40 Rice Cake Topping Ideas

Marla Walters — Sun, 24 Nov 2013 20:43:35 +0000

Let's be honest, here. By themselves, unflavored rice cakes aren't terribly exciting. However, they have some sterling qualities:

They are gluten-free.
They are vegan.
You can buy them non-GMO, organic-certified.
There are only 60 calories in a rice cake (some brands have fewer).
The plain varieties contain no saturated or trans fats.

I like them because they are versatile, fairly inexpensive, and crunchy.

As a person who struggles with portion control, I'd like to remind you that it doesn't matter if you are eating a very healthy, 45-60-calorie gluten-free snack if you use too much of the topping. I noticed during one testing session that my cottage cheese layer was as thick as the rice cake. If I am making a meal out of one of these, I'd give myself a little leeway. However, if it's supposed to be a snack, I have to be careful about how much topping I am using. End of lecture. (See also: How to Lose Weight With Portion Control)

Back to their versatility, though. Below are forty suggestions for topping rice cakes.

Brown-Bagging It

I eat a lot of rice cakes at work, because I hate it when my sandwich bread gets mushy. Simply pack the toppings separately from the rice cakes, and assemble at lunchtime.

1. Egg Salad

2. Tofu-Eggless Salad

3. Chicken Salad

4. Tuna Salad

5. Ham and Swiss

6. Devilled Ham

7. Turkey and Muenster Cheese

8. Holiday Turkey Sandwich

9. Pizza Toppings

Try salami or pepperoni with mozzarella , olives, and a tomato slice. I like to microwave that one briefly, just to melt the cheese. Emergency pizza!

10. Peanut or Almond Butter...

11. with Honey or Jelly

Appetizers Using Rice Cakes

When I get home from work, I usually have a snack. By keeping rice cakes handy, I can conjure up something delicious. Here are some of my favorites.

12. Tapenade

13. Salmon Spread

14. Smoked Salmon

15. Cream Cheese and Chives

16. Pesto

17. Veggie Spread

18. White Bean Dip

19. Canned Bean Dip

20. Hummus

21. Pimento Cheese

22. Canned Cheese

23. Artichoke Dip

24. Pears, Spinach, and Bleu Cheese

25. Avocado, Salsa, and Cilantro

26. Cottage Cheese

27. Chopped Avocado Salad

28. Sliced Avocados or Guacamole

Make a Meal of Rice Cakes

Why not? It's a low-calorie starch to round out any meal.

29. Rice Cakes and Chili

30. Croutons

31. BLT

32. Peanut Sauce

Thai-inspired! Top a rice cake with a layer of peanut sauce. Add cooked, cleaned shrimp and chopped cilantro. (See also: Scrumptious Shrimp Recipes)

33. Ahi Poke

34. Loco-Moco!

Caramelize sliced Spam in medium-heat frying pan with shoyu (soy sauce). While you are heating the Spam, fry an egg. Assemble in layers of rice cake, Spam, and fried egg. If I were really making it correctly, I'd add gravy on top.

35. California Roll

Place crab mixture on rice cake and add some chopped avocado, a little grated carrot, a drizzle of sesame oil, and sprinkle with chopped nori (sushi wrapper).

For the Sweet Tooth

For a sweet snack or a light dessert, try these delicious toppings. (See also: 15 Super Quick Homemade Desserts)

36. Sliced Bananas and Peanut Butter

37. Cinnamon Toast Cakes

Spread a thin layer of butter, and add a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar.

38. Nutella

39. S'more Cakes

While we're on chocolate, you can make a S'more rice cake from the aforementioned Nutella. Add some mini-marshmallows. Devour.

40. Strawberries and Cream Cheese

What do you like to top your rice cakes with?

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This article is from Marla Walters of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: