Above: Avocado on Spelt Toast with Micro Greens, Chili Olive Oil,  Sea Salt, Paprika & Red Pepper Flakes

My love for avocado runs DEEP. I have been consuming this dense & creamy fruit basically all my life. But for the longest time, I thought it was “fattening”. Gasp. I would limit myself to half a Hass avocado a couple of times a week. Never a full one. I would sprinkle a little bit of sea salt & olive oil and spread it on top of baguette bread (back when I wasn’t even versed on what gluten actually was & how it contributed to my inflammation). Long before avocado toast mania took over social media channels, a young girl in Central America was fighting hard to not eat too many. Coming abroad to Canada really helped curb my “green spread” obsession. Avocado food options were far and few on our university campus, what back home was considered a “staple” did not enjoy much notoriety in North America 12 years ago. Hard to believe, right?

Above: Avocado, Goat Feta, Chili Olive Oil & Red Pepper Flakes over Crunchy Quinoa Loaf!

But I’m now back on the avocado bandwagon, and my game is strong. Breakfast is a simple decision these days: smoothies, oatmeal & fruit, chia pudding, or avocado toast. More often than not, avocado toast wins!

Types of Breads I Enjoy (2 are Gluten-Free & 2 are low in Gluten and don’t contain traditional wheat particles)

• Gluten-Free bread (Usually white or brown rice/bean/ or tapioca flour with added sunflower seeds or flax or chia)
• Quinoa & Amaranth bread (Available at most health stores, both grains are completely gluten-free)
• Sourdough bread (The naturally occurring fermentation in this type of bread eliminates most of the gluten when traditionally prepared and packed with good bacteria) Not recommended for people with celiac disease, however.
• Spelt bread (Recently been consuming a lot of it. I react very well to it. But then again, it’s not recommended for people with celiac disease as spelt is a sub-species of wheat. The beauty of spelt is that unlike wheat; it’s never been genetically modified. It’s been consumed for 5,000 years and is probably one of the most ancient grains known to humans.)

Above: Avocado on Sourdough Bread with Salt, Pepper, Sliced Tomatoes, Olive Oil & Chilli Flakes

My Favorite Toppings on Avocado Toast

• Olive oil, sea salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper
• All of the above plus freshly sliced tomatoes
• Love to add micro-greens to it, too
• Sriracha hot sauce & avocado are also the perfect marriage
• Some people swear by a little lemon, I personally don’t add any
• I do my own chili-flakes & olive oil infusion which results in very flavorful olive oil
• I also enjoy goat cheese or sheep feta. I find I can tolerate dairy that does not come from cattle fairly well
• I also enjoy a dusting of Hungarian paprika
• For a little protein boost, try sprinkling about 1/2 tbsp of hemp hearts per toast

Just be creative- it’s hard to get it wrong with something so deliciously simple & nutritious. I truly hope you enjoy this treat as much as I do. By the way, I consume an avocado daily these days… Whether it’s with my lunch/breakfast or dinner. Don’t be fooled by it’s reputation, avocados are cholesterol-free and low in saturated fats, the type of fats we intend to avoid. They’re packed with Vitamin C, & Vitamin E, & Folate. My hair and skin have never looked better, and I think that old adage about an apple should be changed to: “An avocado a day, keeps the doctor away.”

Above: Avocado with fresh tomatoes, chili infused olive oil, flaked sea salt & a sprinkle of black chia seeds & chili flakes over quinoa & amaranth loaf