I guess I could’ve simply called this blog something to do with avocado & that would’ve been a fair representation of my love/love relationship with this creamy green fruit and its abundant inclusion in my diet. It’s like my “daily bread”. And half the time I eat it over bread, so yep- that sounds a bit sarcastic, but it’s not. And for the record, avocado is indeed a fruit! The best one in the land, in my humble opinion.

Summer is here, and life seems to have slowed down (in some aspects) while it’s definitely kicked into (really) high gear in others. I find myself catching my tail all the time, running with sunglasses hiding tired eyes or lack of makeup (or both), & just trying to keep up with life as best I can. Want to learn something funny/random about yours truly? There’s two things I can’t stand to have: bad hair and/or no eyeliner. I kind of feel “naked”. So when neither is there, it’s a bun and sunglasses type-of-day.  That said, there’s only two more days left until school is over for the summer and I’ll soon have another little one added to my day to day full-time. That makes two. And three of us all day, every day. So I think my food is about to take an interesting turn into simple, quick meals that don’t compromise nutrition or taste. Like this particular one you’re seeing right about now…

I dubbed it “Avocado Toast: Summer Edition” and it created some very strong reactions when I posted the image on Instagram. People either loved it, or hated it. I think it’s all about the strawberries and feta; that combo of sweet and savory that may lead some to thread with caution. To question it. But TRUST me on this one friends; these ingredients were meant to be together- in salads and in toast. But the real star of the show on this piece of toast is not the fancy avocado rose I built in snapchat for you guys to see how it’s done. Nope, it’s the homemade balsamic reduction that glazes this toast and creates a flavor punch like no other.

I love a good, strong balsamic reduction over my caprese salad and always have. What I didn’t know was that it required only 2 ingredients, could be made in under 15 minutes, and could live in my fridge and infuse limitless happiness to my life. It’s like my chili olive oil, you put it on (almost) everything. I used buckwheat honey I found at Dough Bakery on the East end of town right at Broadview last week. Buckwheat honey is rich, dark, and super healthy for you. It comes from honey bees that collect the nectar of buckwheat flowers, and produce a darker, thicker honey. You could use any form of raw, organic honey you like. I also got a bottle of good quality balsamic vinegar and ta-dah; time to make a reduction!

The creamy avocado, the tangy/sweetness of the balsamic drizzle, the salty, barrel-aged sheep feta and the sweetness of the strawberries work together to create absolute perfection. I could eat this toast on repeat every day. I mean it. You know it. To add a little crunch or protein you could even add pumpkin seeds or dry buckwheat groats or hemp hearts. The possibilities to accessorize & superfood your toast are endless. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!