Calling all clean eaters who want to eat more low carb! You need this quick and easy gourmet toastie recipe to make eating healthier, super simple! Bookmark this recipe, made with high-fibre, low carb bread and topped with loads of delicious high protein flavour from cottage cheese. Get your toasters ready, let's start making this healthy, clean eating recipe...
What Makes This Recipe Low Carb?
Toasties are a super quick and easy, low carb recipe to make but are usually thought not to be on the menu for those wishing to eat low carb. Or it used to be that way; these days there are so many top quality low carb and high protein breads you can find at the shops. The key is to find a bread loaf made with only wholefood ingredients, that is not sacrificing the wholesome nutrition to provide lower net carbs. Look for a loaf that contains a minimum of 8+g of dietary fibre per slice, and deduct this from the carbohydrate count on the label per serving. This total will give you an idea if the loaf is low carb enough, and suitable for your personal daily carb count.
So, apart from meeting your carb count, what else makes this recipe so healthy for? Well, truth be told it is the versatility that makes gourmet toasties a good option to enjoy a few times a week or for a low carb Sunday brunch. You can mix up the recipe any number of ways with high protein toppings to help slow the impact of the carbohydrates consumed. This is great for diabetics who'd still like to enjoy a toastie now and again. Here's my take on this recipe as a Nutritionist:
wholefood-based: always choose a load that contains real food ingredients, less the better
high fibre count: fibre is a must on LCHP diets, so choose foods high in fibre, low in carbs
easy to make: only a few, wholefood ingredients and minimal steps are involved
adaptable: mix up the topping to create many meals from one recipe
more satiating: high fibre, low carb bread is great way to feel satisfied on LCHP diets
gluten-free: yes, you can even enjoy it totally guilt-free
Use this recipe, and it's many variations, as a treat or limit it to 1-3 times a week depending on your personal carb count requirements and health goals. The real goal with going low carb is to still nourish while reducing carbs to lose weight, repair insulin resistance, and rebalance blood sugar levels.
Key Ingredients Used
What I love about making this recipe is that you can top it so many ways depending your on nutrition goals and what you have on hand in the pantry and fridge. Here's a re few ideas to inspire you both for low carb-high protein and just with other wholefood ingredients.
Protein Power
seafood lovers: try topping this with tuna salad, baked and flaked fish like salmon or whiting, or BBQ prawns for a real treat.
the low carb vegan: nut butter is great option topped with my famous sugar-free jam
leftover queen: use up your leftover roasts, lunch meats or scraps
egg-travaganza: use any which way to top your toastie from poached, scrambled to runny
BLT lovers: try air-fried lean, organic bacon and diced cheddar cheese for a treat
Low Carb Parings
salad greens: increase your greens intake with handful of fresh arugula, leaf lettuce, Romaine or spinach, all of which are suitable for low carb diets
water-content veggies: choose toppings such as low carb cucumber, celery, capsicums, mushrooms, onions, and zucchini
guacamole lovers: smash and an avocado for a healthy, and satiating healthy fat topping
Don't be shy to experiment with your favourite low carb foods and see what creations you can make for yourself. Low carb does not have to be boring or feel restrictive. there are many super tasty food you can enjoy to help you reach your health goals.
Try My Mini Wholefood Recipe Collection
Get this FREE recipe collection with healthy and delicious breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes that nourish from the inside out. Each recipe is jam-packed with goodness and created by a qualified Nutritionist, for nutrition you can trust is good for you. Stop eating boring food to be healthy, come see how good healthy tastes – download your free recipes today!
You Might Like:
Batch Cook & Meal Prep
Quick and easy meal prep in a snap. This recipe takes minutes and is usually made fresh with just a few wholefood ingredients. Try it using high protein leftovers like grilled fish and salmon, shredded chicken or roast beef, homemade hummus, guacamole or salsa. If you want to make even quicker work of this meal, you could have pre-chopped low carb veggies like cucumbers, ready-made salad bags, and a clean protein source ready to go.
Low Carb, High Protein Toastie Recipe
Clean, healthy eating has never been so easy with a good quality low carb, high protein bread and your favourite high protein toppings. Choose a topping that is lower calories, made from clean protein sources like the cottage cheese used here. Other options include smashed hard-boiled egg, hummus with arugula, nut butter and chia jam, or other lower carb ingredients.
Low Carb, High Protein Toastie Recipe
PREP TIME: 7-8 mins | SERVING: 1-2 | Low Carb, High Protein
Ingredients
1 slice low carb, high protein bread (or gluten-free)
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 tbsp balsamic drizzle
2-3 basil leaves, organic
Method
Use a top quality low-carb bread such as this one by Coles, or try Herman Brot that contains low carbs and is high (6g+) in dietary fibre. Pop the bread slice into the toaster to the crispness you prefer. Then, top with the cottage cheese, tomatoes and drizzle the balsamic over the top. Garnish with torn basil leaves to serve.
WARNING: just because this recipe is low carb and healthy, doesn't mean you can go crazy on serving portions to toppings. One slice is a proper portion if you want to stick to low carb for weight loss, otherwise it's fine to have 1-2 small toasties as a main meal.
One Last Thing, Before You Go...
If you really enjoy these recipes... stick around with a cup of peppermint tea and browse this blog for more clean eating recipes, nutrition and healthy eating guides, and be sure to grab my free Wholefood Recipe Collection, click here. You'll receive my Nutritionist-approved clean eating recipes to sample this week. Learn how to ease into healthy, wholefood eating that won't take you hours in the kitchen to eat clean and healthy. Come grab a copy, click here.
Emma Lisa, Nutritionist & Women's Practitioner
Emma Lisa is a Nutritionist & Women's Health Practitioner with over 12+ years experience in wholefood nutrition, meal planning and health coaching. She is a published cookbook author, passionate food recipe creator and lifestyle blogger, and an advocate for women's health and anti-diet culture. When she's not in clinic, Emma is mum to five kids, in her test kitchen and a wellness digital creator. She lives in Sydney, Australia.
Healthy + happiness,
Emma Lisa xx
HEALTH & NUTRITION PRACTITIONER
If you enjoyed this post, I have a favour to ask?
Please take moment to subscribe, or to write a recipe review. Doing this helps me know you found value here on the blog and from this specific content. I work hard to share lots of free advice and recipes, and I would be truly grateful. Thank you so much!
Not a Eat Nourish Glow member? Join here, and kickstart your healthy eating journey today!
ON PINTEREST AND LOVED THIS? PIN IT 📌
These were delicious! I altered the recipe just a tad. I didn’t have any bread so I used a hashbrown. Plus, I added a runny egg. OMG it turned out great!
I don't eat dairy so I made it with homemade cashew feta and it turned out so delicious with the sweet cherry toms, and its become my go to brunch on weekends, thanks Emma! Your recipes are always so tasty!!!