There’s only 20 days left until Christmas, wheeeeee! Do Christmas parties stress you out or make you super excited? I’m the later. Even though I should be studying 24/7, somehow I end up scrolling through Pinterest looking for my next party dish. Whether you’re serving guests a light brunch or need to prepare an appetizer for a party, these 4 holiday toasts will keep things elegantly simple.

All the recipes below are single serving sizes, but can easily be increased to serve a larger crowd. Using sliced baguette to make bite-sized crostinis or bruchetta!

Hasselback Baked Apples on Peanut Butter Yogurt

Yogurt on toast is a thing and a tasty one for that matter. This one is kind of like a yogurt parfait but on a slice of bread.

For the Hasselback Apples: Thinly slice 1/2 a cored apple (honeycrisp is fantastic), stopping about 1/2 cm from the bottom. Place on a slip of parchment paper and bake on a baking tray at 375°F for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together 1 tsp honey or maple syrup, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, a splash of vanilla, and 2 tsp oats. Remove apples from the oven and spread the honey oat mixture between the folds. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

For the Peanut Butter Yogurt: In a small bowl, mix together 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp plain yogurt (use a dairy free one if vegan or lactose-intolerant), a dash of cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla until smooth. Add a drizzle of liquid sweetener or 3 drops of liquid stevia if desired. Spread this generously on a slice of toast and place the baked apple on top. Yum!

Smashed Squash and Kale Chips

‘Tis the season to eat all the squash. The contrast between the smooth(ish) squash puree and crispy kale chips is delightful!

For the Squash: Spray 1 cup of peeled and cubed butternut squash with coconut oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast at 400°F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until squash is easily pierced with a fork. Meanwhile, caramelize 1/4 a small onion (diced) in a small frying pan. Smash cooked squash and onion together with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the Kale Chips: Thoroughly wash and dry 2 big kale leaves (although you might as well make the whole bunch). Lay out a single layer of kale on a cookie sheet and mist with coconut oil. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake at 325°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crisp.

Spread a thick layer of squash puree a piece of toast (#avotoast style) and adorn with a crown of crunchy kale chips.

Chocolate Nut Butter with Pomegranate Gems

I ran out of bananas to top my toast with one morning, which led to the birth of this magnificent combination.

Smear the surface of each toast with a  your favourite chocolate nut butter. I used Wild Friends’ Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter here. You can also mix a bit of cocoa powder into a normal nut butter and if needed, thin it down with a dribble of milk. Then top generously with fresh pomegranate jewels. #thatwaseasy

Citrus Tahini and Maple-glazed Beets

Inspired by a roasted beet side dish I made last Christmas for my beet-lovin’ papa.

For the Tahini Sauce: Add 1 tsp fresh orange juice and a pinch of grated orange zest to 1 tbsp of tahini. Mix well.

For the Beets: Peel and thinly slice beets. Arrange in a single layer on a lined cookie sheet and mist with coconut oil. Drizzle over about 2 tsp pure maple syrup, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.

Spread the tahini sauce on toast, then layer with roasted beet slices. Garnish with orange zest.

Enjoy these holiday stuff on toast while the two of us madly study for final exams (ughhh dying over here). If you’re looking for some simpler brain food, we have 4 Energizing Stuff on Toasts. You may be thinking, “where’s the holiday baking?” Don’t worry, Christmas cookie recipes are in the testing phase and will make their way onto the blog soon!