There’s a saying out there that makes me want to roll my eyes like a cheerleader in a made-for-Netflix teen movie. The expression is “eat to live, not live to eat.”
Like there are only two choices. Either we’re dutifully nibbling on steamed veggies and a carefully weighed portion of poached, inedible chicken breast, or we’re downing dozens of donuts which, apparently, makes us bad people.
Well, I say boo, snooze, yawn to eating for survival only. Why don’t we just store loads of army issued protein bars and freeze-dried kale and call it a day? Because it’s boring.
I want to live to eat. But I also want to live to dance. Live to hike. Live to climb a tree and to go kayaking. So I have started to exercise and to eat a more healthy diet. But what’s the point if it’s not enjoyable? Unless you’re under the age of six and still yearn for a candy-only diet, the two aren’t mutually exclusive.
My new happy discovery is microgreens. They are delicious. I want to put them on everything. And, according to Healthline, they “often contain larger amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than their more mature counterparts.” When paired with Abigail's Oven Country Loaf and a protein, you’re looking at some extreme nutrition.
I didn’t choose prosciutto for health, however. I chose it to give my sandwich a strong, indulgent flavor. It doesn’t take much for this Italian dry-cured ham to make any dish stand out. And, according to Cooking Light, prosciutto is the “close cousin to bacon that is a lighter alternative, while tasting just as satisfying.” It’s half the calories and fat.
When I’d finished making the sandwiches, I was halfway through eating mine when I realized it would be better with a squeeze of lemon and some red onion sliced thin, so I added it.
The recipe is below, but feel free to tinker with it. I served mine with jicama, red bell pepper, and a dollop of guacamole to dip them in. Enjoy my recipe:
Open-Faced Prosciutto and Chicken Sandwich with Microgreens
- Toast a slice of Country Loaf (or Garlic Rosemary)
- Mix a few drops of Extra Virgin Olive oil with a dime-sized portion of Dijon mustard and brush it on top
- Spread a small spoonful of cream cheese on top of that (Ricotta or goat cheese would also work)
- Add one piece of deli-sliced chicken breast
- Top with two slices of thin prosciutto and
- One cup of microgreens,
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion,
- One teaspoon of olive oil,
- Salt, and a squeeze of lemon juice
Author: Michelle Hubbard is a graduate of Brigham Young University with an English degree and an editing minor. She won Leading Edge’s “Best First Chapter” award and later joined the publication as a slush reader and editor. After attending the Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers conference in Sandy, Utah, she became a volunteer and this June will be her ninth year as an assistant. She is also a writing officer for Misha Collin’s charity Random Acts. A draft of her middle-grade novel, Oscar and the Ghosts of Paris, placed second with the Utah Arts Council. She lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah, with her husband, sister, two children, and far too many pets.