Four Yummy Open-Faced Sandwiches

Though bread can (unfairly) get a bad rap, it can actually be a great complement to a healthy diet if you choose high quality, whole wheat bread! My favorite bread of all time is C’ville Crunch from Great Harvest. It’s made from 100% whole wheat flour milled right in the bakery.

Thomas has fueled my craving for sandwiches at lunch. He has one almost everyday, and he has reminded me how satisfying a good sandwich is. But two hearty slices of bread is a lot for me to have for lunch, so open-faced sandwiches have been my jam!

Here are four combos that go above and beyond the standard turkey and cheese…

Smoked Salmon with Avocado Wasabi Spread

The combination of smoky, salty, and spicy flavors on this sandwich is delicious!  And y’all know I love me some smoked salmon. Capers are optional, but they add a nice bite and pair well with the salmon and lemon juice. Wasabi is pretty spicy, so start off with a small amount and taste the mixture before adding more!

Make It:

Ingredients

• 1 slice of bread
• 2-3 oz smoked salmon
• 1/3 avocado
• 1 tsp wasabi paste (more if you like it spicy! save some from your sushi dinner)
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp capers (optional)
• Kosher salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place bread in toaster.
2. Combine avocado, wasabi paste, lemon juice, capers, salt, and pepper in a bowl, adjusting for taste.
3. Once bread is toasted, spread the mixture on the toast and top with salmon.
4. If desired, squeeze extra lemon juice for added flavor.
5. Sprinkle with additional pepper to taste.

Cinnamon Banana Toast Crunch

Here is a super simple, yummy, and nutritious breakfast that can be thrown together in just a few minutes on a busy morning or for a quick lunch with a simple side salad.  This is a great way to use a banana that’s pretty ripe and might be almost too mushy to eat. The more ripe it is, the sweeter it’ll be! The cinnamon on top is the secret!

Make It:

Ingredients

• 1 slice of whole wheat bread
• 1 tbsp of almond butter
• ½ of a banana cut into 1 inch sided rounds
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• Drizzle of honey

Directions

1. Toast the bread.
2. Spread almond butter on toast.
3. Place banana rounds on top of the toast to cover the almond butter.
4. Drizzle honey on top of banana rounds.
5. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Peach, Prosciutto and Brie

We have had a great peach harvest here in Cville that is almost over. The sweetness of the peach, plus salty prosciutto, stinky brie (in a good way!), and delicate lettuce go so well together. My favorite brie of all time is the St. Angel triple cream. Bibb lettuce is one of sweeter lettuce varieties and it usually comes in larger pieces, so it’s the ideal choice for this recipe! My favorite part (other than eating of course!) is to drizzle the honey on top. Salty sweet!

Make It:

Ingredients

• 1 slice whole wheat bread
• ½ a fresh peach, cut into slices
• 1 serving of Brie cheese
• 1 piece of Bibb lettuce, chiffonade
• 2 slices of prosciutto
• Drizzle of honey

Directions

1. Arrange the serving of Brie cheese across the bread and place in the toaster.
2. Once done, drizzle honey on the cheese.
3. Place peach slices on top of the toast.
4. Roll up the prosciutto and lay on top of the peach slices.
5. Top peach slices with chiffonade lettuce.
6. Combine both sides of the toast with their toppings, then press down lightly to make into a panini.

Chicken Avocado

Buying a rotisserie chicken, removing all the meat while it’s warm, and storing it in a container in the fridge is a nice little life hack that ensures you have a dose of protein ready to add to any dish. Thus, this avocado chicken toast was born on a whim. Adding avocado is (of course) what makes it so good. If you have other seasonings on hand that you’ve been wanting to use, go ahead a create a combination that suits you! Smoked paprika would be delicious.

Make It:

Ingredients

• 1 slice whole wheat bread
• ½ avocado
• 3 oz rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 2 large pieces of Bibb lettuce
• Kosher salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Garlic powder to taste

Direcitons

1. Toast the bread.
2. Once toast is ready, spread avocado on it while it’s warm.
3. Top with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
4. Place lettuce on top of avocado.
5. Finish by putting shredded chicken on top of the lettuce and sprinkle pepper to taste.