This is about as basic as a vegan breakfast gets. Just mash half an avocado onto a slice of toast and sprinkle with salt and pepper. If you like pretty food, you can get as fancy as you want with your knife work and toppings. Either way, it’s an easy breakfast.

How do you know when an avocado is ripe? Try wiggling the stem. If the stem wiggles easily, that avocado is ready to get eaten. If you see an avocado at the store without a stem, it’s probably already overripe. Don’t buy avocados without stems.

Not all bread is vegan. Check the ingredients for things like honey, milk powder, whey, and eggs. My favorite bread for toast and sandwiches is Dave’s Killer White Bread. You can find it at most grocery retailers.

Basic Vegan Avocado Toast

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 perfectly ripe avocado
• 2 slices of bread
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Slice the avocado. Remove the stem, then insert a chef’s knife across the stem and press until you feel the pit. Slide the knife around the pit to slice the avocado in half. Remove the pit by whacking the blade of the knife into the pit and giving it a twist. You can then push the pit off the blade of the knife with your thumb.
2. Toast the bread. You can use a toaster, or a skillet on medium to medium-high heat.
3. Scoop the avocado out of its shell with a fork and mash it onto the toast. If you want practice your knife skills, slice each half in thin lengths inside the shell, scoop them out with a spoon, and then fan them across the toast.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper or your favorite seasoning. I really like Trader Joe’s “Everything But the Bagel” seasoning on my avocado toast.
5. Add any desired toppings.

Toast Toppings

• cherry tomatoes
• cucumber slices
• radish slices
• fresh herbs like dill or basil
• crushed red pepper
• lemon zest
• sliced peppers or tomatillos
• za’atar seasoning
• nori flakes and sesame seeds
• vegan bacon bits

The options for toppings are endless and entirely up to your taste buds. Try different flavor combinations, add seasonal veggies or your favorite spice blends. You don’t have to stick to a recipe for this one – feel free to get creative!