The toastie is classic comfort food. When a sandwich suddenly becomes warm, crunchy and gooey, your mouth knows it’s in for a treat. The trouble is, when you’re pursuing a fitness goal, the toastie often carries a lot of unwanted baggage in the form of saturated fats and sugar. Want to keep your toastie wholesome, whilst maintaining its tastiness? Then read on for Toastie Time: 5 Healthy yet Delicious Flavours that Pop!
1. The Big Bread Issue
The truth is, white bread is the best thing for a toastie. It’s soft, fluffy, and, when toasted- turns a gorgeous golden brown. Unfortunately, it’s also high in sugar and salt. But, fear not, wholemeal bread is eagerly waiting as a substitute boasting a high fibre content and healthier vitamins! Wholemeal bread, when paired with some tasty flavours, can make for a killer healthy toastie.
2. The Cheese Dilemma
Part of the toastie’s appeal is the oozing cheese spilling down its crust. However, this can mean that a toastie is over-rich in saturated fat and salt, which can be off-putting for someone chasing a fitness goal. I offer you, in the place of mozzarella and cheddar: cottage cheese and feta! Cottage cheese is very low-fat and protein rich, even it doesn’t flaunt glamorous street cred. But, a thin coating of cottage cheese in your toastie can mimic the creaminess that mozzarella offers. Feta is also low in fat compared to other cheeses; a small crumble over your filling will pack a welcome salty punch.
3. The Filling Fiasco
Treat the filling of your toastie as an opportunity to get a fulfilling whack of flavour into your day! Here are three ideas for your toastie fillings:
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Veggie Curried Chicken – vegetarian chicken products are readily available from supermarkets, and are often low-fat and high-protein. They can be pricey, so consider tofu as a replacement. Try marinating your filling in yogurt and a teaspoon or two of garam masala, cumin or curry powder. It creates an exotic, spicy kick!
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Tenderstem Broccoli – I may have completely made up broccoli in a toastie, but I promise it works! Roast your tenderstem broccoli in a teaspoon of oil and a dash of garlic for 12-15 mins. When it’s done, it will provide a satisfying green crunch to your toastie!
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Garlic Mushrooms – fry some finely sliced mushrooms with a little olive oil and a clove or two of garlic. Then, you’ll have your hands on a creamy, textured toastie filling that goes well with a small sprinkling of walnuts!
4. Condiment Chaos
A toastie isn’t complete without a dollop of sauce; it’s important for the texture of the toast since it contrasts with the crunch of the bread. The truth is, if you look at decent quality ones, most condiments aren’t very unhealthy and it’s a good opportunity to plant an explosion of flavour. Some French mustard, tomato ketchup, low-fat mayo, or even some peanut butter, are all good toastie accompaniments.
5. Spice it Up!
Herbs and spices are the best friend of the healthy diet enthusiast. They’re packed with nutrients and flavour, but are virtually empty of calories. A personal favourite is a sprinkling of rosemary over the top of some crumbled feta in the toastie. Some finely chopped coriander also goes gorgeously with the veggie-curried chicken filling.
