This is a terrific, easy to make appetizer with the wonderful flavors of Greece just shining bright. The feta cheese, lemon, cucumbers and olives are a perfect topping to the toast triangles. Fancy tasting without a ton of work !

Greek Cucumber Toasts

4 servings
158 calories per serving

4 slices light whole wheat bread, crusts removed and cut diagonally into triangles
4 t olive oil
3 oz. low fat feta cheese
1/2 t lemon juice + a few squirts extra
Kosher salt
Coarse pepper
1 small English cucumber, halved and then thinly sliced crosswise on the diagonal into 8 slices
4 pitted kalamata olives, sliced

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450 degrees. Brush the bread pieces with the oil and bake until they are golden, about 5 minutes. Mash up the feta and mix with oil and ½ t lemon then add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mix over the toast points and to with a slice of cucumber. Garnish with olives and then spritz with lemon juice and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

What a great appetizer or lunch. The sausage, beans and garlic make a perfect stew. Served with cheese toast, this makes a great dish to serve to guests. Even with the bread, this dish comes in under 400 calories !!

Sausage and Bean Stew (Crock Pot)

6 servings
350 calories per serving

2 t oil
3 t garlic, minced
4 2 oz. turkey sausages (any flavor you like, I used Italian hot) cut into chunks
1 c water
1 c chicken broth
2 19 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 c baby spinach
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/8 t salt
½ t garlic powder
2 T lemon juice
6 T shredded provolone cheese
6 1 oz. slices French bread

Heat oil and cook sausage until almost done. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add water, broth to crock pot then add spinach. Add salt and pepper and garlic powder. Add beans and then add sausage and garlic and any pan drippings to the top. Cook on low 3 hours. Add the splash of lemon during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve with Cheese Toasts. To make toasts, sprinkle bread slices with cheese and broil 2 minutes to melt cheese.

If you don’t have a crock pot, you can do this stove top is a soup pot – after cooking the sausage and combining all the ingredients, simmer on very low for 1 hour.

Heavy, filling and a great sandwich for a cold and blustery day. I think it works just as well as a breakfast sandwich as it does a lunch sandwich !

Ham and Bean Sandwich

1 serving
250 calories per serving

¼ c Egg Beaters
2 slices whole wheat toast
4 T white beans, mashed with salt and pepper and 1 t water and heated in the microwave one minute
4 slices very thin, lean baked deli ham
1 slice Kraft Singles cheese (American or cheddar)
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Heat skillet and spray with Pam. Scramble egg beaters or make a little circle out of them so they stay on the bread nicely.

Here’s a quick video to show you how to prep the eggs:

When toast is done, spread one piece with beans. Then add ham, cheese, warm eggs and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with the final piece of bread.

The ginger in this recipe is a nice unexpected flavor that makes it just perfect. This works just as well with regular bread and with a quick dip rather than chilling over night.

Spiced French Toast

2 servings
352 calories per serving (1 serving = 3 slices)

2 eggs
2 egg whites
¾ c skim milk
1 T sugar
1 T molasses
¼ t ground ginger
¼ t ground allspice
1/8 t salt
6 slices French bread (3/4 inch thick)
2 t butter

Mix eggs, whites, milk, sugar, molasses, ginger, allspice and salt. Place bread in a 13×9 baking sheet and out the egg mix over it and refrigerate overnight. Heat butter on a griddle and cool bread 3 minutes each side.

Talk about decadent and delicious !! This breakfast dish will give you legendary ‘short order cook’ status ! The bananas and cream cheese make a perfect middle to the grilled raisin bread.

Grilled Banana French Toast

8 servings
206 calories per serving

8 slices 80 calories cinnamon raisin bread
2 medium bananas, in slices
1 c skim milk
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 c egg beaters
1/3 c Splenda
3 T flour
2 t vanilla
Powdered sugar (optional)
Pam

Spray skillet with Pam and heat well. Mix milk, cheese, eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla with a mixer until. Take 4 slices of bread and spread with cream cheese then add banana slices and top with the remaining bread. Gently dip into the egg mix and then place on pan and cook 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Cut in half and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

The cream cheese melts nicely on the toast and is a great base for the sweet pear and maple syrup. The nuts are just the icing. What a superb breakfast treat !

Toast with Nuts and Pears

1 serving
190 calories per serving

1 slice whole wheat bread
1 T low fat cream cheese
1/4 of a pear
1 t maple syrup
1 T chopped walnut pieces

Slice pear very thin. Toast the bread and spread with cream cheese. Layer on the pear slices and then sprinkle with nuts and syrup.

Traditional Egg in a Hole is served in a hollowed out piece of toast – - this one uses nutritious veggies and places the whole thing on top of a slice of toast. The side salad is a great flavor boost.

Egg in a Hole

4 servings
189 calories per serving

2 t oil
1 green bell pepper cut into 4 rings ½ inch thick
4 large eggs
Salt and pepper
2 t parmesan cheese
4 slices whole wheat bread (45 calories each)
8 c mixed salad greens

In a large skillet heat 1 t oil and add peppers then crack eggs into each pepper hole and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes or until egg whites are mostly set. Flip gently and cook another minute then sprinkle with cheese and place each on a slice of toast. Mix greens with 1 t oil, salt and pepper and serve next to the eggs.

When you are on a 400 calorie a meal plan, you don’t have to shy away from breakfast. In fact, you can have quite a plate of food for only 265 calories !!! That even leaves room for more toast or eggs or sausage – but, believe me, this plateful is quite filling just like it is

Eggs and Sausage Breakfast

1 serving
265 calories per serving

Plate includes:
2 turkey sausage patties cooked according to package instructions (100 calories)

1 slice wheat toast (45 calorie per slice bread) with 1 T buttery spread (45 calorie pet T)

1/2 c egg beaters scrambled (spray pan with Pam) and during the last minute of cooking, add 1 Laughing Cow light cheese wedge that has been cut into little cubes (it will melt pretty fast)

A big meaty, juicy, tasty sandwich just doesn’t seem like it can fit into a 400 calorie per meal diet – but it does ! And this one is sooooo tasty. Bacon, avocado, mayonnaise, dill, meat, cheese – you just can’t go wrong !!

Toasted Clubs

2 servings
328 calories per serving

2 T fat free mayo
¼ t dill weed
1/2 t lemon juice
1/8 t pepper
4 slices whole wheat toast
4 slices thin deli roast beef
4 slices thin deli ham
2 slices low fat provolone or swiss cheese
2 lettuce leaves
2 tomato slices
2 bacon strips cooked and crumbled
¼ c alfalfa sprouts
¼ c avocado sliced

Combine mayo, dill, juice and pepper and spread over the toast. Add the sandwich meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, sprouts and bacon and the top with the avocado slices.

Take the whole frying hassle out of French toast preparation – and add some great apples and nuts along the way. This was a really easy way to prep a great breakfast. Add some extra maple syrup over the top to give it even more flavor !

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

4 servings
280 calories per serving

½ c Egg Beaters
2 egg whites
¾ c skim milk
1 T Splenda
½ t vanilla extract
½ t cinnamon
8 slices cinnamon raisin bread (80 calories per slice) cut in half diagonally
1 t buttery spread
1 T maple syrup
2 apples sliced thinly
4 T sliced almonds
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with Pam. Whisk Egg Beaters, egg whites, milk, splenda, vanilla and cinnamon then pour into pan and top with the bread slices. Flip the bread over once to it gets a little coating on each side. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes then remove foil and bake another 8-10 minutes. Melt butter in skillet and add syrup, then apples. Cover and cook on low heat 10 minutes or until apples are soft then uncover and cook 1 minute to dry up the mix a little. Serve bread with the apple mixture over top and sprinkle with nuts.