It’s September and coronavirus is still raging, even among children. It's terribly hot outside and we don’t know what our future will look like, let alone the next week.
In the midst of all this, we don’t really feel like putting up a pot of meatballs or preparing lentils, although we know that this is a good idea, and the way to go for a healthy and balanced diet. We even know, for sure, that nutritious and healthy food will really help us get through this challenging period better. Yet - we’re really low on energy.
The solution to this situation is not to let go of everything and live on Wolt (food delivery) and pita toast (although that happens), but to make the most readily available and easy-to-prepare food: sandwiches.
But make ones with real nutritional value.
Sandwiches can replenish our batteries and provide us with vitamins, minerals, protein and dietary fiber. Lucky for us, they’re easy to make. Here are seven simple and delicious sandwiches that will give your body exactly what it needs.
Veggie omelet in whole wheat bread
Eggs are healthy (in moderation), vegetables are great and whole wheat flour is excellent. So, this sandwich, certainly if you upgrade it with fresh vegetables and some tahini, is a particularly nutritious meal, easy to make, and easy to buy if you’re not home yet still want something healthy.
So what's healthy about this sandwich?
Whole flours, which are rich in dietary fiber, are digested and break down in the body slower than white flour, which means they create a long period of satiety. One egg, which has only 72 calories, has a decent amount of protein, which helps you stay satiated after a meal, and a high amount of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin that helps children grow taller, is beneficial for one’s vision and is necessary for the proper functioning of the immune system.
Pita with chickpeas and onionsThis sandwich is an effective solution for both those who need to be at home and those who need to buy at a kiosk, and don’t want to fill their bodies with unhealthy things. Pita, better of course if made with whole wheat flour, and chickpeas together form (like any combination of legumes and grains) a complete and nutritious protein. And the combination with onions - takes this sandwich up a notch, and not just in taste.Chickpeas contain large amounts of iron and zinc, but these essential components are not always easily absorbed by the body. A 2010 study published in the journal Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that sulfur compounds in onions can improve its absorption. Of course, here too it’s a good idea to enrich the sandwich with additional vegetables that have dietary fiber that eases the digestive process, and contain important antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.Tuna and egg sandwich
This sandwich is really delicious and popular, easy to make and bursting with protein, so it will refuel you after a workout. Apart from 25 grams of protein(!), a portion of tuna also provides a significant amount of many vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, vitamin B12, selenium and of course omega 3 fatty acids. It’s recommended to use bread made from spelt or rye and enriched with dietary fiber. Upgrade it with veggies you like - pickles, lettuce, tomatoes - anything goes.Tahini and vegetable sandwich in the oven
The combination of whole grains and the vitamins in vegetables is always good, and the tahini makes it very good. Thanks to the tahini, a sandwich is obtained with a large amount of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. If you choose pure tahini, you’ll increase the amount of dietary fiber. And, you’ll also have a variety of unsaturated fatty acids that help lower the bad cholesterol in the blood.For this sandwich, we recommend putting vegetables roasted with olive oil and waiting in the fridge for the right moment - peppers, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini, onions or any other vegetable that moves you. The vegetables in the sandwich increase the amount of fiber, vitamins and minerals (vitamin C is found in gamba/red pepper, folic acid (crucial during pregnancy) is found in zucchini). Olive oil gives the sandwich unsaturated fatty acidsAvocado with cherry tomatoes
Avocados contain unsaturated fats and phytosterols that help lower blood cholesterol, potassium that helps lower blood pressure, and vitamin E that is a very beneficial antioxidant.Tomatoes are a major source of the antioxidant lycopene, which is responsible for its bright and beautiful color. Recent studies have crowned it as an acid that can lower the risk for developing cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer. Tomatoes also contains chlorogenic acid and beta carotene, a very powerful antioxidant, which is the building block of vitamin A that helps preserve vision, promotes healthy skin and strengthens our immune system Sabich
Assuming you give up frying the eggplant and roast it instead, sabich is a healthy sandwich that contains a high amount of protein and fiber, a good amount of calcium and important vitamins and minerals. The hard boiled egg contributes quality protein, the fresh vegetables contribute vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, the parsley adds folic acid and potassium.Exchanging regular pita for whole wheat gives this sandwich dietary fiber. Although the tahini adds a high amount of calories to the dish (about 50 calories per tablespoon), it also has lots of iron, calcium and more.
Peanut butter and banana
And...something sweet for dessert!
A peanut butter sandwich combined with a banana is a delicious treat, and also a satisfying sandwich that gives you the energy needed to start the day. Peanut butter is a source of protein, healthy fats, folic acid, dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium and antioxidants. Bananas help recharge the body with energy, make you feel full and are rich in fiber. The combination of the two, if you choose natural peanut butter without added sugar, on whole wheat or spelt flour bread that takes longer to digest and break down in the body, is a perfect and sweet combination of protein and whole carbohydrates.