Apple Pimento Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Onions and Arugula

I think we can all agree that grilled cheese is the universal comfort food, and the thought of having to leave behind an ooey, gooey sandwich that reminds you of your favorite childhood meal when transitioning to a plant-based diet can be difficult. I don’t believe in ever feeling deprived or not having the option to enjoy decadent-feeling foods, and therefore I developed this “gourmet” version of the classic. Caramelized onions bring a savory sweetness to my Pimento Cheese Sauce, while apple slices and arugula lend a pop of tart crunch and peppery freshness. – Kiki Nelson

Ingredients

• 1 small sweet yellow onion, sliced
• 1⁄8 teaspoon garlic salt
• 4 slices sprouted whole-grain bread
• 1⁄2 cup Pimento Cheese Sauce (see recipe below)
• 1 small Honeycrisp apple, cored and sliced
• 1 cup arugula

Directions

1. Add the onions to a medium or large non- stick pan and season with the garlic salt. Over medium-high heat, allow the onions to brown on one side undisturbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Give them a stir and leave them to brown once again for another 2 to 3 minutes, until soft and golden. Transfer the onions to a plate and wipe out the pan.
2. Spread each slice of bread with 1⁄4 cup of the Pimento Cheese Sauce. Top each slice with half of the apple slices, caramelized onions, and aru- gula. Top each sandwich with the second slice of bread.
3. In the same pan you used for the onions, over medium heat or on a griddle, toast the first sand- wich until the bottom slice of bread is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip the sandwich—a silicone spatula works well here— and cook for another 2 minutes or until browned on the other side.
4. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the second sandwich. Enjoy warm.

Pimento Cheese Sauce

As a huge believer in the power of sauces to take any dish or meal to the next level, I wanted to try my hand at making a “traditional” southern pimento cheese sauce. This beloved condiment normally gets its creaminess from a mixture of cheese and mayo, but that’s not exactly what we’re about here. Instead, I layered potatoes and cashews with the more typical flavor boosters such as pickled jalapeños and, of course, pimentos.

Makes 2 1⁄2 Cups

• 2 cups (275g) Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
• 1⁄2 cup diced carrots (about 1 large carrot)
• 1⁄4 cup raw cashews
• 3 tablespoons chopped jarred pimentos 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1⁄4 teaspoon onion powder

1. Place the potatoes in a medium pot and add just enough cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of water from the pot and drain.
2. In a blender, combine the cooked potatoes, water, carrots, cashews, pimentos, jalapeños, garlic salt, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and onion powder. Blend until smooth.
3. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Excerpted from PLANTIFULLY SIMPLE: 100 Plant-Based Recipes and Meal Plans for Health and Weight-Loss. Copyright @ 2024 by Kiki Nelson. Photography Copyright © 2024 by Kiki Nelson. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.