Avocado Toast 4 Ways
Avocado Toast. It’s pretty much everywhere right now. Every health guru, Instagram influencer, or Sunday bruncher is obssesed with it. And with good reason! It’s delicious, easy to make, and the perfect balance of all the nutrients you need in a healthy breakfast!
You might not think avocado toast is something that you need a receipe for, because yes, at it’s core it’s just bread with some avocado smashed on top. However, taking your avocado toast from good to great is easy and, in my humble opinion, worth the effort. Below I’ve written up four of my favorite ways to make your avocado toast worthy of obsession!
The bread:
First thing first, you need a good base! Not all bread is created equal. Many of the breads you find at the grocery store won’t get moldy for months and have a long list of ingredients, most of which no one can pronounce. This is not normal or healthy for you. STAY AWAY! Try to find a local bakery or search for the breads in your local grocery store that have the fewest ingredients. Real sourdough has only flour, water, and salt. Most breads have flour, water, salt, yeast, oil and whatever extra add-ins are specific to the bread like rosemary or olives. If you’re feeling adventerous, you can also take a try at making your own bread! It’s not nearly as difficult as you might think, and it’s the best way to know exactly what you’re eating. Plus, what smells better than fresh baked bread?
Whether you make it yourself, or buy it at the store, it’s worth getting high quality bread. It tastes better and is better for you.
Avocado:
The biggest thing here is making sure your avocados are perfectly ripe. Once they are close to ripe you can store them in the fridge to slow the ripening process. They should be slightly soft to the touch and the stem part at the top should be a tan color.
To make the best mixture for avocado toast, I recommend cutting a whole avocado into small squares, putting it in a bowl and mixing in:
Juice from 1/2 a lime
1 tsp. Of cumin (this adds a great earthy flavor and helps it not be so bland)
Pinch of salt and fresh pepper
Toppings:
When I cook I am always thinking of adding different textures and complimentary flavor profiles. You don’t want a one dimensional dish. Keep this in mind when it comes to your toppings. Also keep in mind that you eat with your eyes first so make it look delicious from the moment you lock eyes on it. On my avocado toasts I usually add thinly sliced radishes and a little arugula on top. It just looks great and adds some nice crunch.
Avocado Toast 4 Ways
Smoked Salmon and Pickled Red Onion
For pickled red onion:
1 large red onion sliced in very thin slices
1 tbsp of pickling spice (optional)
1 tsp of sugar
1 tsp of salt
2 cups of boiling water
Preparation:
Put the thin sliced onions into a glass bowl and pour enough boiling water to just cover the onions.
Add in the rest of the ingredients and give it a gentle stir and then cover it.
They need to sit on the counter for at least an hour or you can put them in fridge overnight. They will last in your fridge for 7-10 days.
Egg and Paprika
Prepare an egg anyway you want (hard-boiled, fried, poached, etc.) and put it on top of your avocado toast
finish with a sprinkle of smoked paprika and a little olive oil. Yum.
I recommend making sure your bread is nice and toasty if you are going to put an egg on it that will have a runny yoke. This will keep the bread from getting too soggy!
Blistered Tomatoes and Herbs
Grab 1 cup organic cherry or grape tomatoes.
Then get a sauce pan hot on the stove.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil.
When the oil moves loosely in the pan and is just about to start smoking. Toss in the tomatoes and drop the heat down to medium. They will start to get some color on them and begin to burst.
Once they are all split open, turn the pan off and add a handful of your favorite herb. I like parsley, basil, mint, thyme, or tarragon with this.
Put this on top of your avocado toast and all of your culinary dreams will come true with that first bite.
Hummus and Radish
Start by spreading a thin layer of some of your favorite hummus on the toast
Add your avocado mixture and spread over the hummus
Next, top with some thinly sliced radishes to add some crunch
Finish with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil