5 Genius Ways to Upgrade Your Favorite Foods

It may seem like you just can’t improve upon certain food pairings: tomatoes and basil, crudités and dip, bread and cheese. But just like plot twists in a rom-com, unexpected updates can make you love a tried-and-true formula even more. In celebration of Epicurious’ Cheese Week (and National Grilled Cheese Month!) we asked three food bloggers to put their stamp on a few classics. Here are the delicious results.

Grilled Cheese

You probably always pop some cheddar slices in between buttered bread, right? Erin Alderson of whole-foods blog Naturally Ella flips that script with herGarlicky Kale Grilled Cheese With Melted Gouda。She makes the kid-friendly sandwich sophisticated enough for adults by using kale that’s been sautéed in olive oil with a little bit of garlic along with Arla® Gouda cheese, which has a rich, slightly sweet flavor and smooth, creamy texture that’s perfect for melting—plus no artificial flavors or preservatives.

Bruschetta

The typical situation is toasted Italian bread drenched in olive oil and topped with garlicky tomatoes. In the Joyful Healthy Eats version, Krista Rollins spreads toasted baguette slices with farm-to-fridge Arla® Original cream cheese made from just four simple ingredients—cream, milk, cheese culture, and salt— in Wisconsin, where Rollins grew up. Then she tops each bite with a dollop of homemade pesto and finishes it off with sliced strawberries. The result:Pesto Cream Cheese Strawberry Bruschetta, an appetizer or snack that’s healthy, beautiful, and fuss-free.

Veggies & Hummus

Honestly, does anyone still get excited by a tray of baby carrots and a tub of hummus? Alderson gives the crudités-and-dip combo a much-deserved makeover with herHavarti Hummus Toast with Roasted Asparagus。Instead of keeping the veggies raw, she briefly roasts them until they’re slightly tender, then arranges them on bread that’s been spread with hummus. To finish, she tops each open-face sandwich with a slice of buttery Arla® Havarti cheese and broils them until the cheese is melted and just turning golden-brown.

Caprese Salad

Fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil make up a classic trio, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t use some refreshing. Blogger and registered dietitian Miryam Quinn Doblas of Eat Good 4 Life keeps the tomato and basil, but uses two kinds of semisoft cheese in herCaprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich: mellow Arla® Havarti cheese and slightly sharp, naturally delicious Arla® Fontina cheese, both made from farm fresh milk that is free of added hormones*, artificial flavors and preservatives. And rather than arranging it on a platter salad-style, she layers the ingredients between olive oil–brushed bread and griddles the sandwiches until the cheeses melt.

Bagels & Cream Cheese

A toasted bagel spread with cream cheese makes a great breakfast. But for a more filling lunch, try Alderson’sLoaded Vegetarian Bagel Sandwiches with Cream Cheese。Alderson始于Arla®药草和香料膏cheese, which is free of thickeners and stabilizers and you can definitely taste the difference. The light, fresh flavor of the cheese contrasts nicely with the hearty whole-wheat bagels and crunchy raw cucumbers and carrots. Then she heaps on juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, and dark, leafy greens for a piled-high sandwich that’s as satisfying as it is good for you.

*No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rBST treated and non-rBST treated cows.