I received two beautiful Spanish Avocados with my Riverford veg box this week, so we’ll be making Guacamole. I mean when life hands you avocados… you should definitely make guacamole toast!
An avocado tree is very generous when it comes to producing fruit. Having grown up in sunny South Africa, we’ve always had an abundance of avocados as many family members in the more tropical areas had avo trees growing in their backyard. This means that guacamole with everything was a must, especially with toast as it’s the perfect quick and easy breakfast or lunch option. Guacamole may have originated in Mexico, but it has become a food of the world and is dearly loved across the globe.
Avocado contains many healthy fats, so no need to worry too much about your waistline. But as with most things, avo in moderation is still a good approach. Avocado is a good source of dietary fibre and is packed with antioxidants and vitamins.
What Makes a Great Guacamole on Toast?
Well, mainly perfectly ripe, organic avocados with finely chopped onions, tomato, garlic, coriander and lime juice. The two most important parts however are:
- The most important ingredient to good Guacamole Toast is the avocado of course. Look for organic, sustainable avocados that are slightly soft when you give them a light squeeze. If it’s too soft there will likely be brown bits in the avocado and if it’s too hard you’ll have green avocadoes that refuse to smash down.
- The second thing you need to make the best goacamole toast in a well toaste slide of artisan bread. It doesn’t have to be perfectly fresh in this case, but a good artisan brown bread or similar will make all the difference. Toast it well untill it’s a nice golden brown. Alternatively you can also use bagels as a base.
- Seasoning the avocado with a generous helping of salt, pepper and lime juice with bring all the flavours to life.
Other Topping Ideas
Once your toast is made, it doesn’t have to end there you can keep going and add a few other topics to make your toast even better. Here are a few options to consider:
- Organic, pasture raised bacon
- Poached organic, pasture raised egges
- Organic feta cheese or cheddar
- jalapeños for extra zing
- A good helping of salsa
- Sliced tomato with tomatillo salsa
The wonderful thing…? It’s ready in just a few minutes and can be used to top your toast, nachos, veggie chilli, burritos, Mexican broccoli and more. It’s a versatile and all-round wonder food to enjoy with people you truly care about or just your wonderful self of course.
Guacamole on Toast
Ingredients
- 2 ripened organic avocado from a sustainable source as above
- 1 finely chopped small organic tomato
- 1/2 finely chopped small onion red if you have one
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed organic lime juice
- a few sprigs of finely chopped coriander/cilantro
- 1 organic garlic clove crushed
- 4 slices organic brown, seeded or your favourite bread.
Instructions
- Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone and peel. Place in a bowl and mash until becomes smooth and resembles a paste.
- Add the finely chopped tomato, onion, garlic, coriander/cilantro and lime juice and mix well. Season to taste.
- For the toast, place two slices of brown or seeded bread in a toaster or grill in the oven until it becomes brown and crispy. This should only take a few minutes. As the avocado is oily there is no need to butter the bread, but you can do this for extra flavour. Divide the Guacamole evenly between the slices of toast and serve.
The Dark Side of Guacamole and Avocado Farming
With the increasing popularity, avocados have become a controversial crop. I wouldn’t be doing my job as an eco blogger if I didn’t highlight the environmental pitfalls of this much-loved fruit. If you’ve not watched season 2 of Netflix’s documentary Rotten then you really should do yourself a favour and watch it. Unfortunately, avocado growing in Mexico has become part of the cartel’s leverage.
Avocado growing is also a water-intensive process, and should ideally be grown in a warmer tropical climate where there is plenty of natural irrigation. They originate from tropical settings in Mexico and Central America and have been flagged as a crop that is responsible for deforestation, so be mindful when you do eat avocado that there are potential hazards. Choose your avocados wisely and know where they come from.
Avos that come from South Africa are generally not responsible for deforestation, but they too have to travel a long way to get to Europe or the US so you’ll have to pick your poison here. Spanish Avos are probably your most sustainable option if you’re in Europe. In the USA, buying local and avoiding Mexican avocados will at least mean that you’re not supporting the cartels. And of course, always buy organic.
