Cooking Ideas
5 Winter Sandwiches and Wraps
As the days become shorter and the temperature drops, it’s natural to seek out a little comfort in our daily bread. Winter mealtimes don’t need to be elaborate affairs — even the dependable sandwich can be a perfect chill-beating companion, especially when accompanied by Avocados from Mexico, which are available fresh year-round.
The Grilled Cheeses
Grilled cheese: There may not be another sandwich quite like it. It’s adored by children and adults alike, is easy to make, and is even easier to modify. The base is always bread, and this is where the fun starts. Want a light crust and pillowy bite? A softer sandwich bread is the way to go. Prefer a crunchy outside and chewy inside? Sourdough’s your best bet. Then comes the cheese, and your options here are limited only by your imagination! A jalapeño-flecked Monterey or a tangy aged cheddar cheese adds a bit of kick that can be tastily balanced out by slathering a layer of mashed avocado on top of the cheese prior to grilling the sandwich.
Wraps and Roll-ups
For meal prep the whole family can get involved in, few things are more fun than layering favorite fillings onto a tortilla or pita wrap and then rolling them up. Set out a bunch of fixings and let each family member create a DIY wrap or roll-up. Remind the kids to start with some shredded cheese before adding wetter ingredients (like tomato) so the tortilla or pita doesn’t get soggy. Healthy proteins like turkey or diced chicken come next. Then, top it off with thin slices of avocado for a creamy finish.
Here’s where the adults take over. Roll each wrap and then grill them in a heavy-bottomed pan, placing a weight onto the wraps to keep the from opening. If you don’t feel like rolling your tortilla, you can always make quesadillas instead. Start with a mild cheese like mozzarella, then throw in some spinach leaves, diced avocado, grainy Dijon mustard, and smoked turkey. Don’t forget to flip your quesadilla to keep it from burning.
Open-faced Sandwiches
When is a sandwich not really a sandwich? When it’s open-faced! If you’re trying to reduce your carbohydrate intake, halving the amount of bread in a sandwich is an easy step. And trust us: you won’t miss a thing, especially when you adorn the remaining slice of bread with hearty toppings.
In England, it’s traditional to eat tomato-laced sweet baked beans on toast for breakfast. Like that idea? There are loads of variations, including a Latin spin, which features cumin-spiked black beans and diced avocado. ¡Qué rico!
The Pressed Panini
We have to thank our Italian friends for introducing us to the perfection of a good panini, that crispy sandwich that satisfies with a range of textures and flavors. Ideally, these would be made in a panini press, as the pressure applied to both sides of the sandwich is what makes maximum crunchiness. But if you don’t have a panini press, no worries! You can turn a heavy skillet (cast iron is ideal) into a type of press by putting a heavier pot on top or your sandwich; it acts as a weight. This compressed cooking method also means you can really load up your fillings. Try filling a crusty bun or baguette with cubed chicken breast spiced with piri-piri, adding a layer of guacamole to cool the tastebuds. You can also sandwich turkey between slices of whole grain bread, adding a couple slices of provolone and a creamy layer of avocado mashed with a little mayo and lemon juice for a sweet-savory interplay that will have the whole family begging for seconds!
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