Gluten Free Grilled Cheese with fresh cherries, basil, and provolone cheese is a healthy “gourmet” recovery meal, with good carbs, protein, fats and anti-inflammatory rich nutrients. A fun twist on the original grilled cheese sandwich. Your whole family will love this gluten free grilled cheese sandwich recipe, kids included! Even better in a cast iron skillet! Now get grillin!
Nutrition is always a hot topic these days, isn’t it? We’re get bombarded with fad diets and what NOT to eat. Ugh, I cringe.
Ever since I started to eat a gluten free diet (7 years ago), I’ve never looked at food and nutrition quite the same. And being married to a professional athlete for the past 8 years, food has never been “just food.”
Nope.
Food has been fuel. Food has been nourishment. Food has been a source of CALORIES when needed. Food has been giving us the energy to do what we do, simple as that. There have been times when we focused on eating less of this or that, but I’d say our real MAIN health goal is to focus on what can we ADD to our diets in order to thrive and recover properly.
It makes more sense, don’t you think? To focus on what KEY nutrients that are freakin fabulous instead of what type of diet might or might not be good/bad? Because let’s face it, we are all different and our body’s needs can change each day.
That being said, let’s talk recovery food —> FOR ANYONE, whether you are an endurance athlete, weight lifter, runner, every day fitness lover, or cross fitter. We all need a good recovery meal to replenish those muscles. Well today I have a delicious gluten free grilled cheese sandwich recipe that involves a FABULOUS food to speed up that recovery time!
CHERRIES (and cheese)!
Tart cherries contain high levels of plant polyphenolic compounds such as anthocyanins (the kind that give it it’s deep red color). These compounds are believed to provide mega anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which in return can help fight oxidative stress brought on by intense exercise, long runs, etc. Yep, that kind, the kind that makes your muscles sore and stiff. In fact, research and shown that drinking or eating tart cherry juice after races or intense strength sessions (on a weekly basis) can speed up recovery and reduce the amount of muscle damage. Heck ya! source
That being said, I just had to ADD this powerful food to our one of our favorite post workout meals -> the beloved GRILLED cheese.
How this gluten free grilled cheese sandwich helps with recovery:
- Cherries – anti-inflammatory and reduce muscle soreness
- Gluten free chia bread (udis) – Restore glycogen in the muscles
- Provolone cheese – Calcium and Protein for bones and muscle repair
- Basil – this delicious herb also has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, so great for immunity.
- BONUS –> grill/cook a cast iron skillet to get in more MINERALS!
Side note– the basil really helps balance out the tartness of the cherries in combination with the provolone. It’s amazing, I promise!
Print
Cherry Basil Provolone Gluten Free Grilled Cheese
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Description
Cherry Basil Provolone Gluten Free Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 pieces of gluten free bread
- 2 oz provolone
- butter or coconut butter
- 1/3 cup sliced or chopped berries
- 2 fresh basil leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- first butter your bread. Lay flat then place 1 oz (slice) provolone on each piece of bread. Top one side with the cherries and basil. Season with a dash of pepper. Place other bread on top.
- Next, warm your skillet. I used a cast iron skillet.
- Add 1 tsp of butter or use coconut spray and grease your pan (I used a cast iron skillet for more flavor and nutrients).
- Place sandwich in skillet and press down with spatula for a few minutes or until the bread is browned and cheese is starting to melt.
- Then flip to the other side and repeat. Bread should be nice and golden brown and the cheese melted.
Serve with almond milk or organic milk and you’ve got one FREAKIN FABULOUS recovery meal.
Oh and this gluten free grilled cheese is totally kid approved! Just take out the basil if you’d like and feel free to use cheddar instead. Still delicious and nutritious!
Mmm, k.
HOW TO MAKE CHERRY BASIL PROVOLONE GLUTEN FREE GRILLED CHEESE:
What’s your favorite way to eat cherries? Favorite recovery meal?
But wait, there’s more! This recipe is part of our 10 BEST OF FOOD ALLERGY FRIENDLY LUNCH BOX IDEAS.
Head on over to the page to check out more recipes!
Cheers,
Learn more about living gluten free! Visit http://udisglutenfree.com/community
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Udi’s Gluten Free. The opinions and text are all mine.
Hi, I’m Lindsay! Gluten Free Nutrition Specialist, food photographer and author of 
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Wow, this looks unreal! Grilled cheese was one of my pregnancy cravings and I ate it daily but this looks better than anything I had, yum!
This sandwich has my name written all over it. Seriously, I need one of these in my life, and amen to focusing on foods we can and should eat as opposed to what to cut. Love it, love you.
I would have never thought of this combo, but now I need to try it!
Yum, Lindsay! My family would definitely love the salty-sweet combo with the fruit and cheese in these sandwiches. The basil is such a unique addition! Love it! 🙂
let me know if you give it a whirl blair!
I see you went with grilled cheese–good choice! I’m all about the cherries these days but never would have thought to put them on a sandwich. Great choice 😀
Linds. I. can’t. even. Cherries? Basil? Grilled cheese? OMG
I absolutely love cherries+cheese and this looks perfect! I’d eat it for how good it looks and the recovery benefits would just be a bonus. 😉
not gonna lie –> IT WAS AMAZING!
LOVE this hearty, healthy sandwich! Favorite way to eat cherries = dried. There, I said it.
★★★★★
mmm yes, me too!
Yum! I absolutely adore this recipe. Making it soon.
let me know if you do!
Yes! For starters, this sandwich looks beautiful, but I am sure the goodness does not stop there, I am sure it tastes beyond delicious too. Yum.
it really does, the combo is insanely refreshing!
Love, love, LOVE the combination of cheese and fruits. Those are definitely my two key ingredients in grilled cheese sandwiches, and no one ever believes me when I tell them how good they are! And I love how you focus on ADDING instead of taking away. I find that, with allergies especially, it’s better to focus on the things you CAN have instead of the things you can’t. Makes it a little less painful 😉
exactly! much more enjoyable that way too!
Grown up grilled cheese- yes please! I love hearing people look at food as fuel or nourishment- totally feel the same way!
i thought you would jess. xxoo
Yum!!! This is such a beautiful summer meal.
I would have never thought to combine cherries and cheese, but this sounds delicious!
Ok, this looks absolutely freaking amazing. Good gracious you’re a genius!!!
I love to add cherries to my smoothies and oatmeal…BUT this sandwich may be a new favorite. The frozen cherries at Costco are delicious and always a nice staple to have, when the cherry craving occurs! 🙂
WOW – that looks amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love cherries – right off the stem or in my greek yogurt or anytime! 🙂
Recovery grilled cheese! Hell yes. Also I cannot get over how gorgeous these pics are. I’ve been craving grilled cheese for days and this is my perfect excuse <3 Yum
Holy moly this looks amazing. And now I’m starving!
I love everything about this – your approach to add good foods in rather than deprive, cheese, cherries for recovery. Can we please just start a food company?
Wow, Lindsay this sandwich looks phenomenal! I love the combination of flavors and I think the cherries sound like a fantastic addition!
I usually sneak vegetables into grilled cheese when we make it, and now I’ll have to try adding fruit! I love all the anti-inflammatory goodness here!
I am LOVING the sound of this sweet and savory combo!
You are genius!! Not only is this beautiful but I bet it tastes as good as it looks! I use to love blueberry grilled cheese and beet grilled cheese among others but after cutting dairy I haven’t had them. I think maybe I have had one grilled cheese if that since adding limited dairy back in. I’m going to have to try this, pinned so I don’t forget. Now just to hide some cherries since we eat them as quick as I buy them.
ohhh beets would be good! i think so delicious needs a cheese, yes?
Looks delicious! I love a good salty and sweet combo.
This looks magical and has all my favorite words in it. BASIL is my love AAF. I don’t even know the last time I wrote that.
Is that the Udi’s millet chia bread?
sure is!
okay, thanks. That one contains inulin which I have read can cause tummy pain if you are prone to that. I have so many digestive problems I was afraid to try products with inulin. I was hoping Udi had a plain chia bread without the inulin (not the millet one which does). Nice to know you don’t have problems with inulin!
i honestly don’t eat it that often (inulin), i don’t think. Hmm, I better check on that. haha.. But this bread hasn’t given me any issues yet. i also don’t eat it every day.
holy smokes…this looks good 😉 I need to make asap! I’m loving that it’s cherry season.
These seriously look UNREAL. So good! I’m not even a huge fan of cherries, but I will be trying these!!
★★★★★
i bet it would be great with raspberry or blueberry too!
This looks out of this world amazing! I am so pinning this one!
★★★★★
All I can say is THANK YOU! My kids love grilled cheese for lunch and I have been feeling so blah about it, you know? Some days I add avocado and tomato, but that has been getting old too.
Now THIS is just what I need to spice things up!! It’s like a breath of fresh air for our lunchtime!! xx
this is gorgeous! you just took grilled cheese to the next level seriously! the color from the cherry just makes this look so decadent!
i know, i just love the color too! haha
Incredible, my friend! Totally craving this sweet-salty combo right now… Definitely pinning for later! And beautiful photos – very impressive!
YUM!!! this is nirvana!! I love grilled cheese and ADORE cherrries, and together?! amazing!! must try. I could eat a lb of fresh cherries in a sitting, just the way they are. so tasty! recovery meal? hmm, lots of veggies, I used to crave carbs but now I crave veggies!
YES. This is a grilled cheese and yes to nutrients- Please make me this. I’ll dance.
only if you do the haka dance!
AH! This looks like such a delicious treat 🙂
grilled cheese as recovery fuel? Yes please!!!!!!
Wow! Now this is a grilled sandwich! The images are seriously so mouthwatering & I love the addition of cherries.
well thank you beautiful friend. <3
Oh my goodness gracious!
I am salivating here.
I’ve never tried cherries in a grilled sandwich before. Another flavour combination you’ve given me to try. Thanks Lindsay! 🙂
★★★★★
as always, love your outlook on nutrition! crowd OUT the bad food with healthy food so you don’t even think about it!
Yum! berries and cheese are a fantastic combo! One day I hope my pics will look like yours! They are beautiful! 🙂
I never though about cherries in a sandwich. Yummy.
oh my, this looks amazing. I want it NOW!!!
I totally sniggered at the title. Read the recipe and realised that I should probably get the ingredients for this so I can have it for breakfast tomorrow. Because I’m going out with the girls tonight! So I need something that’s nutritious AND will give me a recovery boost!
★★★★★
I clearly need to step up my grilled cheese game…I’ve been defaulting to the whole wheat bread and….American cheese….gasp! This looks delicious, my friend 🙂 Love the cherry and basil combo.
This looks and sounds amazing! What about freshly sliced peaches with the cheese?
For sure! Maybe try grilling the peaches first pan fry with maple syrup to Caramelize. Ya know?
Training for my first marathon, and had this after today’s run. Used pumpernickel bread from a farmers market we have here on the waterfront, and the provolone was smoked. Fantastic! I had two!
★★★★★
Oh I am so glad! Love the pumpernickel bread choice. Great texture I am sure. ANd happy training! which marathon are you doing?
My grilled cheese game is on! Thanks so much!
Foodies & vegans alike you gotta try out Violife cheese.
It’s amazing & will change your life.
Enjoy!
★★★★★