Chicken and Mozzarella Picnic Sandwich Loaf

This last week life has been a picnic!

 

I’ve been out and about quite a lot on the road for work; visiting some newsworthy attractions for inspiration; and generally taking some time out. I learnt the lesson again, and fairly quickly, that many venues and road-side stop-offs just don’t cut it for bariatric eating. It’s ok once in a while to have a burger – throw out half or all of the bun, refuse the sugary sauces and then ‘enjoy’ your so-called dry and uninspiring ‘treat’  – but far better to take

along your own and have a really good guaranteed one.

 

Several of us are off again tomorrow to the coast and so I have volunteered to make the sarnies so that I can be sure I can eat what’s on offer. I am making this chicken and mozzarella sandwich loaf which is a sort of deli platter stuffed in a ciabatta style loaf with roasted vegetables.  I am lucky that I can tolerate bread so will eat a little of the bread but feast more on the filling (and certainly eat it first). If bread really causes you problems then you could wrap the filling ingredients in some lettuce leaves instead – see the example below with a chicken and bacon filling.

 

 

 

Alternatively why not make some cloud bread and see if you find it more digestible? 

 

 

 

You can buy the roasted vegetables in a jar,  ready-prepared from the deli or salad counter or make your own (see here)

 

 

This recipe keeps well for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator and travels well – on solitary journeys I plan to pop a slice in my bariatric bento box for quick and easy plus leisurely car or road-side dining on its own special little mat for a touch of alfresco luxury.

 

 

CHICKEN AND MOZZARELLA SANDWICH LOAF

Ingredients

METRIC/US

1 Ciabatta style loaf 

2 tbsp reduced-fat pesto

6-8 long Cos lettuce leaves

150 g/5 oz half-fat mozzarella, sliced

1 jar roasted vegetables in brine (or in oil if very well drained on absorbent kitchen paper), peppers/capsicums,

  aubergines/egg plant and courgettes/zucchini for example)

1 cooked skinless and boneless chicken bread, torn into pieces

 

Method

1.  Cut the top off the loaf about a quarter of the way down and pull out the soft bread (use in another dish or for breadcrumbs) to make a bowl shape of the crust with about 2 cm/¾ inch layer of bread inside.
2.  Spread the pesto in a thin layer all over the inside of the bread bowl then layer half of the lettuce leaves over the bottom. Add a layer of the mozzarella cheese, then the roasted vegetables and some chicken. Repeat these layers until the bread bowl is full. Finish with a final layer of lettuce leaves.
3.  Replace the bread lid and wrap tightly in cling film or greaseproof paper and weight down well to firm up. This is best done with a couple of cans. Leave to firm for 1-4 hours. Cut into slices to serve.

 

SERVES 4-6

WLS PORTION: ½

 

CALORIES PER PORTION (with bread): 270

PROTEIN: 18.3g

CARBOHYDRATE: 34.1g

FAT: 6.5g

 

Image courtesy of www.makemoreofsalad.com