Chili Chestnut, Sweet Apricot, & Whipped Feta Toasts

This is a delightful breakfast or light lunch option, full of gut-healthy ingredients and a fair list of healthy polyphenols too.

You will need

• ½ baguette, sliced into ½” slices; if making your own, feel free to use our Delicious Quinoa Avocado Bread recipe. If buying shop-bought, a sourdough baguette will likely be the healthiest option, and tasty too.
• 4 oz feta cheese; if you are vegan, a plant-based version will work in culinary terms, but will have a different (less gut-healthy) nutritional profile, as plant-based cheeses generally use a lot of coconut oil and potato starch, and are not actually fermented.
• 1 tbsp yogurt; your preference what kind; live-cultured with minimal additives is of course best—and this time, plant-based is also just as good, healthwise, since they are fermented and contain more or less the same beneficial bacteria, and have a good macro profile too.
• 4 oz precooked chestnuts, finely chopped
• 6 dried apricots, finely chopped
• ¼ bulb garlic, grated
• 2 tsp harissa paste
• 1 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
• ¼ tsp MSG or ½ tsp low-sodium salt
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Optional garnish: finely chopped chives

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Combine the feta and yogurt in a small, high-speed blender and process into a smooth purée. If it isn’t working, add 1 tbsp kettle-hot water and try again.

2) Heat the oil in a skillet over a medium heat; add the garlic and when it starts to turn golden, add the chestnuts and harissa, as well as the black pepper and MSG/salt. Stir for about 2 minutes, and then stir in the apricots and take it off the heat.

3) Toast the baguette slices under the grill. If you’re feeling bold about the multitasking, you can start this while still doing the previous step, for optimal timing. If not, simply doing it in the order presented is fine.

4) Assemble: spread the whipped feta over the toast; add the apricot-chestnut mixture, followed by the finely chopped chives if using, and serve immediately:

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• Making Friends With Your Gut (You Can Thank Us Later)
• Apricots vs Peaches – Which is Healthier?
• Why You Should Diversify Your Nuts!
• Capsaicin For Weight Loss And Against Inflammation
• The Many Health Benefits Of Garlic
• Black Pepper’s Impressive Anti-Cancer Arsenal (And More)
• Sea Salt vs MSG – Which is Healthier?

Take care!