The plain old ham and cheese sandwich is old school. Yet it is time to try some new combinations! Preparing a grilled sandwich is one of the best ways to recycle your somewhat old bits of leftover bread. To be even more environmental friendly clean your fridge and cupboard to see which leftovers you have lying around as toppings. Choose some exciting products! Stay away from grabbing the cheese, sausage and tomatoes and opt for different ingredients this time. Chicken, turkey, beef, fish, all kinds of veggies, fresh herbs and spices. You can also vary on ways to serve your sandwich. The traditional way with a panini grill, or making an open faced sandwich in a toaster. You could even be brave and switch up bread entirely by making a wrap toasty! For this you will need a grilling pan or just a very hot stir fry pan. Are you more of a sweet tooth instead of the savoury type? Make a sweet sandwich! For example with almond butter and banana or home-made jelly and peanut butter. These are just a few ways to bring joy to your lunch, even if you are on a tight budget. Get the creative juices flowing.

Caesar sandwich

Sometimes you want to play it safe, it can be very easy if you receive guests but do not know what they will want to eat. Even with picky, fussy eaters you cannot go wrong if you choose opt for a tender slice of chicken breast. By using the classic ingredients that you find in a Caesar Salad you do not have to be afraid of hungry guests. Transform the salad into a sandwich with neutral green salad of cucumber and crisp lettuce. These vegetables match surprisingly well on a toasted slice of bread and provide a crunch. Make some extra dressing for a bit of creaminess and stickiness between the layers. This will also compliment the smoky flavour of the chicken. Pimp your sauce a little with some fresh herbs and season with a little sea salt. Drizzle the sauce a little bit between the layers and serve the remaining sauce separately so your guests can choose whether they want to use some extra as a dip.

2 whole wheat bread, cut open
60 grams of smoked chicken breast, sliced
50 grams little gem
40 grams of cucumber, sliced
40 ml of yoghurt
15 grams of chopped fresh coriander
10 grams herbs
1 tsp sea salt

Bananana bread

For those with a sweet tooth among us there must be a delicious alternative as well. Generally are toasty recipes more suited for the savoury customer but a sweet twist is not that hard to think of. This is a recipe for a decadent sandwich with naturally sweet flavours. It is healthy because it provides good fats from the nut butter and the banana gives you fibre to help you feel stuffed and energetic. This also makes it a great snack for children snack if they are in need of some sugary sweets. The grated coconut creates a tropical taste and contrasts in the bitter cocoa and sweet banana. Give a little crunch to this open faced toasty by sprinkling over some extra cookie crumble.

White 2 slices sourdough bread
1 ripe banana, sliced
1 tablespoon cookie crumbs
1 tablespoon of grated coconut
1 tablespoon of nut butter
1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Grilled tortizza

Shrimp is one of my favourite seafood. Personally, I cannot get enough of them; a salad, stir-fry or just as a snack in on-the-go. Therefore it simply cannot be neglected as a creative twist. Although they might not come to mind when you think about making a toasty, they are damn tasty! Therefore it is fun to make it extra special by switching the bread for a wrap, I recommend choosing a multigrain or whole wheat wrap so you have more fibres to keep you stuffed. The shrimp are to be treated with respect and pampered with a crispy grilled wrap, homemade spicy marinade and some cheerful salad. A simple marinade is easily made by mixing a chili sauce with some lime juice and spices. The salad ensures refreshing flavours and varying textures. With a little sprinkle of sesame seeds as a finishing touch you have a surprising toasty.

1 whole wheat wrap
75 grams pink Dutch shrimps
75 grams tomato mix
40 grams of watercress
40 grams of spinach
1 tablespoon of fresh basil
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, roasted
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon of lime juice
1 teaspoon of 5Spice
1 teaspoon of sea salt

Crazy killer carrot

Carrot is such a versatile vegetable that can be prepared in many ways so please don't consider it to be ' just a rabbit food'. This root vegetable is high in vitamin C and beta-carotene, good for the eyes and your face! It would almost sound like a true cosmetic. By choosing several different preparation methods you enhance the maximum potential of this hero and provide different textures of one and the same vegetable. The soft, intense bright orange carrot spread contrasts the caramelised taste of grilled and the crispy slices on top in a harmonious way. Furthermore, coriander and carrot are a good combination. It is therefore only natural to pair these two ingredient in multiple ways on this open faced toasty. By adding has el hanout, (a slightly spicy Arabic spice blend which is in include coriander) and fresh coriander you create a match made in heaven. The greens provide a colourful contrast and a fresh bite. Surely worth a try!

2 slices of dark bread pumpkin
100 grams of carrots
10 grams of fresh coriander
1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon of has el hanout
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

Veggie tricolored toasty

Sticking with the veggie theme this somewhat more traditional sandwich is also a failsafe choice. Inspired by the three colours mostly associated with Italy; green, red and white. Normally a dish like the traditional caprese (a famous starter of fresh basil, tomato and mozzarella) is served in this colour scheme. To make this a sandwich for vegans as well I left out the cheese and replaced the white component with radish. This provides a surprising crunch to the dish. The tomatoes in the centre makes the sandwich moist and the spinach gives it a good source of iron. By crushing the basil, lemon zest and spices you create a kind of pesto paste (without the oil) which will serve as a glue to hold the leafy green together.

2 slices of wholegrain bread
50 grams of radish, thinly sliced
50 grams of mixed cherry tomatoes
40 grams of baby spinach
1 tablespoon of fresh basil
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt
1 teaspoon of white pepper