Baked Ziti with Spinach & Cashew Cheese

1 Recipe of Mel's Zesty Marinara Sauce (see below)
1 lb Tinkyada Brown Rice Ziti or Penne, cooked al dente
2 c. Cashew Cheese (recipe below)
1 cup organic, frozen chopped Spinach thawed

Mel's Zesty Marinara Sauce
1 red onion, diced
1 c. shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. thyme
1 TBL Tamari
1 TBL Balsamic Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ can tomato paste
2 -28oz cans Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tsp. Agave Nectar (leave out for cleanse or add 1 tsp xylitol)
2 TBL Fresh basil, chopped

In a stock pot heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion, garlic & mushrooms until soft & caramelized. Add thyme & oregano and stir to incorporate to release the herbs. Add crushed tomatoes & tomato paste. Reduce heat and simmer 20-30
minutes. Add tamari, agave & balsamic vinegar & stir well. Simmer 5-10 minutes more. Season with salt & pepper and top with fresh basil.

Cashew Cheese
2 cups cashews, soaked for 4 hours & drained
Filtered water
2 TBL Nutritional yeast flakes
sea salt & pepper to taste

Place soaked cashews in a blender cup with just enough water to barely cover. Blend until very smooth. Add nutritional yeast and blend. This mixture should be fairly thick, so if it's too thin, add some more cashews. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Pour into a bowl and add spinach. Stir well to incorporate


Preheat oven to 400.
To Assemble:
Place cooked Ziti noodles in large bowl. Ladle in marinara sauce until well covered. Stir to coat. If you like more sauce, add more. Add 1 cup cashew cheese & spinach mixture and stir to incorporate. You can always add more if you want more. Pour into baking dish and ladle sauce on top to cover. Sprinkle with additional nutritional yeast flakes. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes until heated through. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. MANGIA!!

Source: Karma Chow Newsletter, 05/05/10

Pineapple Tofu Stir-Fry

From EatingWell

2 servings, 1 1/2 cups each
Active Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition Profile:
Diabetes appropriate | Low calorie | Low cholesterol | Low saturated fat | Low sodium | Heart healthy | Healthy weight | High calcium | High potassium |

Ingredients:

• 1 - 8-ounce can pineapple chunks or tidbits, 3 tablespoons juice reserved ( I would use fresh)
• 5 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 7 ounces extra-firm, water-packed tofu, drained, rinsed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (See Tip for Two)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3 teaspoons canola oil, divide
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1 large bell pepper, cut into 1/2-by-2-inch strips

Preparation:

1. Whisk the reserved 3 tablespoons pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup and sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Place tofu in a medium bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons of the sauce. Let marinate for 5 minutes. Add cornstarch to the remaining sauce and whisk until smooth.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer the tofu to the skillet using a slotted spoon. Whisk any remaining marinade into the bowl of sauce. Cook the tofu, stirring every 1 to 2 minutes, until golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes total. Transfer the tofu to a plate.

3. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the sauce and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Add the tofu and pineapple chunks (or tidbits) and cook, stirring gently, until heated through, about 2 minutes more.

• Make Ahead Tip: The tofu can marinate (Step 1) for up to 30 minutes.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 263 calories; 12 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrates; 10 g protein; 4 g fiber; 368 mg sodium; 549 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (280% daily value), Vitamin A (50% dv), Calcium (25% dv), Magnesium (18% dv).

Exchanges: Exhanges: 2 fruit, 1 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat, 1 1/2 fat

Source: Helping Reshape the World Newsletter, 04/27/10

Spinach Pie & Pineapple Dessert

A friend's mom makes this and I love it so much that I decided to give it a try. I used:

1 sheet Pepperidge Farm phyllo

2 boxes of frozen chopped spinach

1 small onion, chopped

6 oz. crumbled reduced-fat feta

2 eggs (as binder)

Salt

Oregano

I mixed all the ingredients in a bowl, poured them into a greased pyrex mold, topped it with the phyllo and egg wash and baked it at 400ºF for 15-20 minutes. So gooooood!!! I did overestimate the saltiness of the feta, though. I will add more salt to the mix next time I make it.

I had leftover phyllo so I cut up some pineapple, put it in a ramekin and topped it with the phyllo, some egg wash and maple sugar. It came out sooo good! Next time I'll sprinkle the pineapple with some flour or arrowroot so the juice that comes out of it makes a sauce.

Curried Kale with Caramelized Shallots

"Kale, is one of nature's super foods. Enjoy it raw, sauteed, juiced or made into Kale chips. I like to use the heartier Dino Kale for this tangy yet subtlety sweet recipe that will give you a new found love for this healthy & nutritious super food!" 3 Shallots, thinly sliced 1 TBL Coconut Oil 1 TBL Curry Powder 1 TBL Agave Nectar 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice 1 bunch Kale (about 4 oz) stems removed and chopped into large pieces 2 TBL Tamari, Braggs or Nama Shoyu 2 TBL Water Heat oil over medium heat, add shallots and sauté until dark brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Stir in curry powder, agave and lemon juice. Add kale, soy sauce and water. Cover and steam for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until kale is still chewy but tender. Do not overcook. Serve over Quinoa or Brown Rice! Source: Karma Chow Newsletter, 04/08/10

Holiday Table Worthy Veggie Meatloaf

3/4 c. Tomato Paste 3 TBL Tamari, divided 1 TBL dark agave nectar ½ tsp liquid smoke 1 TBL plus 2 tsp garlic, minced and divided ¼ c. olive oil, divided 1 c. onion, chopped & divided 1 c. Portobello mushrooms, chopped ½ c. celery, diced ½ c. carrot, finely diced ¾ tsp. sea salt ¾ tsp. freshly ground pepper ¾ c. cooked brown rice 2 c. cooked French lentils 1-1/2 tsp. Vegan Worcestershire sauce ¼ tsp. Dijon mustard 1 TBL Arrowroot powder ¾ c. gluten free/wheat free breadcrumbs 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside. 2. Cook lentils and brown rice per package directions. Set aside to cool (these can be prepared the day before and stored in the refrigerator overnight) 3. In a small bowl, combine tomato paste, 2 TBL tamari, agave, liquid smoke & 1 TBL garlic. Set aside 4. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 TBl olive oil and ½ cup onions. Saute for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté for 7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the remaining 2 TBL of olive oil to skillet and sauté the celery, carrots, remaining garlic, salt and pepper over low heat. Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until veggies are tender. 5. In a food processor, pulse the rice and lentils 10 times. Transfer to a large blow. In the food processor, pulse cooked veggies, Worcestershire sauce, remaining TBL tamari, mustard, arrowroot and 1/3 cup of tomato mixture 10 times. Add to rice & lentil mixture. Fold in reserved sautéed mushrooms & onions, breadcrumbs and ½ cup raw chopped onion. 6. Press half of the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and spread with half of the tomato topping. Then, press the rest of the mixture into the pan, and coat with remaining tomato topping. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes until top is brown. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving. Source: Karma Chow Newsletter, 12/02/09

AMAZING tofu scramble

I made this with Bryanna's variations and omitted the mushrooms. AMAZING!!!!!

JULIE HASSON'S YUMMY TOFU SCRAMBLE (WITH BRYANNA'S NOTES, ETC.)
Servings: 4

Julie says, "I love to serve this scramble with toasted bread for breakfast, or with gravy and quinoa for dinner. Any way you serve it, Tofu Scramble is great anytime of the day." I agree!

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more as needed
16 oz. 16-ounce container of firm, water packed tofu, rinsed (see PS at end of ingredient list)
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 teaspoon granulated onion (or onion powder)
1 small onion, (thinly) sliced
Sliced mushrooms (I use about four 2" ones)
1 clove garlic, minced
Ground white pepper, to taste (I used black pepper)
1- 1/2 tablespoon Braggs or soy sauce (I used soy sauce)

PS: If you use the pressed medium-firm tofu, as described above in the text, use only 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. You may want to use slightly less olive oil, too. I left everything else the same.

Using paper towels, blot as much moisture from the tofu as you can. You can gently squeeze it a little to extract more water.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little drizzle of olive oil (I used 2 tsp.-BCG) so that the bottom of the skillet is very lightly coated. Break the tofu into pieces and add them to the hot skillet. You can further break up any large pieces of tofu with a spatula. Let the tofu cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu has released it’s extra water, and is starting to turn golden.

Continue to saute’ the tofu until it is light golden brown. Sprinkle the nutritional yeast flakes and granulated onion over tofu, stirring so that all of the tofu is coated.

Add 2 teaspoons more olive oil to the skillet, along with the sliced onion, mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle with white pepper (or black, freshly-ground-- BCG) and drizzle with Braggs or soy sauce (this is my preference--BCG), stirring until liquid is absorbed.

Remove skillet from heat and serve the scramble warm, with toasted bread if desired.

Copyright © 2009 Julie Hasson; used with permission

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition (per serving): 153.8 calories; 52% calories from fat; 9.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 242.2mg sodium; 399.4mg potassium; 7.1g carbohydrates; 3.1g fiber; 2.0g sugar; 4.0g net carbs; 13.6g protein; 3.3 points.

NUTRITION FACTS IF MADE WITH 16 OZ. MEDIUM-FIRM TOFU PRESSED IN THE TOFU XPRESS FOR 1 HR (resulting in 8.2 oz. firm tofu), AND WITH ONLY 2 TABLESPOONS OF YEAST, 1 TABLESPOON SOY SAUCE AND 3 TEASPOONS OLIVE OIL:

(I've given you the Nutrition facts for 1/4 of the recipe and 1/2 the recipe when made with the pressed medium-firm tofu, because there is a smaller volume of tofu in it when made this way.)

Nutrition (per 1/4 of the recipe): 99.3 calories; 52% calories from fat; 6.1g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 235.0mg sodium; 277.6mg potassium; 5.5g carbohydrates; 2.1g fiber; 1.6g sugar; 3.4g net carbs; 8.0g protein; 2.1 points.

Nutrition (per 1/2 of the recipe): 196.2 calories; 52% calories from fat; 12.2g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 319.9mg sodium; 547.1mg potassium; 10.7g carbohydrates; 4.2g fiber; 3.2g sugar; 6.5g net carbs; 15.8g protein; 4.1 points.


Source:
http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2009/08/best-scrambled-tofu.html

Tofu Nuggets

1 pkg. firm or extra firm tofu
3/4 c. flour
1 c. soymilk
1 tbsp. vegan worcestershire (optional)
3/4 c. well-crushed saltine crackers
1 tsp. poultry seasoning (Mrs. Dash or something like that... make sure it's only spices, no animal products!)

cut tofu into sticks about 1/2 inch wide and 2-3 in long and place on paper towels. pat dry. put flour in one wide shallow bowl, whisk soymilk and vegan worcestershire into another wide, shallow bowl, and mix the crackers and seasoning in a third wide, shallow bowl. Take a few pieces of tofu at a time, and roll first in the flour, then dredge in the soymilk mix, and then roll in the saltine mix, pressing to hold if need be. Place nuggets on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350-375 degrees F for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. ENJOY!

Source:

http://www.veganrepresent.com/forums/showthread.php?t=282&page=268

Veggie Dog Stew with Sofrito and Peas

Risotto with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Sundried Tomatoes, and Roasted Red Peppers

Steel Cut Oat "Risotto" with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I topped it with some Feta, but otherwise, it's vegan.

Vegan Mac 'n Cheese

The first vegan mac 'n cheese I made was from Jo Stepaniak's wonderful, amazing "The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook." I made some tiny tweaks to my taste, and this is the result.


2-1/2 cups dry whole wheat elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
Tiny pinch of cayenne
1-3/4 cups almond milk, heated (or any other non-dairy, but I prefer almond)
3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 cup packed panko bread crumbs (they are crunchier and lighter than regular bread crumbs)

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Cook macaroni, drain well (save about 1/2 cup of pasta water for the sauce) and set aside.

While macaroni is cooking, heat olive oil in a large saucepan. When hot, stir in flour, mustard, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually stir in heated milk, a little at a time, mixing constantly. This should take 5 to 7 minutes. Cook the sauce until it is the consistency of thick cream, about 2 to 4 additional minutes. Remove from heat and stir in nutritional yeast flakes. Add the reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cooked macaroni and mix well.

Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle panko breadcrumbs on top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

***Sometimes we can't wait for it to bake, and we eat it like the blue box mac 'n cheese...but it's SOOOOO much better!***

BBQ Tempeh

1 package of tempeh
1 onion
1 bell pepper
1 can of hominy
Your favorite BBQ sauce

Preheat over to 350 degrees

Cut tempeh in half long ways and then each half into about four strips.

Boil water, and boil tempeh for about three minutes.

Saute onion and bell peppers

Place tempeh, and onion and bell pepper in a baking dish.

Add hominy

Cover with a tablespoon of soy sauce

Cover and mix in your favorite bbq sauce

Cook for 30-40 minutes

Source:

http://vegandenovo.blogspot.com/2008/05/down-home-cookin-bbq-tempeh.html

Cheesy vegan lasagna

INGREDIENTS:
-tofu ricotta
-cheese sauce
-about 15 cooked lasagna noodles (i used whole wheat...othergood choices are jersulem artichoke and brown rice)
-your favorite marinara sauce (at least a jar's worth)
-vegan parmesan or mozzarella to sprinkle on top

tofu ricotta:
18 oz firm tofu
3 tbl nutritional yeast
1 tbl dried basil
1 tbl oregano
1 tbl garlic powder
salt and pepper
-crumble tofu with a fork
-mix in seasoning

cheese sauce
1 cup of water
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
1/4 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tbl tahini
3 tbl whole wheat flour
2 tbl corn starch (or arrowroot)
salt, garlic powder
-blend all ingredients together

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:
-preheat oven to 350 degrees
-spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray
-spread you marinara sauce
-cover with about 5 noodles, slightly overlapping each other
-cover with ricotta
-pour a thin layer of cheese sauce
-lay 5 more noodles, then ricotta, then cheese sauce
-lay down the last 5 noodles, and pour the remaining sauce
-sprinkle your parmesan or mozzarella over the sauce
-i added some black olives on top
-bake for 40 minutes covered, and 30 minutes uncovered



update:
i asked my family for critique. here is what they said:
brother: more vegan mozzarella, and maybe some soy crumbles or vegan sausage.
dad: fresh garlic and more spices. (i definitely agree, but my mom and brother are not fans of spicy foods)
me: i would have added layers of sliced vegetables like portabella mushrooms or zucchini
mom: make more of the same!

Source:

http://vegandenovo.blogspot.com/2008/05/cheesy-vegan-lasagna.html

CHEESELESS MACARONI N’ CHEESE

250g Elbow Macaroni, about 1/2 Lb
1 Tablespoon Margarine, or butter
1 1/2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1 3/4 Cups Plain Soy Milk
2 bay leaves
2 Cloves Garlic, peeled and broken with the side of a chef’s knife
Scant 1/2 teaspoon Salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon Tumeric Powder
Pinch Cayenne Pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast Flakes

Cook the pasta as to package directions to al dente.
Drain, rinse and set aside.
Warm the milk over a low heat and add the bay leaves and garlic.
In a medium saucepan, melt the margarine then sprinkle over the flour mixing well to combine and smooth to make a roux.
Strain the milk and whisk into the flour mixture.
Add the spices and salt, continuing to whisk occasionally to remove any chance of lumps until saucy thick and smooth.
Pour over drained pasta and mix.

Source:

http://veganvisitor.wordpress.com/2008/04/16/favourite-things-dinner/

Poopiebitch's 'Tuna' Salad

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 sheets nori, toasted
1 tsp kelp powder
scant ½ cup Vegenaise
¼ cup + 1 TBS prepared mustard
½ cup minced red onion
½ cup minced celery
½ cup Wickles relish (or other pickle relish)
1 TBS nooch
1 TBS Bragg's (or tamari or soy sauce)
1 tsp garlic salt
½ tsp celery seed
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse chickpeas well and set aside to drain. Toast nori and pulse in food processor until no large pieces remain. Add chickpeas and pulse until mushy but not smooth - careful not to over process, we're looking for a little texture, not pureed into a paste.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix well and check for seasoning. It is better the next day so make it in advance and resist the urge to eat it all the first day if possible. If you make it the day you plan to eat it, at least give it a couple of hours to chill through as it really improves the flavor.

This recipe does make a lot (which I recommend because you will want a lot, but it can easily be halved if you prefer). My favorite way to eat it is on Whole Wheat Ritz crackers, but it's good as a dip for veggies and on sandwiches too.

Source:

http://www.postpunkkitchen.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=58683

Baked Spelt Macaroni with Cashew Cheddar Cheese Recipe

A couple things you should know before you jump into today's recipe. The cheese - one of this things I really loved about this nut cheese was that it is creamy without being oily. You know how hot cheese sometimes breaks, and you end up with globs of cheese that weep oil? That doesn't happen here. This cheese stays nice and creamy throughout all sorts of abuses. The next thing you should know is that agar is pricey - but you have options. We get the flakes in little packets that run roughly $5 a baggie / $5 per ounce. If it is any consolation, this recipe make a LOT of cheese - enough for two large Mac n' Cheese casseroles. If you are really on a budget, just get one ounce of the agar and follow the rest of the recipe the way it is written. Your cheese probably won't ever get firm enough to grate, but that's not what you are after for this recipe anyway. You just want a melty, creamy, cheese-ish, coating for the noodles. Lastly, go ahead and use any sort of short whole-grain pasta for the noodles. I didn't have spelt on hand, but we had brown rice penne, and that worked out tasty.



Baked Spelt Macaroni with Cashew Cheddar Cheese Recipe

12 ounces spelt elbow macaroni (heidi note: I used small brown rice penne)
2 1/4 cups melted Cashew Cheddar Cheese (see recipe below)
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley (heidi note: I used the chives I had on hand)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes, or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Toss the macaroni with the melted cheese in a large bowl, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten and coat the pasta. Transfer the macaroni mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish. Cover and bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Meanwhile, chop the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Toss the breadcrumbs with the parsley, olive oil, garlic, and pepper in a bowl to coat. Uncover the hot macaroni and cheese and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over. Continue baking, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and crisp.

Serves 6 to 8.

Cashew Cheddar Cheese

Header notes from Ann Gentry: This cheese is great for shredding or melting. Cashews work better than other nuts because they blend into such a creamy, rich consistency. If you're not satisfied with the cheese's final consistency or texture, blame the agar flakes; all store-bought brands of agar flakes are cut differently, which unfortunately affect's the amount added if measured by volume. If you'd rather not; learn the hard way as I did, go by the provided weight; rather than cup measure.

1 1/4 cups raw cashews
1/2 cup nutrirional yeast
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 1/2 cups unsweetened plain soymilk
I cup agar flakes (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup canola oil (heidi note: I don't like canola - used a mild tasting olive oil)
1/4 cup yellow miso
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about I lemon)

Using the pulse button, finely grind the cashews in a food processor; don't allow the cashews to turn into a paste. Add the nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper. Pulse three more times to blend in the spices.

Combine the soymilk, agar, and oil in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the agar is dissolved. With the food processor running, gradually pour the soymilk mixture through the feed tube and into the cashew mixture. Blend for 2 minutes, or until very smooth and creamy, and then blend in the miso and lemon juice.

For grated or sliced cheese, transfer the cheese to a container, cover, and refrigerate about 4 hours, until very firm. Once it's firm, grate or slice the cheese as desired.

For melted cheese, use the cheese immediately as melted cheese. Alternatively, make the cheese in advance, cover, and refrigerate. When you're ready to use the cheese, melt it in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth and creamy, stirring frequently. If needed, add more soymilk for a thinner consistency.

For Jalapeno Cashew Cheddar Cheese: Stir 2 tablespoons of minced jalapeno chiles into 2 cups of melted cheese. The cheese will keep for 4 days, covered and refrigerated

Make 4 cups.

Source:

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000685.html

Deli Style No-Tuna Melt

Ingredients (makes enough for 4 sandwiches)
8 oz soy tempeh, crumbled into teeeny tiny pieces
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/4 tsp dill
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. You can use this on a sandwich, or on a bed of greens for a no-tuna salad

If making a melt, preheat your cast iron skillet or pan. To get the best browning without added fat and calories, spray the pan with nonstick spray, then cook until browned, applyin pressure from the top with a spatula, spray the top with cooking spray, then flip, and apply pressure until browned.

Source:

http://justthefood.blogspot.com/2008/02/deli-style-no-tuna-melt.html