Kiddipedia
By Rachel Favilla
Poor sandwiches. They’ve become really ‘un-sexy’ of late. Between Keto, Paleo and the unfounded closet-guilt of craving an honest PB&J number, are we even ‘allowed’ to base a meal on bread anymore? Um, first of all, YOU decide the rules. Don’t let anyone tell you that your PB&J isn’t a meal. They’re probably just bitter because they just spent half a week’s rent on Uber Eats whilst you just spread some gloriously tasty (and budget-friendly) creations between two doughy slices of pleasure. Also, carbs aren’t evil. They’re an energy source, and when you stick to sourcing them from wholesome foods, they come with a side-serve of poo-pushing fibre.
Poo-pushing? Yep, I’m bringing sexy (I mean fibre-rich sandwiches) back.
Let’s start at the very beginning – like Julie Andrews told us to – and talk about bread. After all, a sandwich is only as nutritious (read: sexy) as the bread it’s built upon.
Let’s talk about bread baby.
If you’re using wheat bread – even whole wheat – and it’s not organic, I wouldn’t swipe right to your sandwich. Most commercial wheat crops are doused with the agricultural herbicide ‘Round Up’. The active ingredient in ‘Round Up’ is glyphosate, a chemical linked to a decline in gut function, neurological health and cancer cell growth.
To up your sandwich game, try one of wheat’s many under-publicised peers; spelt, rye or oat sourdough. Just be sure to read the label, many commercial spelt, rye and oat breads are still made mostly from wheat flour to keep productions costs low.
Whole grains – when they aren’t sprayed with herbicides – are beaut sources of B vitamins, minerals such as magnesium (for relaxation) and manganese (for bone health), protein (for cellular repair) and dietary fibre (to keep your pipes working. I know, right? More sexy talk).
Lay it on thick.
Now that you’ve got your bread sorted, let’s talk spreads. Avocado, hummus, tahini or nut butter are nutritious additions and if you enjoy genuine butter, don’t apologise for it. Just be sure to source a butter made 100% from cream – no vegetable oil fillers for spreadable measure. As for margarine; in my professional opinion, it’s a marketing ploy. Oils in their natural state are liquid, so they have to be heavily processed to become ‘spreadable’. Or you can skip the spreads all together and simply get excited about the fillings.
Spreads make our sandwich experiences more enjoyable and can also offer essential fatty acids and a range of minerals. Take avocado and the fibre (happy bowels, sexy life), monounsaturated fats (happy skin, sexy glow) and potassium (healthy blood pressure, sexy … oh who am I kidding? But your GP will be pleased), or tahini and the protein, calcium and polyunsaturated fats. These are brilliants for brain, skin and hormone health.
Fruits and veggies and fibre, oh my.
The best way to build a tasty and nourishing meal between two slices of bread is to creatively combine one or several fruit/veggie options (for antioxidants and fibre) with one quality protein source (for sustenance and metabolic efficiency).
For example, a toasted sandwich with grated carrot and natural cheddar cheese (the salty cheese melts over the sweet carrot and tastes amazing) or leftover roast chicken, shredded iceberg lettuce and avocado. For a plant-based option, try cooked chickpeas with leftover roast veggies or the quirky but delightful combo of natural peanut (or almond) butter with raisins and diced celery. And for the classic PB&J vibes with a ‘I’m totally adulting’ twist, try natural peanut butter and thawed frozen berries. Try it first, thank me later.
A little somethin’, somethin’
You may choose to seal the deal with (optional) ‘tasty’ extras. If your ingredients aren’t naturally salty, you might like some sea or Himalayan salt and pepper to taste. If you’re using cheese, hummus or a salted nut butter, then you shouldn’t need extra salt. Otherwise, try herbs and spices; fresh chives or dill make a good sandwich great and a simple sprinkle of middle eastern spices can make your bready creation pop.
Salt (from the sea or mountains) is a source of life-sustaining trace minerals and when consumed ‘to taste’ as recommended, shouldn’t cause health concerns unless you have a medical condition that warrants staying away from salt. If you’re concerned, please speak to your doctor. In other, salt-free, news, herbs and spices are full of antioxidants that are important for healthy immune responses and overall health in general.
If you want to get ‘trendy’ and eat your lunch with a side serve of #guthealth you could add a dollop of fresh sauerkraut or kimchi. Honestly, though, you already have beneficial bacteria in your guts and they will multiply themselves if you feed them fibre. Make use of the probiotics already living in your gut by feeding them daily. It’s like owning plants. To get the ones you have to grow bigger, you don’t grow more plants, you water the seeds that you already planted. Gut health ain’t so different from gardening.
To Summarise.
– Start with a bread (preferably sourdough as it’s better for digestion … remember happy poos, sexy life) made simply from a non-wheat grain and only a few other ingredients; sourdough starter (or yeast), olive oil, water and sea salt
– Choose a natural spread made from quality ingredients in their natural state
– a wholesome protein source with one or more fruit/veggie elements
– an optional ‘extra; of quality salt, spices or herbs
Keep the process simple, creative and enjoyable. I see too many people stressing over ‘macros’, calories and insta-worthy lunch shots. Keep calm and eat real food. It really is that simple. And now, I leave you with a pitiful sandwich-themed rendition of the JT classic;
We’re bringing sambos back (yeah) and all the ketos don’t know how to act (yeah), take it to the fridge.
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