Next-Level Avocado Toast

Indulge in this delightful and wholesome breakfast of whole-grain toast topped with a vibrant medley of flavors, including creamy avocado, fresh tomatoes, and basil. The balsamic reduction and lovely edible flowers take it to the next level of flavor and beauty!

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoonsbalsamic vinegar, reduced as instructed below

4 pieces of organic, whole-grain, SOS-free bread such as Ezekiel 4:9, slightly toasted

2 ripe avocados

8-10 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters

¼ red onion, minced

a small bunch of fresh basil, julienned

edible flowers for garnish, optional (see Chef’s Notes)

Prepare the reduced balsamic. Pour the vinegar into a sauce pan and over low-medium heat, allow it to reduce just a smidge so that it almost becomes the consistency of a light syrup—not too thick. This will concentrate the flavor a bit, but not be as strong as a balsamic glaze.
Cut open the avocados and squeeze onto the toast, one-half avocado per slice of bread. Spread the avocado, sprinkle on the tomatoes and red onion, and drizzle with the reduced balsamic.
Add the basil. If adding flowers, arrange them where they will fit and be pretty. So simple and delicious! Enjoy!

Chef’s Note: Edible flowers include pansies, calendula, honeysuckle, borage, chamomile, daylily, squash blossoms, and mint. See https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/edible-flowers/8078.html for more information.

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Caryn Dugan

Caryn Dugan adopted a plant-based diet in response to tragedy: in 2008, cancer took her father at an early age and, ten weeks later, tried to take her. In response to her diagnosis, she searched for an answer and found one in the growing body of literature supporting a whole-food, plant-based diet to bolster our natural immune system.

In her 15 years advocating for more plants on plates, Caryn, known as the STL Veg Girl, has spearheaded many successful plant-based events in St. Louis. Most recently, she opened the nation’s first plant-based nutrition and culinary education center, the Center for Plant-Based Living, near St. Louis, MO. The Center also serves as the studio where she and her medical director, Dr. Jim Loomis, film episodes of the popular YouTube series, The Doc and Chef. Find more at CPBL-STL.com.