Loaded Hummus Toast

Crunchy, creamy, cool, crisp, and endlessly customizable, hummus toast offers a quick, protein-rich meal that tastes great any time of day!

Servings: as many as needed

Your favorite bread, well toasted (I like multi-grain; use GF if needed)
Hummus, plain or flavored
Veggie options: thinly sliced cucumber, tomato,* and avocado (could use radish, sprouts, chopped greens, etc.)
Added protein: smoked salmon, thinly sliced turkey or chicken, sliced hard boiled (or poached or over-easy) egg
Crunchy extras: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds (I like roasted and salted; may use nuts like slivered almonds or even hemp hearts)
Flavor boosters: crumbled feta, sliced or chopped olives, Everything Bagel Seasoning, freshly ground pepper, kosher or sea salt, chopped fresh herbs like dill, basil, and parsley, a drizzle of hot sauce, etc.

Spread a thick layer of hummus over the toasted bread. You may eyeball this – I use about ¼ cup per slice of bread.
Layer the toast with thin slices of desired vegetable and protein options, and then finish off with a sprinkle of the crunchy toppings and flavor boosters.
Grind a little fresh pepper and salt overtop, if desired, and enjoy immediately. If you’ve really piled on the toppings, a fork and knife may be helpful!

*If a good vine-ripened tomato isn’t available, I like to use sliced grape or cherry tomatoes, which tend to be sweet all year long.