Avocado Toast

AVOCADO TOAST

And everything you need to know about making it.

Is avocado toast still a thing? Probably not, but does it matter? Ever since I started making my own avo toast, I don't think I've ever paid for one. $8-$12 for avocado on toast? I'll pass. The thing is this is one of the easiest things you can make and it's perfect for a quick breakfast or snack (or to impress your friends at brunch). In all honesty, you do not need a recipe for great avocado toast as long as you follow 3 simple rules:

First, a perfectly ripe avocado (see below for how to pick a perfect avocado). Second, always butter your bread on both sides before toasting. Life really is too short for you to not butter your bread. Trust me, it's a game changer. Lastly, season your avocado! Avocado toast in its purest form is still fantastic. All the extra stuff like smoked salmon, eggs, cheese, etc is great too, but if you don't have all the extras, thats a-ok! That's why I love this so much, it's so versatile yet simple. So easy, yet so good. I've written helpful tips throughout this blog post to help you curate your own avocado toast but if you're the type that really needs a set recipe, I've posted one down below~

Benefits of Avocados

Avocados are incredibly nutritious. They contain high fiber and healthy fats that are good for your heart (monounsaturated fat). Avocados are also good for your skin, eyes, and have more potassium than bananas! Most of the time, I get hungry even after I've just ate. This usually happens when I'm at school or work and can't fit a meal in. I love eating avocados in the morning because it can hold me over (because of it's high fat content) until I can eat a full meal! Try it blending it in a smoothie here!

Bread and Butter

If I could use sourdough (pictured left) for all my avocado toasts I would. I love buying a loaf of sourdough at HEB and cutting it into thick slices. Since sourdough gets stale and molds quickly, I don't buy it often. Regular white/whole wheat bread is perfectly fine!I butter both sides with unsalted butter and toast it on a skillet on medium high heat until perfectly golden brown. You can also use a toaster if your slices are thin enough!

Eggs

It's true, adding an egg to anything makes it better. Eggs can be cooked a million ways but my favorite will always be soft boiled. Soft boiling an egg sounds intimidating but I swear it is SO easy:

Boil water in a pot. Salt the water (it makes it easier to peel the egg after). Next, carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water. I use a ladle to lower the eggs in. For a more runny egg, boil the eggs on medium high heat for 6 minutes (last photo). For an egg that is still soft but not runny (pictured left), boil the eggs on medium high for 7 minutes.

Immediately after boiling the eggs, transfer them into an ice bath so they can stop cooking. This step is probably the most important. I use a big bowl and fill it 3/4 with ice and water. Let the eggs sit in the ice bath until completely cool and you can use the eggs immediately or store them in the fridge for whenever you need a soft-boiled egg! I usually boil 6 in a batch so I can add them to salads, toast, ramen, etc throughout the week! Don't peel eggs until you need to use them. Sometimes it helps to crack the egg all over and peel under cold running water.

How To Pick A Perfect Avocado

I showed my friend, who kept having bad avocados, these tips and she says she hasn't gotten a bad avocado since! I learned how to pick avocados from my mom, Kim. Love you mom!!! The bumpiest avocados are the best. The shinier the better. You want to hold the avocado in your hand and give it the slightest squeeze with your fingers. If you've made a dent or impression, that avocado is already ripe if not past ripe. I rarely use avocados immediately after buying them so I choose avocados that are on the firmer side, but not hard (ones that require a bit more pressure to make an impression with your fingers). These avocados will be ripe within 1-3 days. If you're not using them within a few days throw them in the fridge!!! This helps them stay ripe for twice as long.

KALE TIP

︎ Season your avocado before you mash it to prevent over mixing it. You don't want to mash your avocado, season it and then mix it again because then it just gets nasty. I prefer my avocado toast on the chunkier side, mashing it with a fork for just about 30 seconds after I add my preferred seasonings.

︎ I use a whole avocado because I like equal portions toast and avocado.

︎ If you are only using half an avocado, saran wrap it and store it in the fridge. To prevent browning, squeeze a little lemon juice on it before storing it in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS

Yields 1

1 thick slice of sourdough or nomal sliced bread

1 small perfectly ripe avocado (see how to pick a perfect avocado above)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

sprinkle red chili flakes

squeeze of lemon juice

unsalted butter

*One thing I will emphasize is I do everything to taste! This is my base recipe but feel free to go off with the red chili flakes if you like heat.

DIRECTIONS

1. Generously butter both sides of the bread and toast on a skillet on medium high heat until golden brown on both sides. You can also use a toaster!

2. Carve out an avocado into a small bowl. Season with salt, pepper and whatever else you'd like! I usually like to add garlic salt, dash seasoning, and/or red chili flakes.

3. Mash the avocado with a fork until seasonings are incorporated but don't over mix! Keep the mash thick and relatively chunky. Spread avo on toasted bread, add tiny squeeze of lemon juice and you can eat it as is or add anything else you'd like!

4. I like to top mine with soft boiled eggs (see how to make a soft-boiled egg above), feta, smoked salmon, micro greens/ pea shoots, and Trader Joe's Everything But The Bagel Seasoning.

5. For a more savory toast, try sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, cheddar cheese, radishes or sauteed mushrooms on top!