What would it be like without yummy toast with melted butter in the morning? Or a simple on-the-go portable sandwich for lunch? Or a slice of fresh bread on the side of,well, just about anything? Any way you look at it, it’s true: Life is just better with this irresistible, essential food every day. Make sure, however, you’re buying only the highest-quality loaves. Stonemill Bakehouse bread is always naturally fermented baked with no GMOs and no artificial preservatives

Bread is happily consumed in countries around the world. Millions of people love it because it has a lot going for it –it’s convenient, it’s easy to pack up and carry in a knapsack or even your purse, it’s nutritious and it tastes good! A healthy diet includes carbohydrates (the primary nutrient in bread) to fuel our brain and other vital organs. And that’s why you should question any diet that starts to limit or eliminate any particular food.

Go for the Best

When you reach for a slice though, make sure you’re getting the best bread you can get your hands on. Reach for whole grain bread, which is full of nutrients like fibre, vitamins and minerals. And whole grains have more fibre than refined grains, which can help you feel full and keep your cholesterol levels low. Even more important, whole grain foods can help lower your risk of stroke, certain cancers, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Remember, great bread takes time. Every loaf of Stonemill Bakehouse bread starts with naturally fermented dough to allow the flavours to develop naturally over time. It’s true, it may take longer to produce each loaf, but you will certainly taste the difference.

Shake it Up!

There’s nothing worse than tasting the same thing every day, it gets boring pretty fast. So,don’t. Feel free to get a little adventurous with different kinds of healthy breads and pairings.

Catchy Rye Combos: These sturdy loaves are full of robust flavours that hold up well next to fillings like corned beef, pastrami and Black Forest ham. And don’t forget classic combos like smoked salmon and dilly cream cheese.

The Weekender: Try a sweet-and-savoury combo like feta cheese, sliced fresh figs and walnuts drizzled with honey. Maybe a slice of apple and raisin bread with a hint of cinnamon and a pat of butter. Or take it to the next level with apple, raisin and cinnamon French toast.

Pump up the Protein: Whether you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet or are simply eating more plant-based foods, plant-based protein is a good way to get more protein into your diet, which will leave you feeling full for longer. If you’re looking for an easy way to get more protein, pick up a loaf of whole grain bread with plant protein. Then get creative and up the fibre...mash up chickpeas with a bit of spicy mayo as a filling instead of chicken salad, for example.

Go for the Crunch: Look for loaves that are baked with grains and seeds, such as oats, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, millet, brown flax seeds, chickpea and lentil flours. If you like crusty bread, look for grain-crusted loaves with chia seeds and supergrains, which will give you a fibre boost too. Bonus: Bread made with flax seeds pack omega-3 polyunsaturated fats and a nice crunch as well.

Take your sammies to the next level! Check out Joy McCarthy’s take on an open-face French sandwich, Wild Mushroom Tartine –perfect for breakfast, lunch or even dinner. Watch the video or simply follow the simple, delicious recipe here.

Wild Mushroom Tartine

Ingredients:

4 slices Stonemill Sprouted Grain bread
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups dried mixed wild mushrooms
4 cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp tamari sauce
1 garlic clove, chopped
Pepper
1/4 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

1. Arrange bread in single layer on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil; sprinkle with sea salt. Bake in 350°F oven for 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

2. Meanwhile, place wild mushrooms in small bowl; pour enough boiling water over top to cover. Let stand for 10 minutes or until plumped. Drain mushrooms (reserve liquid for another use).

3. In skillet, sauté remaining olive oil, wild mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, balsamic vinegar, tamari sauce and garlic for 10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.

4. Sprinkle toast with pepper to taste. Spoon mushrooms over toast and scatter feta cheese over top. Makes 4 servings.

Tips:

• Change it up – use your favourite Stonemill bread in this recipe.

• Use the soaking liquid for mushrooms to make a flavourful stock for a vegetable soup.

• Pump up the flavour by adding an extra splash of tamari sauce and balsamic vinegar.