5 Alternatives to Bread

I am just not wild about bread and do not eat it that often. In fact, I forget to make the garlic bread when I cook spaghetti and do not pop rolls in the oven when preparing a large formal dinner. (My husband, who loves bread, is always kidding me about this. He goes into shock when I do -- on those rare occasions -- remember the bread.) I am also not even crazy about buns for hamburgers and will, more often than not, do without the bun. To me, the bread that is normally served with meals or used for sandwiches is just too much. Fortunately, for me and any others like me, there are options.

Tortillas
I always keep flour tortillas on-hand. (They can keep for quite awhile in the refrigerator.) My husband and I grill at lot, and one of the things I do in place of bread is to put some grated cheese and maybe some salsa between two tortillas. I toss those on the grill until the cheese is melted. Instant cheese "bread." You can also make cinnamon "toast" using flour tortillas. (This is one of my favorites, by the way.) Another thing that my husband and I do with flour tortillas is to make BLT wraps. These are great! You can actually use tortillas for just about any type of sandwich, too. (Try wrapping a hot dog in bacon and grilling it. Wrap the grilled hot dog in a tortilla. Maybe add a slice of fresh tomato. Yummy!)

Flat bread
Sometimes you do need something a bit more substantial if you are making a large sandwich. Flat bread is best described as a thicker version of a flour tortilla. It, however, is not as "bread-y" as your standard sandwich breads. Gyros are made using flatbread, for example; and I have met very few gyros that I did not like.

Pita bread
I often see people cutting up pita bread and using it for dips. This is all well and good; however, it is also the perfect sandwich holder. Just cut off the top and fill with your favorite sandwich fixings. I particularly love grilled steak with grilled sweet green peppers and onions. The other advantage to pita bread is that it holds all of the ingredients inside, and you do not have to worry about parts of your sandwich falling into your lap.

Focaccia
Focaccia is very similar to pizza dough. In fact, you can actually just modify your favorite pizza dough recipe and produce a lovely focaccia. Most cooks will punch dents into the rolled out dough, using either their fingers or the end of a wooden spoon, to make little reservoirs to keep the dough from bubbling up and to also catch extra toppings. For a standard focaccia, just brush extra virgin olive oil over the dough before baking, then sprinkle with either Italian seasonings or add fresh rosemary and/or thyme. You can, however, put whatever toppings you desire on your focaccia; e.g., sundried tomatoes or different types of fresh or dried herbs. Let your meal dictate what types of toppings you might decide to use. (I prefer focaccia to rolls or garlic bread, by the way.)

Crepes
Crepes are nothing but really thin pancakes. The nice thing about crepes is that you can fill your crepes with anything. You might think of them as a dessert, stuffed with fruit and topped with melted chocolate. You can, though, make breakfast crepes filled with eggs and veggies. You can also make crepes for lunch or dinner and stuff them with your favorite fish or poultry. Crepes are much lighter than bread and do not leave you with that miserable overly-full feeling that often comes with eating too much bread.

Any of these alternatives to bread can be found in your local grocery store and come in a variety of flavors. You can find sourdough, whole wheat, spinach, and sundried tomato flavors. You can also make your own quite easily at home. You might find yourself forgetting the garlic bread after trying any or all of these options.