Baked Veggie Sandwiches

I really can't believe it has taken me this long to post these. The dates on my pictures are in April! The idea comes for this recipe comes from Kara at Itty Bitty Bistro, but I ran across them here at Finding Joy in My Kitchen. Despite my delay time from dinner to blog, these little guys pack a big punch. The posts from these ladies are actually a couple years old (2009), and my only regret now is that I didn't find this recipe sooner!

The ingredients are really pretty unassuming - broccoli, red bell pepper, spinach, shredded carrots, cheddar cheese, and whole wheat dough, but they combine to make a sandwich packed with flavor. You can tell a recipe is good when a blogger ends up making it again, and this one is in our regular rotation :) I followed SnoWhite's directions exactly, except for I didn't refrigerate the dough since I did not make it the night before. We actually used Cabot brand reduced-fat cheddar cheese for half of the cheese (per a suggestion from America's Test Kitchen), and it worked really well. It was still ooey, gooey and had just a little less guilt.

I know that turning on your oven may not be the first thing on your mind right now, but as soon as the heat wave breaks, you really should try these out. Promise! We are having them tonight! 

(Printable Recipe)

Baked Veggie Sandwiches
From Finding Joy in My Kitchen (originally from Itty Bitty Bistro)

Ingredients:
Dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
2-1/4 tsp (1 pkg) rapid rise yeast
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup warm water

Sandwiches:
1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup red pepper, finely diced
1 cup broccoli, finely diced
1 cup spinach, finely diced
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp. olive oil
marinara sauce for dipping (optional)

Combine flours, salt, and yeast together in a large bowl and mix well. Add oil and water and stir just until dough forms a ball. Knead a few times on a lightly floured surface. Set inside a bowl sprayed with non-stick spray. Cover and allow the dough to rise about an hour and a half until it is doubled in size. SnoWhite indicates that the dough can be made the night before and placed in the refrigerator for the first rise, although I have never done it this way.

Divide the dough in half, and let it sit, covered, in a bowl for about 30 minutes. When the dough is just about done, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the vegetables (except the spinach) and saute until crisp tender. Add spinach and cook until it is wilted. Set aside. 

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8x8 inch square pan with cooking spray. Take 1/2 of the dough and stretch it to form a square, and place in the bottom of the pan. Cover with 1/2 of the cheese. Top with the vegetables and remaining cheese. Stretch the second piece of dough over the top of the cheese. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until warm and dough is cooked through and beginning to brown. Slice lengthwise and serve with marinara sauce if desired.