Although I’ve posted some avocado toast recipes before, this absolute monster of a breakfast toast carried me through my last semester of 2020. What a year–I can’t believe it’s almost over. We’re nearly free from this absolute catastrophe! It’s hard to fathom that another year has come and gone, while at the same time I feel like I’ve aged a decade since January. I’m sure the feeling is mutual. Despite the chaos, however, I feel like 2020 has been one of my most productive and accomplished years in quite a while, even with what seems like the end of the world constantly looming on the horizon.
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, Alex and I made some very radical changes in our lives, from larger things changing jobs (him) to entering university (me) to moving even farther south (both of us) to smaller, more individual improvements like switching to a plant-based diet (me), taking up running (him), and making a conscious effort to read more books (both of us). In the grand scheme of things–even our lowest points–I think we have come out of 2020 as better, stronger people.
That doesn’t mean this year wasn’t difficult, however. Our lowest points were indeed low, but I think we’re lucky enough to be able to dwell on not on the negatives but on the positives of 2020 in retrospective. While we will be looking back on this year as a true dumpster fire, I want to try not to forget about the good things that happened in spite of so much strife. I am tentatively putting some of my hopes in 2021, but will be satisfied as long as we make it through intact.
Now, onto a lighter note and the actual breakfast toast recipe…
It is absolutely no secret that I love avocado toast, and this loaded “breakfast toast” version has become my go-to for a late morning meal or brunch if I need something to get me through an afternoon of online classes. The salty-sourness of the soy sauce and balsamic vinegar compliments the relatively sweet feta cheese so well. All of that veggie goodness layered atop protein-packed eggs/egg substitute (like JUST Egg or my tofu scramble) and an avocado chock full of healthy fats makes for a wonderfully nourishing start to the day. Structurally, I’ve found that whole grain or hearty sourdough bread holds up best under all of the weight, but white bread makes for an indulgent and delicious alternative as well. This recipe is so versatile, you can change almost any element and it will still taste great! Also, as an aside–yes, this can be made completely vegan. I’ve recently discovered Violife’s feta alternative (pictured) and I’m obsessed.
Ingredients:
- 2 slices toast, buttered
- 1 cup scrambled eggs, egg substitute, or tofu scramble
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup mini sweet peppers, sliced
- 1 cup spinach
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions:
- Toast two slices of bread in a pan with butter, under the broiler, or in a toaster. Set aside.
- Mash 1 fresh avocado in a small bowl with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Set aside.
- Prep and cook scrambled eggs, egg substitute, or tofu scramble as desired. Set aside.
- Heat a nonstick pan on medium-high heat. Add peppers and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.
- Add mushrooms, onion, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until vegetables have browned and most liquid has evaporated.
- Add spinach and sauté for about 1 minute, or until wilted. Set aside to assemble.
- Layer toast with avocado, egg/egg substitute, vegetable sauté, feta cheese, and your favorite hot sauce or crema.
Although I wouldn’t recommend storing an assembled toast in the fridge for fear of the bread becoming irreparably soggy, the individual components keep really well on their own. The lemon juice keeps the avocado from becoming brown, and the vegetable sauté can last several days and still taste great. More than once I’ve overestimated how much I want to eat in a single sitting and saved the toppings for another day.
Loaded Breakfast Toast
Ingredients
- 2 slices toast buttered
- 1 cup scrambled eggs egg substitute, or tofu scramble
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 cup onion sliced
- 1/4 cup mini sweet peppers sliced
- 1 cup spinach
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Toast two slices of bread in a pan with butter, under the broiler, or in a toaster. Set aside.
- Mash 1 fresh avocado in a small bowl with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Set aside.
- Prep and cook scrambled eggs, egg substitute, or tofu scramble as desired. Set aside.
- Heat a nonstick pan on medium-high heat. Add peppers and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.
- Add mushrooms, onion, soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until vegetables have browned and most liquid has evaporated.
- Add spinach and sauté for about 1 minute, or until wilted. Set aside to assemble
- .Layer toast with avocado, egg/egg substitute, vegetable sauté, feta cheese, and your favorite hot sauce or crema.
