Spinach Panini

I've kind of become obsessed with the Sonoma Diet. Not obsessed to the point where I am actually participating in the Sonoma Diet, more just to the point where I check out cookbooks with Sonoma Diet recipes and drool on them. Because, how can you not love a cookbook that strives to have olive oil, feta cheese, purple onions and spinach in every recipe. Those are some of my most favorite things.

Anyway, turns out I had most of the ingredients for one of the recipes tonight so I made it, and it was a thousand million times better tasting than I even thought it would be.

I've been wondering lately why I am not a professional recipe blogger, and I've nailed it down to three reasons. 1 - I never take pictures of the food I make and if I do - - it ain't pretty 2- I am not consistent, at all. And finally 3- I simply pilfer recipes off of other recipe blogs, I do not invent recipes, or even get them from cookbooks. Just directly copy other recipe blogs therefore making a recipe blog created by me completely unnecessary.

Anyway, that being said, I did pilfer the image. Photo credit to this completely random website.
My Spinach panini sandwich didn't really look that much like that (but the picture in the recipe book did). But I do get points because this recipe did come from a cookbook and not another recipe blog, so I'm taking drastic strides to becoming a money making recipe blogger. Baby steps.

This was delicious and took approximately two minutes to make.

Spinach Panini
From: The Sonoma Diet Cookbook

Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
4 6-inch whole wheat hoagie rolls, split; 8 slices whole wheat bread; or 2 whole wheat pita bread rounds, halved crosswise and split horizontally.( I opted for the wheat bread option)
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (one product I strongly recommend buying at Costco)
8 thin tomato slices (1 medium tomato)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 Tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves (I wish I could keep a basil plant alive)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

* Lightly coat an unheated panini griddle, covered indoor electric grill, or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray.
* Place your carb of choice on a work surface, divide half of the spinach leaves among said carb of choice. Top with spinach and tomato, sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and pepper. Add red onion slices and basil. Top with feta and remaining spinach. Top with other piece of bread or pita or whatever carb you chose.
* Preheat griddle and put the sandwiches on. Grill 2-3 minutes until bread is toasted.

Eat. Feel happy and healthy. Try to not remember that you ate a whole chocolate chip cookie pie by yourself the day before.

PS Happy 8 year anniversary to me tomorrow. We made it through the seven year wanderlust. Barely. Whew.