Angeles when I lived down there. The variations on the grilled cheese sandich were DIVINE – one in particular I remember was a sweet thai basil grilled cheese with (of course my favorite) Tillamook Cheddar. I have never done anything with polenta – but this might be a good place to start!

  34. Kristy @Runaway Bridal Planner says

    I’m drooling, seriously! Fries and Grilled Cheese, you just nailed two of my all time favorites. I am so wishing today was my cheat meal day. Because right now I am craving some of that yummy gooey cheese, yum!

  38. Natalie says

    I am starving right now and all I want to do is jump through the page and eat this!!
    I like Polenta and will have to give this a try!

  39. Jenn says

    Polenta is one of my favorite things. I’ve never tried polenta fries, but I think they need to make it on to my menu soon!

    My favorite grilled cheese is cheddar, bacon and cinnamon apples on good bread. It’s the most delicious thing!

  40. Joanne says

    This recipe looks amazing!! I loved grilled cheese as a kid, it was my favorite lunch. I will have to give your version a try 🙂

  45. Christina says

    You had me at grilled cheese. When I was pregnant with my first son I LIVED on grilled cheese and am kind of a connoisseur ????. This sounds amazing!

  46. Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy says

    I’m still rocking the hummus grilled cheese myself (and yes, I use flavored hummus — I used 2 different ones yesterday because I had 2 different ones with just 1 tbsp in them each).

    And I have an idea to take it to the next level . . .

  47. Ilka says

    This grilled cheese sandwich looks super super delicious! I want to make it tonight for dinner!:) I didn’t have a recipe this week to link up – but hopefully next Monday! Have a great week!

  49. Sadhna Grover says

    Hi Deborah, I have never used polenta before, I didn’t know that it is made with corn meal and it can substitute potatoes. I would love to try the baked version.I will check here in Calgary if I can get them into grocery shop.

  50. Patty @ Reach Your Peak says

    omg yes to all of this. drooling over here! I love grilled cheese…but haven’t been eating much of it lately because of how many points it is on weightwatchers (insert crying emoji)

  52. GiGi says

    Aw man grilled cheeses – I used to live on those! My friend’s mom made THE BEST grilled cheese sandwiches ever… But not grown up ones! lol

  54. Ana says

    Looking at this grilled cheese made me really hungry! Once after a long run, I went to a shop and had them make something like this for me, it was fantastic! how I want another one!! Thanks for the recipe… will attempt to make it at home.

  56. Annette says

    Did you know that April 12th is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day? Get the word out with your great recipe!

  57. Kate says

    Have you ever used chick pea flour to make fries? So yummy and higher protein than polenta (although those are yummy too!)

Trackbacks

Footer

You might also like

Privacy Policy
Skip to Recipe