Grilled Vegetable, Portabella and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

All I can say is YUM!   These sandwiches really hit the spot.  We were craving a good hearty sandwich with crusty bread, grilled healthy vegetables, and tangy goat cheese.  I can't describe how good these are!  It's so colorful and flavorful.  I've already planned to include these at my next party, cut on the diagonal, and served in smaller pieces. 

The original recipe by Giada De Laurentis included eggplant which was replaced in this recipe by portabella mushrooms. 

Grilled Vegetable, Portabella and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

adapted from Giada De Laurentis

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 zucchini, ends trimmed and discarded, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 package of sliced baby portabella mushrooms
1 baguette, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
1 cup (6 1/2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups baby spinach

Directions
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, tarragon, thyme, salt, and pepper. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a medium bowl. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and toss until coated. Place the vegetables on the grill pan or grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until tender (I cooked mine in a skillet). While the vegetables are cooking, spread the olive oil mixture on the bottom 1/2 of the baguette halves. Using a spatula spread the goat cheese on the top halves. Place the cooked vegetables on the bottom half of the baguette. Arrange the spinach on top of the vegetables. Place the top half of the baguette over the filling.
To serve, cut the baguette into 4 sandwiches. Serve immediately or wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.