3 Wholesome Open-Faced Sandwiches to Elevate Your Lunch Hour

Image Credit: Blair LockeImage Credit: Blair Locke

In our increasingly busy world, slowing down can be hard to do. But pressing pause to prepare and eat good food is exactly what your mind and body need. Next lunch hour, reinvent the classic sandwich with an open-faced work of art layered with unique ingredients. Your base? Slow-crafted bread from Stonemill Bakehouse, that’s more flavourful and wholesome thanks to a natural fermenting process that lasts up to 12 hours. (It’s also free from artificial preservatives, flavours, colours and GMO grains and sprouts.)

It’s time to stop compromising and honour your body with delicious food that takes just a few extra minutes to prepare. You deserve it.

Fava Bean Bruschetta

Serves 6, Ready in 15 minutes

Image Credit: Blair LockeImage Credit: Blair Locke

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fava beans, cooked until just tender
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 1 radish, cut into matchsticks
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 6 slices Stonemill Bakehouse Sprouted Rye & 12 Grains bread, toasted

Instructions:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine fava beans, chickpeas, celery and radish and toss gently to combine.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice and olive oil with salt and pepper to create a vinaigrette.
3. Toss the bean mixture with the vinaigrette and stir to coat well, adjusting the seasoning to taste.
4. Top each slice of toasted Stonemill Bakehouse Sprouted Rye 12 Grains with approximately ½ cup of the bean mixture. Serve.

“Kim-cheese” Melt With Avocado & Tomato

Serves 4, Ready in 12 minutes

Image Credit: Blair Locke

Ingredients:

• 1 cup kimchi, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 avocado, halved, pit removed and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 large hot house tomato, thickly sliced
• 1 cup smoked Gouda, grated
• 4 slices Stonemill Bakehouse Sprouted 3 Grains bread

Instructions:

1. Turn on broiler to high and allow to heat while you build the sandwiches.
2. Before constructing, gently toss sliced avocado with lemon juice to stop them from oxidizing.
3. Place toasted bread on a sheet tray and top each with (in order) tomato, avocado slices, a generous mound of kimchi and ¼ cup of grated smoked Gouda.
4. Place the sandwiches under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to gently melt the cheese.
5. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately.

Open-faced Ham, Apple & Arugula Sandwich

Serves 4, Ready in 15 minutes

Image Credit: Blair Locke

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup apple butter
• ¼ cup stone-ground mustard
• 500g Black Forest ham, thinly sliced
• 1 Royal Gala apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 4 slices Stonemill Bakehouse Sprouted Flax bread, toasted
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 ½ cups 2% milk
•  300g sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons minced chives

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine apple butter and mustard.
2. On a serving plate, slather toasted bread with 2 tablespoons of apple-mustard mixture.
3. Layer apple slices, ham and apples again. Set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter and whisk in flour to create a roux. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes whisking constantly.
5. Add milk and whisk until smooth and bubbling, allowing to cook for 2 minutes to create a thick sauce.
6. Remove from heat and add cheese immediately. Gently stir to melt the cheese.
7. Top each sandwich with 3-4 tablespoons of sauce and garnish with a sprinkling of chives. Serve immediately.

Choose any one of these flavourful open-faced sandwiches, add in the wholesome, naturally fermented goodness of Stonemill Bakehouse’s slow-crafted breads, and your lunch will be far from basic.

And if you’re craving something sweet, check out this how-to video for an open-faced whipped peanut butter sandwich with dietician and food blogger Abbey Sharp. It features decadent ingredients such as coconut cream, strawberries and chocolate for a mouth-watering treat at any time of day.