Broiled Turkey Cheese and Apple Delight: My Knock-Off of SmallerSam_PCOS's Viral Sandwich

 

If you're not deep into TikTok or Instagram, you might have missed Samantha Milton, the incredible creator behind @SmallerSam_PCOS and @smaller_sam.pcos. This young woman lost an astounding 250 pounds by eating in a calorie deficit—and yes, she openly shares that she uses weight loss meds to help. Impressive? Absolutely. She has fans cheering her on and haters in the comments, but how can you not root for someone achieving such a transformation?

What I love most about Sam is her real-talk approach to healthy eating. She doesn't swear off fast food; instead, she lightens it up and breaks down the exact calories and protein for every hack. Need a guilt-free Big Mac? She's got you. I don't eat fast food often, but when that craving hits, her tips are gold.

Recently, Sam shared a Turkey Cheese and Honeycrisp Apple Panini made with Aldi ingredients. It looked so fresh and tasty that I whipped up my own version using what I had on hand. No Panini press? No sourdough? No problem! Mine's a Broiled Turkey Cheese and Apple Delight—easier to assemble, just as delicious, and perfect for busy weeknights. The star? Her genius hack for tossing greens in olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. I'd never tried it before, but now it's my go-to for light, zesty dinner salads. Simple, fast, and way better than heavy dressings!

Inspired by Sam's exact calorie/protein math (adjusted slightly for my swaps), this sandwich clocks in at 475 calories and 38g protein. High-protein, low-effort heaven. Here's the full recipe. 

Broiled Turkey Cheese and Apple Delight Recipe

 1 (4-inch wide) piece focaccia bread, cut in half
1 T. red pepper jelly
3 slices deli turkey
⅓ c. shredded mozzarella cheese
½ Melissa’s Honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
1 c. spring mix greens
½ T. olive oil
½ T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat your broiler. 

Open the focaccia and spread each half with ½ tablespoon red pepper jelly. 

On one half, pile the turkey slices and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. 

Broil for 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

While broiling, toss the spring mix with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. 

Remove sandwich from oven. Layer sliced apples and dressed greens on top of the melted cheese. 

Top with the other focaccia half and enjoy immediately! 

Pro Tip: Sam's original uses a Panini press and arugula—both awesome! My broiler method makes adding apples and greens a breeze without disassembly.

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