Eating cereal, porridge and plain old toast with butter, Marmite or jam can become boring and repetitive. So today we are looking at seven delicious ways you can create healthy toast toppings at home!
The recipe toppings will be:
- Avocado, salmon and poached egg
- Banana Twist Toast
- Philadelphia, summer berries and honey
- Posh Beans with spicy chorizo and red peppers
- Fruity Nutella Toast
- Spinach, Feta and Egg
- French Toast
Step 1: Upgrade Your Bread
"Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods." - James Beard
James Beard wasn't wrong when he spoke about the importance of a good loaf of bread. Making such a small change from Warburtons Toastie to an epic slice of sourdough can significantly improve your meal.
This is why we suggest the first step to upgrading your toast is in choosing a quality loaf of bread for all these tasty toppings to go on. We love sourdough, seeded or a freshly baked crusty white loaf.
Healthy Toast Topping #1 - Avocado, Salmon and Poached Eggs
One of my favourite toast upgrades is pinched blatantly from our local café, Number One, Peebles Road. If you’re in the area or in Edinburgh you really need to come down and check it out.
- Choose the perfect toast. Pop it in the toaster for a couple of minutes.
- Add a good slice of Protein-fuelled salmon
- Slice or smash your avocado on top for your good fats fix
- Poach yourself an egg and let the #yolkwars begin!
- Load your egg on top and finish off with a sprinkling of paprika and black pepper
Alternatively, No 1 Cafe also makes an awesome avocado on toast with a slight twist in that you start out with hummus. It sounds weird for breakfast but it totally works!
Healthy Toast Topping #2 - Banana Twist Toast
Second, on my toast upgrades is my favourite from when I was little. This is what my mum always made me when I was feeling ill, with a slight twist.
- Start out with that delicious sourdough toast, and butter, then slice or mash a banana and layer it up.
- Finally, add a good amount of cinnamon on top for that taste sensation.
You can also add some chopped nuts, and maple syrup or even replace the butter with almond or peanut butter or even Nutella!
Healthy Toast Topping #3 - Philadelphia, Berries and Honey
The idea for this came when we were out in America discussing toast and the many things you can put on it, with finally concluding that when you put jam on toast, it’s basically just smooshed-up fruit!
This toast topping is ideal for those summer months when you're bored with normal cereal or porridge.
- Start out with your favourite bread, we love sourdough!
- Then spread a thick layer of Philadelphia or alternative soft cheese
- Load up the juicy berries and top it off with a drizzle of honey and a sprig of mint...
Viola! Much tastier than plain old jam slapped on toast!
Alternatively, you could also put the berries in a pan and warm them through till they become a little mushed and oozy. The result? A delicious berry sauce to drizzle over your masterpiece.
Healthy Toast Topping #4 - Posh Beans
These hearty and indulgent beans on toast make a great upgrade to your normal tin of Heinz. With chorizo, spring onion, orange and red pepper and thickly sliced sourdough bread topped with protein-powered beans, you're onto a breakfast you'll want for lunch and dinner as well!
You'll need; chorizo, spring onion, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, red and orange peppers, a couple of slices of sourdough, a tin of tomatoes and beans, and fresh chives.
- Grab a frying pan and add a drizzle of olive oil, add the chorizo and cook for a couple of minutes until it has started to brown.
- Add in the chopped spring onion, paprika and turn down the heat and cook gently for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the peppers and Worcestershire sauce.
- Squish the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to release all of the magical flavours!
- Cook for a further 5 minutes. Season to taste, adding more Worcestershire sauce if you like.
- Meanwhile, toast the sourdough and then finally spoon over the beans and finish with a sprinkle of fresh chives.
There you have an epic twist on your standard beans on toast!
Healthy Toast Topping #5 - Fruity Nutella Toast
If you're anything like me, you'll love Nutella. I try not to buy it too often, as otherwise sometimes I find myself in my pyjamas with the jar in one hand and a spoon in the other... So one way of having my Nutella fix is by having it on toast, but also loading it up with my favourite fruit.
For this breakfast treat, you'll need some good quality bread, thickly sliced.
- Spread on a generous layer of Nutella, then place your favourite fruit onto the Nutella.
- I like to use strawberries, raspberries and bananas, but you can choose whatever fruit you like. Then you can top it off with some chopped hazelnuts for a crunch!
This is a great way of having a bit of chocolate heaven whilst also getting some of your five a day in first thing in the morning.
Healthy Toast Topping #6 - Spinach, Feta and Egg
Did you know that spinach is one of the most nutritious leafy greens you can eat?
Spinach is an extremely nutrient-rich vegetable. It packs high amounts of important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, iron, and calcium. So what better way to get these essential nutrients than by popping it on your toast?
- Start off with a good handful of spinach in a pan with a little butter or olive oil and a generous amount of black pepper. It'll only take a couple of minutes for it to wilt.
- Once it is ready, load it up on your toasted sourdough, add a sprinkling of feta cheese and whack a fried or poached egg on top and finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze!
Healthy Toast Topping #7 - French Toast
Here's a cheeky bonus recipe for all of you French toast fans! Ahh the brunch classic. French Toast...
But don't panic! We're going to give you a much healthier alternative to the sugar, syrup-drenched breakfast by using eggs.
- Grab a couple of eggs, a splash of milk and mix in a shallow bowl. You can also add a dash of cinnamon to the mixture if you want something a little different.
- Next, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and spray lightly with oil spray. (This is much healthier than drenching it in butter!)
- Dip the bread in the egg mixture, evenly coating both sides. Shake off any excess mixture
. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly browned.
- You can then serve the French toast with either some bacon or topped with blueberries and strawberries and a drizzle of maple syrup.
There you have a tasty alternative to the ever-so-loved French classic!
Looking for other recipes? Check out our blog post on Banana Omelettes!
