Panini Paradise

Currently, I am on a quest to exhaust my free zumba class options before joining a gym that offers zumba classes.  I am basically scouring the South Philly/South Jersey area for (a) gyms that give you 1 day to 1 week guest passes and (b) church basement type classes where your first time is free.  This will save me some money and let me make an educated decision when I do join a more expensive gym (right now I belong to the economical Planet Fitness, with no group fitness classes :(  )

A side effect of all this zumba is getting home later at night.  Last night I left work at 7:08, went home to change and grab my coupons, sped through Shop Rite buying groceries to cook for the week, and made it to 8:00 zumba at the LA Fitness in South Philly.  I was very happy with their zumba offering!  I am seriously considering joining, but only if I can get the sign-up fee ($100) waived, since I think that is outrageous.

So anyway.  Since I got home after 9, I wanted dinner to be fast.  I chose one of my favorite recipes, Eating Well's Turkey and Tomato Paninis.  These are always a hit in our house.  I love them, Chalie loves them, they are under 300 calories per sandwich, and they take about 15 minutes to prepare.

There are just two of us, so I halve the recipe.  You'll need:

1 1/2 tbsp lite mayo
1 tbsp nonfat plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp shredded parm
1 tbsp (or more) chopped fres
h basil
1/2 tsp lemon juice
fresh black pepper

Combine the above ingredients in a bowl.  Then you need:

4 slices 100% whole wheat bread (a brand with big, wide slices, like Arnold)
A little less than 1/2 pound deli turkey (low sodium is recommended but do your best)
one plum tomato, sliced
1 tsp canola oil

Spread the mixture on each piece of bread, then top with three slices of turkey (more if its thinner).  I bunch up my turkey instead of just folding it flat and you get lovely sandwiches that way.  Then layer the tomato slices over the turkey and close the sandwiches.

Put the tsp of canola oil in a big skillet, and this is where the fun part comes in.  You use canned goods to press the paninis.  Place the sandwiches in the skillet, then put another skillet on top, and put two 14oz. cans in the top skillet.  This presses the paninis down without you having to stand over them.  I keep the heat towards the lower side of medium and give it about 3-4 minutes per side.

Then I make my favorite salad, arugula with homemade lemon vinaigrette dressing.  Very simple:

Lemon juice - about 1 tbsp
salt
pepper
then I drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil while whisking with my mini whisk.  Maybe about a tbsp olive oil.

Optional ingredients in this dressing are fresh basil and parmesan cheese, but last night I was trying to be good/fast so I kept it simple.  (For the BF I serve romaine with caesar dressing, the only salad he will eat-- another reason I love this meal is I can adapt it to both of us).

I love these because they are much more delicious than your average turkey sandwich with much less fat than a turkey-cheese-mayo situation on a white sub roll with chips (my man's go-to turkey dinner, although he doesn't do the mayo).

Try these, you will be hooked!! 

(Note: the first pic is from another night when I made these, months back-- last night's photo is above).