Three simple sandwiches

Newsday (MCT) - These three nourishing sandwiches are made with lean protein and nutrient-rich ingredients such as bell peppers, chickpeas and whole grains. But you won't think of their nutritional goodness when you're eating them _ each is also robustly flavorful, hearty and satisfying.

CHEESE-STEAK SANDWICHES WITH MUSHROOMS, ONIONS AND PEPPERS

1 pound braciole top-round steak (thin sheets), cut into very thin strips

1 tablespoon olive oil

1˝ cups thinly sliced sweet onion

1 clove garlic, minced

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

˝ cup green bell pepper, thinly sliced

˝ cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced

Ľ cup Madeira

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Ľ teaspoon black pepper

4 ounces shredded light Mexican blend (or other light cheese, such as Cheddar)

8 ounces soft Italian bread loaf, cut into four sections and split horizontally

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high. Add the meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is no longer pink. Remove from the pan.

2. Add the oil to the pan and heat it; add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and bell peppers and cook until soft, another 5 minutes. Pour in the Madeira and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the steak, Worcestershire sauce and pepper and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

3. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cheese until it is completely melted. Divide among the 4 rolls and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings

Nutritional analysis per serving: 515 calories, 51 g protein, 4 g fiber, 14 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 573 mg sodium

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MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN IN PITA

2 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided

1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided

1 (6-ounce) container nonfat plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

ľ cup chopped red onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup grape cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup diced cucumber

˝ cup parsley, chopped

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch dice

˝ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

4 whole-wheat pocket pitas (warmed, if desired)

1. Combine 1 teaspoon of the paprika, ˝ teaspoon of cumin and the yogurt and set aside at room temperature while you cook.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the skillet and stir about half the mixture into the yogurt. Combine the remaining cooked onion with the chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber and parsley.

3. Toss the chicken with the remaining 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, ˝ teaspoon cumin, salt and black pepper. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium high. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the vegetable mixture to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are slightly wilted and the vegetables heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Cut the top ˝-inch off the pitas and fill about halfway with the chicken and vegetable mixture. Spoon some of the yogurt sauce in each pita, top with remaining chicken and spoon in remaining sauce. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings

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Nutritional analysis per serving: 511 calories, 39 g protein, 11 g fiber, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 943 mg sodium

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TURKEY 'REUBEN' PANINI

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

8 slices rye bread

4 ounces sliced reduced-fat Swiss cheese

8 ounces sliced smoked turkey

˝ cup sauerkraut (preferably low sodium), drained and rinsed

Ľ cup low-fat Thousand Island dressing

2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

1. Spread the mustard on one side of each slice of bread. Top four of the slices with the cheese and the turkey. Spoon the sauerkraut over the turkey, top with the dressing and close the sandwich.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 sandwiches; weight the sandwiches by placing a heavy skillet over them. Cook until the undersides are golden; about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until the undersides are golden. Add remaining oil and repeat with remaining sandwiches. Makes 4 servings

Nutritional analysis per serving: 381 calories, 24 g protein, 4 g fiber, 14 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 1,310 mg sodium

Add more vegetables to any of these sandwiches to pump up the nutrients. When you add vegetables, you also can cut back on the protein, which can help you feel fuller on fewer calories.

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© 2009, Newsday.