light summer sandwich

as the weather warms up, so does your kitchen and after a long day of work or play the last thing you want to do is cook. here is the perfect answer to a quick, healthy and filling dinner.
the sun is out and that means so are all of the bounties of summer vegetables and herbs. lucky for me i have neighbors who garden and farmers market on every day of the week close to where i live, but no matter where you are there is a store, produce stand or mom and pop market that have tomatoes stacked high and herbs in abundance. i will post what i used below, but feel free to use any cheeses and veggies you chose, the possibilities are endless and it only is about 5 mins out of your busy day.

1 baguette sliced lengthwise, toasted, grilled, broiled
fresh sliced tomatoes
1 handful of arugula also known as rocket
1/2 cup of ricotta cheese
1 tbls of olive oil, flavored is always a great option
1 teas of thyme, chopped fine
1 tbls of Parmesan
salt & pepper to taste

mix olive oil, thyme, Parmesan, and salt and pepper into the ricotta cheese. taste and adjust to your taste buds. spread the mixture on each side of your warm toasted bread. i used the broiler for mine, but feel free to throw it in the toaster or on the grill whatever makes your life easier. place sliced tomatoes and arugula on top of one side of baguette and top with the other, press down a bit to let the flavors mingle. cut into sandwiches wedges and enjoy.

as i said before you can substitute any of the ingredients above, i used ricotta, because of the creaminess and the fact that it is high in protein and lower in fat then some cheeses. goat cheese would be great too. you can even find flavored spreadable cheeses at most markets, saving you the step of having fresh thyme on hand and chopping. another great topping would be spinach, or for the more hearty appetite, a little bit of prosciutto, layered through the middle would be fabulous. the idea is a quick and yummy dinner with minimal fuss and clean up. now if you'll excuse me, i am off to eat my yummy, no cook dinner after a long day of my own!