Eat Healthy the Panini way

I really enjoy (and miss) a hot sandwich with melted cheese and onions. Prior to being diagnosed with celiac disease, cheesesteaks were a regular, but not-too-often part of my diet.

Photo/EatHealthyDeli.com

The panini sandwiches freshly made by the Eat Healthy Deli of Fairfield easily satisfy my craving. The roast beef with onions and cheese I sampled at the recent Gluten Free & Allergen Free Expo were To. Die. For.

Specifically, it was full of flavor, none overwhelming, and the texture was crispy or chewy in all the right places.


On the Expo's second day, I returned to the Eat Healthy Deli table to have my partner in crime taste the panini. Due to its popularity, the roast beef variety was all gone, so I tried the chicken instead. It also was very good.

I haven't yet visited the deli, but browsed through its website for more information. Turns out, the ENTIRE deli is gluten-free! According to its story, owner Gary Townsend was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2011, and made it his mission to avoid cross contamination.

In addition to paninis, the deli offers breakfast and other lunch items, including soup and salad. It also has an on-site bakery that churns out muffins, scones, cookies, cakes and pastries, as well as a market. The deli works to accommodate vegan diets, dairy restrictions and other food allergies, in addition to gluten intolerane.

If the paninis are a indication of the quality of food offered by the Eat Healthy Deli, visitors are in for a treat, and I can't wait to get there.