Toast Meal! Anchovy & White Beans on Sourdough
Gut-Brain Power Toast
Created by Unique Hammond
Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1–2 toasts (18–20g fiber total)
Ingredients
2 slices Sourdough bread
1/2 cup canned cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 ripe avocado, sliced or mashed
3–5 high-quality anchovy fillets (oil-packed) — I used Fishwife
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1–2 scallions (green onions) or 2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeño, minced (adjust to your heat preference)
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1–2 tbsp high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil — I used BHK
Juice and zest of 1/2+ lemon (to taste)
1 small red tomato, sliced
2 tbsp raw fermented sauerkraut (for topping)
A pinch of flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Preparation
Toast the Bread ( optional) : Drizzle your sourdough with a touch of olive oil and toast until golden and sturdy.
Mash & Mix: In a small bowl, roughly mash the white beans (keep some texture). Stir in the celery, scallions, jalapeño, and parsley.
Dress: Fold in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and a generous tablespoon of your high-polyphenol olive oil. Season with black pepper.
Assemble: Spread the avocado onto the toast first. Top with the tomato slices, then the zesty white bean mixture.
Top It Off: Layer on the anchovy fillets and finish with a big heap of raw fermented kraut.
Nutritional Benefits
Avocado: Adds healthy monounsaturated fats and ~5g of additional fiber. The fats here act as a carrier for the fat-soluble vitamins in your herbs and olive oil, ensuring maximum absorption.
Anchovies (Fishwife): Rich in Omega-3s (EPA/DHA) and Vitamin D. These are the gold standard for taming brain inflammation and supporting neuroplasticity.
White Beans: Your prebiotic powerhouse. They provide resistant starch and soluble fiber, which your gut bacteria ferment into butyrate—the primary fuel for your colon cells and a key protector of the blood-brain barrier.
High-Polyphenol EVOO (BHK): Acts as "brain armor." These polyphenols fight oxidative stress and support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacteria.
Sauerkraut: Introduces live, active probiotics directly to the gut. A flourishing microbiome is essential for the production of serotonin and GABA, which keep your mood balanced.
Aromatics (Onion, Celery, Parsley, Lemon): Loaded with apigenin and quercetin, which promote neurogenesis and gut barrier integrity.
The Fiber Highlight
By including two slices of sourdough, beans, avocado, and aromatics, this meal provides 18–20 grams of fiber.
That is roughly 50% to 80% of your daily fiber goal in one meal. By "front-loading" your day with this much fiber, you aren't just fueling your morning—you are feeding the microbes that dictate your focus, mood, and inflammation levels for the next 24 hours. This is the ultimate "no-crash" brain food.
Below I made it with and without Avo, and I will say avocado is my favorite.
