Tuna Artichoke Melts

I had such success with my Grown Up Tuna Melt that I decided to try a new variation.  This one is a bit less quirky, but the artichokes give it a Mediterranean taste that sets it apart from other tuna salads.  I diverged from the recipe a bit by using lemon zest with pepper (vs. lemon pepper) and by using gouda instead of the pre-grated Mexican blend.  It's the lemon zest that really made a big difference.  Anytime a sandwich is heated, it suddenly takes on a heavier quality to me.  I don't hate it (in fact, I almost always prefer panini style), but I still feel overly stuffed after eating a heated sandwich vs. a cold one.  It doesn't matter that the ingredients are exactly the same.  Calories haven't changed a bit, it's just served warm.  What can I say, it messes with my head a bit.  But the adjectives people always use to describe lemon are "bright" and "zingy".  Those adjectives are the opposite of heavy so adding the zest makes this tuna melt feel a bit lighter.  The open faced nature of the sandwich doesn't hurt, either.