my avocado toast secrets

Avocado toast seems simple enough, but these tips can totally take it to the next level. Here's 4 steps to develop your perfect toast :)

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The Toast

Picking your toast is the first and arguably most important step to a killer avo masterpiece. I personally love to grab a hearty, thick slice of toast to counter the fattiness of the avocado. My favorites are the 7 Sprouted Grain bread from Food for Life along with the 21 Whole Grains and Seeds from Dave's Killer Bread. I totally understand how this bread can look misleading and health- nut esque, but trust me, along with avocado it's the perfect duo. If you're not keen to try a dense grain bread, however, you can never go wrong with classic sourdough. Just make sure your toast is heavily toasted to avoid sagging or falling apart when the toppings are added.

More on: http://bit.ly/2SJc5g5 (Dave's), http://bit.ly/2swSvJr (Food for Life)

The Spread

One thing avo toast lovers fail to add to their toast is a layer of flavor before the avocado is added. This simple and quick action totally ups the level of complexity on your palate and is well worth it. Some of my favorite spreads come from Trader Joes. First, for my pesto lovers, is their Vegan Kale, Cashew, and Basil Pesto. I've gotten all my friends and family, vegan and carnivores alike, to fall in love with this pesto. Due to its thick and creamy texture, it sits beautifully on top of toast and doesn't leak through, or sog it. Secondly, for the spice obsessed, I recommend Trader Joe's Zhoug Sauce. Pretty much a spicy cilantro based pesto, this sauce is similarly thick and creamy, but adds a whole new definition of flavor. Both of these sauces have totally transformed the ways I eat and serve avocado toast and will leave your friends and family speechless.

More on: http://bit.ly/2QkfOPz (Pesto), http://bit.ly/2sFjUc1 (Zhoug)

The Avocado

When making avo toast I do one of two things with my avocado: mash or slice. I find mashing to be easier when serving to a large amount of people as I can easily season the avocado with lime juice, salt, pepper, and freshly minced garlic all at once. However, sliced avocado is always the option I choose if I am serving a small group, or just myself. After slicing the avocado in the skin, I carefully scoop it out and lay in over the entirety of the toast (usually 1/2 avocado per 1 piece of toast). Then, I top the slices with the same products you would find in the mash (lime juice, salt, pepper, and freshly minced garlic). The slices add another layer of texture, while the mash tend to blend with the sauce I've placed underneath it.

The Toppings

Although our avo toast up to this point is close to perfect, I find a variety of toppings can help to mix up this dish to avoid getting repetitive or boring. Firstly, you can never go wrong with a fresh mango salsa or pico de gallo. Along with adding texture, I find these flavors to add a sweetness to the savory toast. Second, Adding microgreens or baby arugula can up the presentation of your toast, which isn't necessary for regular enjoyment, but if you're serving to others it definitely makes a difference. Two things I almost always add to my toast are thin slices of red onion and half dried cilantro. Keeping up with fresh cilantro can sometimes be a hassle as it goes bad quickly, while fully dried cilantro loses texture. Half dried cilantro is a total game changer as it's the best of both worlds. Finally, avocado toast can always use more flavor from a drizzle. Specifically, I love adding some balsamic fig glaze just before eating. The topping ideas for avo toast are endless, but I find these basics to be widely loved quick fixes.

More on: http://bit.ly/36lkZ7p (cilantro), http://bit.ly/2QDzGw1 (fig balsamic glaze)