Vegged Out Grilled Cheese

True story, I fell and dislocated my finger and it was forcibly popped back into place twice--yes two times, the first one was a fail. But the real fail was the way the accident happened. I fell into a friend's lap, face first into a plate of nachos; my finger stuck in the slits of a pool chair. Needless to say, I was embarrassed and annoyed at myself.

Since then I've spent a week as a lefty and countless hours staring at my still-swollen index finger. I'm still the laughing stock of many of my friends--I think I will never be spared--and I'm still struggling to make a full fist. I'm not however worried about the aesthetics of my hand. I might never be able to fully straighten my finger again, and this might bother my mom endlessly, but I think nicks like these are what make people interesting. They usually come with a story that always sparks up a conversation or at the very least makes someone laugh.

So, I'll stick with my crooked finger if it means I can keep my friends laughing for a while.

Now let's talk food. Someday this week--can't remember if it was Monday or Tuesday--I stopped at a cute little food store on my way back from work. I'm talking back roads of Massachusetts. I mainly bought vegetables--they were just too appealing to pass up--but I also grabbed some fruits and a bag of trail mix, can't go wrong with that.

Well, I had a bag of brussels sprouts from cete trip and I wanted to use them in a fun recipe. Cue the online food blogs. My first search delivered quick and yummy results: Balsamic Brussels Sprouts Grilled Cheese from How Sweet It Is. Fun? Check. Easy? Check Delicious? Check Check. Enjoy!

Balsamic Brussels Sprouts Grilled Cheese (adapted from How Sweet It Is)
Makes 4 sandwiches.
Active time: 15 minutes. Total time: 25 minutes.

• 1/2 lb. brussels sprouts, stems removed and chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• 4 teaspoons Earth Balance spread
• 8 slices whole wheat bread (I used Flying Pig)
• Balsamic vinegar or glaze
• 12 oz. monterrey jack cheese, sliced

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts and shallots and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat and cook until wilted and golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Clean the saucepan and heat over medium-low heat. Spread 1/2 teaspoon Earth Balance on the outside of each piece of bread. Place a layer of cheese, top with brussels sprouts and pour about 1/2 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar; top with another layer of cheese and another piece of bread, buttered -side up. Repeat with remaining slices.
3. Grill sandwiches until golden and cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes on each side. If cheese wont fully melt and bread is starting to get crispy, cover with a pot cover for 1 minute.