savory Archives | Page 53 of 84

The creative process is an interesting one. Sometimes I have so many recipe ideas in my head I can barely write them down fast enough. Other times it’s a struggle that involves me staring at a blank sheet of paper for an hour with nothing to show for it but a silly doodle. This is the reason I’ve NEVER made myself keep to a strict blogging schedule. If it seems forced or inauthentic, I won’t do it. It’s impossible for me to know whether or not I will be inspired by something on a specific day at a specific time. The process is organic and fluid, and that is just how I like it.

I actually had the idea for this dish quite a while ago. I even wrote it down a few times. But then I got involved with other things until it persisted one last time. It’s an interesting one, blurring the lines of sweet and savory. Is it a dessert? Is it a veggie side dish? Well my friends, I’m not a fan of labels, so it is what it bloody is. If the combination doesn’t quite sit well with your palate, I urge you to at least make the date caramel, then serve it atop these cocoa cardamom cakes because DUH. Or maybe you make the caramel and just eat it with a spoon? Either way, it’s magic.

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winter avocado toast with cheezy toasted pepita sprinkle | plant based goodness via the sweet miscellany blog

As with my life and interests, this space here is always evolving , shifting, and changing. I used to have certain rules and constraints regarding what I could and couldn’t post. It seemed logical at the time but now when I look back at those arbitrary rules I set for myself, they seem rather silly. Ultimately they began to make blogging seem like a chore rather than something fun and fulfilling. All because I set a boundary I couldn’t develop past. Maybe you can relate?

So here we are, no more boundaries or imaginary lines. No more rules against what I can and cannot post. I want this space to be as authentic to my life as possible. Probably the least authentic part about the blog is the food styling. Trust me when I say that the only time my food tends to look “pretty” is when I have to take a photo of it. Although I guess pretty is a subjective word so maybe it would look as such to someone else. My point in all of this before it becomes a wordy rant is that I’m striving to keep this space as real as possible. It will reflect what I’m currently eating, doing, seeing, reading, etc. In a time where I can feel a huge shift coming and there is a lot of uncertainty about the future, this is my constant, my anchor.

So here we are, a “recipe” for a winter-inspired variation of one of my comfort foods. I could easily slap avocado on some toast, give it a sprinkle of salt, and be on my way. But, it’s nice to make something as seemingly mundane as toast a little special. I’ve been getting beautiful watermelon radishes in my CSA share recently so they’ve taken up residence on my avo toast. Not only do they provide a little brightness during these cloudy winter days, but they have a much sweeter flavor than any other radishes I’ve ever eaten. Cilantro (also in my CSA) made the cut for its brightness and wonderful blood cleansing properties. Everything is topped off by a cheezy toasted pepita sprinkle that is delicious on pretty much anything you add it to, except for maybe ice cream. I enjoyed this round of toast with an orange gifted to us from our neighbor’s tree. And it was sublime 🙂

Winter Avocado Toast with Cheezy Toasted Pepita Sprinkle

notes: you will have some of the sprinkle leftover, unless you go crazy and add it all to your slices of toast. Feel free to use it on anything savory from roasted veggies to rice.

for the sprinkle:
2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tsp hemp seeds
good pinch of sea salt
pinch of pepper

Chop the toasted pumpkin seeds as finely as you like or have the energy to, then mix them with the remaining ingredients. Store leftovers in a small airtight container either at room temperature or in the fridge.

for the toast:

2 slices of your favorite bread
vegan mayo, coconut butter, or any other spread you like for the bread
half of an avocado
1 tsp lemon juice
pinch of sea salt
1 small watermelon radish (or other radish), thinly sliced
1 tbsp minced cilantro

Toast the bread to your liking. While the bread is toasting, mash the avocado with the lemon juice and the salt. When the bread is ready, spread it with your vegan mayo (or other condiment), then divide the mashed avocado between the two slices of bread. Arrange the radish slices over the avocado, then finish with the cilantro and the cheezy toasted pepita sprinkle. If you want to really go crazy, add the sprinkle to the avocado mash instead of the plain sea salt. Makes 2 slices of toast.