PB & J Banana Panini
Friends of ours gave us a panini press as a wedding present and for some reason it sat in the closet for years until we had kids. I don’t know why we didn’t break it out sooner because it’s hands down one of my favorite pieces of kitchen equipment. It’s amazing how just hot pressing a sandwich can turn average bread and filling into a rich, gooey and crusty creation that my kids, their friends (and our mommy and daddy friends) adore.
Surprisingly, making a panini doesn’t take much longer than a regular sandwich. In fact, while I’m packing the rest of Kenya’s lunch I just put his sandwich in the press for a couple of minutes and by the time I’m finished, so is the sandwich, ready to be packed away.
When most people think about paninis, cheese comes to mind, but I thought hot pressing a PB&J was a cool way to liven up a classic school lunch sandwich. With plenty of potassium from the banana slices, carbohydrates from the bread and protein from the nut butter, this is a well rounded treat that will keep your kids going in the middle of the day when they need it most. You’ll be hard pressed to beat it. 
PB & J Panini (Serves 4)
2 Bananas
8 Slices Whole Wheat Bread
¼ Cup Jelly, Jam or Preserves
¼ Cup Peanut Butter (you can also use sunflower, almond or cashew butter)
1. Cut the banana in half. Then cut each half into strips lengthwise (so the pieces are long and flat).
2. Spread the peanut butter on one side of four pieces of the bread and top with the several slices of bananas.
3. Spread the jelly on one side of the four remaining pieces of bread and then place on top of the banana slices.
4. Place sandwiches in a panini maker, press and cook for 3-4 minutes or until sandwich is pressed and golden.
5. Serve.
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Cheers,
Jenn
I’ve definitely made this one before and I must agree – it’s fantastic!
My son’s old babysitter always grilled the PB & J sandwiches for the kids and when she showed me it did sound sooooo good. Same idea I guess without the press.
I just bought a panini press! I was definitely inspired to do so by your recipes but am sooo happy to have it. It’s really wonderful!
Can you do this on a george forman grill too? We dont have a panini press but I was thinking of doing it for lunch tomorrow! Thanks!
Yes that would be fine
We love PB&J paninis!!
alternative: stack on flatbread: PB, sliced banana, granola, drizzle of honey; fold over & panini-press. Yum!
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Hi Catherine,
Do you know of any panini makers that have a stainless steel interior as opposed to the usual non stick ones? Thanks!