If you're trying to cut back on your bread intake, I've compiled a list of yummy and nourishing alternatives to sub in! While nothing can truly take the place of bread, I promise if you explore some of these options, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
1. Romaine lettuce or butter lettuce
If I'm whipping up chicken, tuna, or salmon salad for lunch, then these lettuce options are my go-to! There is something about the crispiness of the lettuce that works well here. Prepare your salad and spoon it into romaine boats or cups of butter lettuce. Top with your favorite kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles -- or all of the above -- and enjoy!
2.collard greens or swiss chard
These greens are great for loading up with tons of hummus and veggies because they're so hardy. You treat the leaf-like you would a flour tortilla for a burrito. Lay the green flat, make sure to remove the stem from the bottom, fill with hummus, veggies, tuna, sprouts, cheese, chicken, turkey, or whatever your heart desires, and roll like a burrito!
3. Sweet potato
Sweet potato is my favorite sub for bread; it's so tasty! To prepare, slice the sweet potato the long way, a mandolin works best, and throw them in your oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Once soft, top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
You can also roast these at the beginning of the week and store them in the fridge. When you're ready to eat, place them in your toaster to heat them.
Below are some of my favorite variations.
Avocado toast: top with avocado, poached egg, and red pepper flakes.
Everything but the bagel toast: top with avocado, and Trader Joe’s everything seasoning.
Smoked salmon: toast top with smoked salmon, arugula, red onion, tomatoes, and capers.
Almond butter toast: top with almond butter, blueberries and, drizzled honey.
Leftover toast: top with avocado and leftover sauteed veggies in your fridge.
4. cabbage
Cabbage cups are another excellent vehicle for food!
Like the collard greens and chard, they are a very sturdy leaf. My favorite way to use them is to take a Thai style. I sautee up ground turkey or chicken using Thai flavors (fresh ginger, sesame seed oil, soy sauce, etc.) and spoon the mixture into cabbage cups; it's always a crowd-pleaser.
Note: For a vegan option, you can make the same recipe with chickpeas.
5. seaweed
You either love it, or you hate it!! However, if you turn your head to seaweed, I encourage you to give it another go.
Seaweed is chock full of great nutrients such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, and zinc. Using nori-wraps is a fun way to eat because the possibilities are endless. It's a great meal to have if you need to use up some veggies in your fridge.
Below are some of my favorite variations.
Mango nori-wraps: sliced mango, julienne cucumber, sliced radishes, avocado, cilantro, sesame seeds, and hot sauce.
Breakfast nori-wraps: scrambled eggs, hemp seeds, avocado, micro-greens, and hot sauce.
Tuna nori-wraps: tuna salad, julienne cucumber, and kimchi.
6. make it a bowl
I love sweet potato burritos, but the flour tortilla isn't the best option for me, so I had to get creative. I take all the filling for a burrito and put it over quinoa or brown rice and skip the tortilla. This option works well for almost anything Mexican. I like it because it's fun to come up with different combinations and make the entire family happy!