I just love avocado toast! It's so delicious, easy to make, comforting and it always makes me smile! Especially when Spring in Toronto can't seem to make up her mind.
There are so many versions or flavours of this wonderful thing. And the good news is: the components are not complicated and anybody can make it! This is a great family activity on a Saturday morning which the kids would love to join in.
Fresh bread with the best ingredients is the most important thing for this recipe. I love to use organic sourdough or rye bread. For those who are sensitive to gluten, use your favourite gluten-free bread. Raw flat bread made of almonds and flax seed is also a great option. I've served the recipe using them in my last raw food tea party and they were a hit just the same. Ripe but firm avocado is also a must - unless you're a fan of the more mushy ones like my hubby. The rest of the components is a mix and match at your own preference - be creative.
Here's my own version of the avocado toast, tropical style. It reminds me of Hawaii and Philippines. I have served them many times to friends and family. They're always a crowd pleaser I must say! The combination of creamy, sweet, tart, and crunchy items + herbs and toasted bread makes it a perfect and delicious option for breakfast, brunch or snack. It will make you smile!
Avocado Toast, Tropical Style
Ingredients:
1-2 ripe but firm avocado, cut and pitted
1-2 ripe mangoes, cut into cubes
1/2 - 3/4 c. cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
1 tbsp. red onion, minced
1 small purple daikon or a few red radish, thinly cut
juice of 1/2 lime or more
1/4 c. cilantro leaves
pinch of good salt and optional black pepper
Slices of sourdough, rye bread or gluten-free option
Method:
Prep all the ingredients and before serving, toast the bread. In a bowl, mix the mango, tomatoes, onions, lime, salt and some of the cilantro leaves leaving some for topping. Depending on how big your bread slices and your avocados, scoop 1/4- 1/2 of the avocado and spread on the bread by using the tines of a fork. Top with mango salsa, a few daikon slices and more cilantro. Enjoy!
Below is another version using homemade flat bread, shaved purple cabbage dressed in cashew cream and edible flowers. We enjoyed this last year in my Raw Tea Party.
Another version using raw flatbread and purple cabbage
Recently, I went home to the Philippines. I had a good dose of my long missed tropical fixes and get to hang out with my favourite people including high school classmates and teachers. My family lives in the northernmost tip of the country where we still grow our own rice, vegetables and lots of fruits since land is abundant there, thanks to our older generation who started it all. The ocean is not too far away either although no beach days for me as it rained so much for the whole week that I was there. I enjoyed spending time playing with my nephews and nieces in Manila, especially the younger ones. I miss them so much!
I'm very grateful that I have the best of both worlds: cosmopolitan Toronto and the muddy rice fields of my childhood. I was able to ride in the same boats (just like in my high school days) to cross the river in order to visit Aparri. I still have several of my high school friends there. Shopping in open markets was fun! There were fresh seaweeds and pako (tropical version of fiddleheads), taro shoots, the juiciest jicama and the best bananas. The supply of young and mature coconuts never runs out since all you need is a skillful young man to climb the tall trees in the backyard. My sister is the new(er) modern-day farmer, mixing some science and good old passed me down wisdom from older generation farming techniques. She graduated from UP Los Banos many years ago specializing in Agriculture and is now managing what our ancestors left us. These days, her garden has tons of red dragonfruits, bananas, pomelo in addition to trees my dad planted when we were young: mangos, tamarind, mandarin oranges, chico and coconuts.
My dad is now 91. He still has a sharp memory and is the classic story-teller who remembers things that happened so many years ago. He loves to read using a magnifying glass and never his prescription glasses. My heart was full. Here are some of the photos.
My dad at 91.
