Avocado Florentine Toast

I LOVE avocado toast. I mean really, really LOVE it.  I went through a period where I think I may have eaten avocado toast on the daily. It is one of the more ‘millennial trendy’ foods I’ve fallen victim to since it’s popularity began. 

Avocado toast is so much more than just some guacamole on a piece of bread! You can probably make it more than a hundred ways! I’ll absolutely be adding some additional avocado toast versions to the blog in the coming weeks and months, but for now, this is one of my favorites! It’s got an Egg Florentine vibe just sans the hollandaise. 

This is one of my easiest breakfasts recipes, yet it’s still packed with a ton of nutrients and flavor! 

To prep your Avocado Florentine Toast ingredients, you’ll need:

• half of a large avocado (or 1 small guy)
• two big handfuls of baby spinach leaves
• an egg
• a piece of “toast bread” with lots of nuts and seeds on the crust (My favorite toast bread is Health Nut from Orowheat!)
• some fresh chopped parsley
• extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt
• fresh cracked black pepper
• a medium saucepan
• a toaster or toaster oven

 

If you’re someone who likes to “prep” all of their ingredients instead of do it as you cook, you’ll want to go ahead and toast your bread, slice your avocado, and chop your parsley.

 

Wait, there’s a hack of perfect avocado slices?!!

Yes there is! I’m so glad you asked! I’ve tried to cut beautiful slices of avocado’s for years and have failed time and time again, ending up with halved avocado slices, bruised and mangled slices, or just getting fed up and going with the “cubing” method that you so often see in salads and dips. I’m a believer that avocado slices really elevate the look of a dish, and on toast they are just perfect! You get a full slice full of avocado flavor that stretches all the way across the toast without having to mash it up! (Mashed avocado is just fine on toast by the way, actually it’s great, but sometimes you just want a more polished slice that’s all!)

To perfectly slice an avocado:

1. 1. Slice the avocado in half, and remove the pit using the sharp edge of your knife (be careful!).
   2. Flip the avocado over onto your cutting board, leaving the skin side up.
   3. Gently score the avocado skin across near the base of the avocado – don’t cut all the way through!
   4. Peel the avocado skin away from the meat of the fruit, repeat with the other side. and discard the skin.
   5. Using a sharp knife, make clean slices across the back of the avocado.
   6. Voila! Perfect avocado slices!

 

How much spinach do I really need?

You’d be surprised at how much spinach it actually takes to sauté the perfect serving for one. Honestly it seems like a forest! Spinach loses a ton of water as it wilts, so you’ll want to start with quite a bit. As a good rule of thumb, when I sauté fresh spinach for one I always use two big handfuls.

 

Can I use frozen spinach for this?

Honestly, you could, but I wouldn’t. Frozen spinach takes longer to thaw, longer to cook, and needs to be drained of a lot of water before it’s edible on any sort of bread. Not to mention, it’s deprived of a ton of minerals when it’s cooked, frozen, and processed that way.

There is absolutely a time and a place for frozen spinach in cooking, I’m not completely against it! I just prefer to use fresh spinach when I’m making breakfast or a quick meal.

 

How do you get a that bright yellow sunny-side up egg??

There are a few different ways to get that pretty yellow egg that’s become so popular in aesthetically pleasing dishes these days, but my favorite way is medium low heat and olive oil.

I find that about a teaspoon of olive oil in the bottom of a warm pan creates the perfect environment for a crispy bottom egg that still has a beautiful runny yolk! You do have to be patient though, and allow your egg to cook (without the lid) for about 2-3 minutes. Once you see that the whites are set and there are a couple of crispy edges around the outside of the whites, your egg is ready! (This is for an extra runny yolk. If that freaks you out, add about 60 – 90 seconds of cooking time to your egg. Make sure to really control the heat!)

You can also cook your egg in butter, as in most traditional methods, but I find the bottom doesn’t get quite as crispy as it does with the olive oil. Buttery eggs are for Sunday breakfasts anyway!

 

So now you know the basics, let’s get started:

1. Toast the bread, and slice the avocado.
2. Layer the avocado slices on your toast.
3. Add half a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the spinach.
4. Gently move the spinach around the pan while it wilts, adding a teaspoon of water near the end if necessary.
5. Remove the spinach from the heat, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the sautéed spinach on top of the avocado slices.
6. Turn the heat down on the pan to medium low, and add another tsp of olive oil to the pan.
7. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, gently crack an egg into it.
8. Allow the the cook on medium low heat for about 2-3 minutes, just until the whites set and the edges are the slightest bit crispy.
9. Remove the egg from the pan with a spatula or egg lifter and layer it on top of the sautéed spinach. Season lightly with salt and cracked pepper.
10. Sprinkle parsley over the egg, and you’re all done!

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to post a rating and comment!

I’d love to see your pictures on Instagram too! Tag @a_toastedcrumb!