Healthy Snack- Brown Bread Toast with Olive Oil and Garlic

Here is a recipe for a quick and healthy mid morning snack.

I got my lipid profile test done recently. Everything was in order except that the HDL was very low, well below the required  >65 mg/dl reference range. I was recommended to stay off animal fat- cheese, butter and ghee. Therefore a toast with butter or cheese on it was an absolute no no!

Researching on the internet, among various recommendations one was the use of olive oil to increase the HDL levels. I hit upon the idea of substituting butter/cheese on my toast with virgin olive oil. The idea is nothing new! During my stint in Italy from 1988 to 1995, I have seen my Italian friends pour extra-virgin olive oil on their breads and munch away!  

Olive oil apparently  has a high concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids, which promotes "good" cholesterol (HDL) while lowering "bad" cholesterol (LDL). Good quality olive oil contains valuable vitamins and nutrients, and it is loaded with antioxidants that help protect the body from cancer.

Ingredients :

• Brown Bread - 2 slices
• Garlic - 2 cloves
• Olive oil - 2 teaspoons
• Oregano - to flavor

Toast the brown bread in a regular toaster. When the bread pops out, spread a teaspoon of olive oil on the toast.  I recommend the Extra Virgin olive oil. I use Figaro olive oil available at the local markets.  Use a ginger scraper to scrape a pod of raw garlic on to each of the toasts and spread it like cheese. Too big a garlic pod may give a spicy tang, in which case you may like to reduce the amount of garlic spread on the toast. Raw garlic is good for health. It boosts your immunity, reduces blood pressure, combats cancer and detoxifies your body. 

Sprinkle oregano on the toast and your healthy snack is ready. 

Try it and let me know your feedback!