Warm weather usually has a big effect on my appetite, it usually makes me not want to eat and when I do get hungry I don’t want to eat hot food. I often look towards salads, sandwiches and easy to make but flavourful lunches and snacks. Luckily this usually means that I tend to eat more healthily in the summer.
In a few of my past Degustabox deliveries I have received Ryvita crisp breads or similar wholegrain rice cracker type products and I find these are perfect for summertime lunches when I just want something light to eat. Plus I find that Ryvita’s are really versatile and can be topped with so many different things depending on what I feel like and what I happen to have in the fridge or cupboard. Here are 8 of my favourite healthy and tasty Ryvita toppings.
Apple and Peanut Butter: This is a simple and sweet treat that kids will love too. The salty and sweet combo work really well together. Simply spread a layer of peanut butter (smooth or crunchy your choice) on your crisp bread and top with some thin slices of crisp red apple. You can also add a drizzle of honey if you like it (I don’t but it works really well with apple and peanut butter) Don’t make these in advance for a packed lunch though as the apple will brown quickly.
Humous, Roasted Red Pepper and Pumpkin Seeds: I often have a jar of pickled roasted red peppers in my fridge as I love to add them to pasta dishes, salads or on ryvita’s like this (you can usually get them in Lidl or Aldi) plus they are convenient, or if you have the time you can roast your own peppers and let them cool before making these. Just spread a layer of humous on your crisp bread, top with a sliced and red pepper and sprinkle on some pumpkin seeds for a bit of crunch.
Apple Chutney, Cheddar and Dried Cranberries: These are ingredients that I nearly always have in my fridge and cupboard. These flavours are a tried and tested combination. I put a thin layer of apple chutney on the crisp bread, toped with some sliced cheddar (cheddar with pickled onion in this case) and a sprinkling of dried cranberries, so tasty! You can use any cheddar (or any cheese for that matter) you happen to have, plus you can play with your chutney flavours too, a good tomato or red onion chutney can work well too.
Cottage Cheese with Pineapple: If your looking for a super healthy option than cottage cheese is a great way to go, but I like to add a little extra flavour and some sweetness by adding a few small chunks of pineapple to the cottage cheese. You can sometimes buy cottage cheese with pineapple ready mixed in Tesco, or I just buy a small tin of pineapple chunks or rings and dice them small before mixing into the cottage cheese. This also tastes great with a layer of fresh spinach leaves on the crisp bread first!
Egg Mayonnaise and Crispy Bacon: This is probably Jon’s favourite, he isn’t a huge fan of crisp breads but really liked this topping ( I will often put his in a wrap instead!) Just make up some simple egg mayonnaise, crisp some bacon under a grill (or on a George Forman like we do) chop it up into small chunks and pile it all on your crisp bread. You can add some watercress if you happen to have some and want some greens! hehe!
Caesar Salad: I love a good caesar salad (although I often cheat and buy ready packed ones from Tesco for an easy and quick lunch) so it made sense to top my crisp breads with a mini caesar salad too. I diced a few gem lettuce leaves, topped with a few pieces of cooked chicken breast and cooked (and cooled) bacon, a few shavings of parmesan and a drizzle of caesar dressing. Perfect
Cucumber, Tuna Mayo and Sweetcorn: A good old traditional sandwich filling, which makes it a great crisp bread topping too. Simply mix up some tuna mayo (I like to add some salad cream as well as mayo to my tuna), slice some cucumber (I’ve fallen in love with my mandoline slicer for this type of slicing!) and top it all with some tasty sweetcorn, perfect. If your a tomato fan you could also add a few slices of that with the cucumber.
Mozzarella, Avocado and Parma Ham: Ok so this is probably my favourite of all, 3 perfect ingredients combining for a creamy and flavourful taste. Slice up a fresh mozzarella ball, top with thinly sliced fresh avocado and a few torn off pieces of parma ham, it is so good. I actually first tried this combo on toasted french loaf slices at the launch of the avocado and basil range at Crabtree and Evelyn a few years ago and have been eating it ever since.
What are your favourite ryvita toppings?
I really, really love mashed banana on dark rye ryvita. I haven’t had in it in while actually, adding to shopping list!