Toast topping 101
How to turn a boring old slice of bread into a balanced and satisfying meal
Toast seems to be making a stellar comeback in the world of foodies. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, snack time or dinner, a little creativity can make a simple slice of toast into a gourmet creation. My personal love of toast comes from a long-standing affection for all things bread, combined with a drive to find simplicity and enjoyment in my meal creations. A perfectly crisped slice of toast takes a mere 3 to 6 minutes to make in a pop up toaster or 8 to 10 minutes in a traditional oven.
While there are lots of elaborate photos of toast on Instagram and Pinterest, these are what I like to call the magazine covers of food. These are like the beach body and perfect hair and makeup photos we see at the magazine stands in the checkout of the grocery store. While they’re beautiful, no matter how convincing the headline is that says “you can have hair like this too” there is no universe where I could ever follow the instructions on page 43 and actually end up with hair like the cover. The same goes for food. The difference between hair or makeup and food however, is that even if our food looks a little wonky, if we’ve made it right it tastes delicious all the same. Now that I’ve prefaced this by setting up a realistic expectation for your toast, I will also say that toast, of all foods, is probably one of the most forgiving and easiest to plate of all the foods sensationalized on social media. If you’re looking to practice food photography, or even just impress your kids, it may not be a bad place to start.
Getting back to the meat of it all, how do we take a boring old slice of toast and make it into a balanced and satisfying meal at any time of day?
First, choose your bread wisely, having the right bread for the job can make all the difference. Always try to choose a whole wheat or whole grain variety when possible which will boost fibre, B vitamins and be more satisfying that white, refined bread. I typically find a whole grain or multigrain bread, bagel or English muffin works well with most toppings.
For more savoury meals, you can also try a fresh bakery loaf, or Greek style pita (these are thicker than traditional pitas and hold toppings better). I tend to keep a few different breads on hand in the freezer for last-minute meals in a pinch.
Next, get creative and come up with ideas for toppings. I typically do this by perusing my fridge, freezer and pantry to see what options I have. The goal is to have some sort of main topping, paired with usually a sauce or drizzle of sorts, and finished with sprinkles of garnish. I always try to encourage having a source of protein, healthy fat and some type of fruit or vegetable on toast to make it a balanced meal or snack. Don’t get overly ambitious with toppings or it might be overwhelming with flavour or piled so high it’s simply impossible to eat. Remember, keeping it simple is the key to success with toast meals.
Finally, we get to the fun part, putting it all together. This may seem easy, but sometimes I find myself debating about just the right order of things for Instagram and / or trying to eat without spilling on my shirt. Generally, the following order works well for most toast meals: Toast, base (if using), protein, drizzle/ healthy fat, final topping (sprinkle of something or vegetable/
fruit).
Here are some of my favourite toast combinations:
• English muffin, natural peanut butter, fresh berries, hemp seeds
• Wholegrain bagel, almond butter, banana and strawberry slices, sprinkle of chia seed
• English muffin, Skyr or Greek yogurt, fresh berries, hemp seeds
• Wholegrain toast, mashed avocado with seasoning, fried
egg, drizzle of ketchup or hot sauce
• Wholegrain toast, tuna or egg salad made with Greek yogurt, tomato, green onion, grated cheese
• Greek pita, salsa or leftover tomato sauce, grated cheese, leftover vegetables and/or meat
• Greek pita, pesto, leftover roasted vegetables, cheese
• English muffin, pesto or salsa, scrambled egg, cheese
A great meal activity for the whole family is getting some different toppings and bread options, and letting everyone make his or her own toast. I really like doing this with Greek pitas and having a ‘build your own pizza’ style night. I often broil toast in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes to melt toppings like cheese, especially when I am making a savoury toast combination.