[Sometimes, you just want to eat something now. I’ve decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so easy to make that no recipe is required. Here’s today’s “Flash in the Pan.” (For other FitP recipes, see “Categories” at right).]
I must interrupt this current Lucky Comestibles series (wait a sec, can I interrupt myself?) to tell you all about my new favorite breakfast. Or lunch. Or (when you’re really feeling peckish) snack. In fact, I love this so much that I’ve eaten it three times in the last week.
First, I noticed that avocados spread on toast had become a favorite brekkie of Shelby’s a while back. Since I love avocado, I thought I’d like to try it out some time, but then life–and Lucky Comestibles–took over, and I simply forgot about the idea.
Then, about a week ago while standing at the grocery checkout line, I was scanning the latest Everyday Food (I’d already peeked at what other people had in their grocery carts, reviewed my shopping list twice, glanced around for last-minute sale items near the cash, and flipped through Soap Opera Digest–yes, they are very slow at my local grocery checkout) and I found a very similar item in Martha’s magazine–grilled avocados on toast! Well, just so happened I had some perfectly ripe avos at home, so once I paid and packed up my new EcoSacs with items, I drove home with grilled avocado on the brain, salivating the entire while.
“That’s very understandable, Mum. It’s perfectly normal to salivate while thinking of food. We do it all the time.”
I’m sure my version isn’t identical to the original, but it’s such a simple recipe that measurements are likely not necessary. I served mine over veggie-packed cheela (also called pudla), which was lovely (I still plan to try it on regular toast, as soon as I’m allowed to eat toast once more).
Prepared on the grill, the avocado is barely warmed through, with a seared exterior and creamy, yielding flesh (oops, there I go helping the perverts with their Google searches to my blog again). While I’ve baked with avocado purée and used it in various chocolate-based recipes, I’d never eaten a warm avocado just on its own. Smashed slightly and spread over the cheela, it was entirely delightful.
Moral of the story: sometimes it pays to get stuck at the checkout line. (Oh, and Oakdale is in for some heavy-duty upheaval this summer).
Back to Lucky Comestibles next time!
Grilled Avocado on Toast
inspired by a recipe in Everyday Food
A simple, quick, and entirely winning way to ingest some healthy monounsaturated fats and please your tastebuds all at the same time.
Per serving:
1 ripe avocado, cut in half, peeled and pitted
squeeze of fresh lime juice
drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
freshly ground pepper, to taste
fine sea salt, to taste
1 slice toast or other breadlike substance, as a base (I used the cheela/pudla recipe here).
Heat a Bar-B-Q or indoor grill (I used the latter). Sprinkle the cut surfaces of each avocado half with lime juice and olive oil. Place cut-side down on grill and cook for about 2 minutes; gingerly turn over and cook on the other side, turning so that grill marks will cross each other, another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and place on toast. Add pepper and salt to taste. Makes 1 serving.
Last Year at this Time: Minted Peach and Corn Salad
© 2009 Ricki Heller
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Hi! I'm Ricki, cookbook author, professional recipe developer, holistic nutritionist and anti-candida crusader. Let me show you how easy it is to eat plant-based, sugar-free, gluten free food that tastes great! 
I thought my idea was good (thanks for the shout-out btw!), but this…this is GENIUS! I’m trying this out ASAP!
Grilled Avocado–ingenious! Oh this is so going to be my next snack!
That looks so good! I’ve been on a big avocado kick lately for some reason. I never tried grilled avocado before, but it sounds like a good idea. I wish I had a grill to try this!
i can’t believe i ever missed your post on the chickpea pancakes, Ricki – where the heck have i been (i guess in the very back of a dark cave underneath a very big rock. ahahhaahahahahaa!)? i had fried avocado once (in austin at a litle taco truck), and i loved it just a bit warm. never had it grilled, although i can see that being even more glorious (and more healthy) than fried. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! i really want to get a cast iron skillet grill pan – i think one might work for these! mmmmmmmmmm!
p.s. – your google comment made me laugh out loud! yay!
Last time my fam had a BBQ, I bought avocados pecifically for grilling them, but then when grillin’ time came, I TOTALLY forgot about them. shame 🙁 Hopefully I’ll remember someday.
I haven’t had cheela (yet!) but I’ve eaten more than my share of avocado with a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper, on toast on rice cakes on crackers, on a spoon. But I’ve never grilled it on an actual grill. I’ve used the broiler and toaster oven, but if I ever actually GET a grill, I’ll add this to the list!
That looks fantastic! I LOVE avocados – so rich in monounsaturated fat and so tasty. My little guy would go crazy over this recipe.
Those grill marks look amazing!
And I saw you in the contributing editors section of Clean Eating, congrats!
Mmmmm, I always loved avocado on toast with EB and mayo. Grilling adds a whole new dimension!
Yes, I think the world is coming around to warm avocado. Great grill marks!
Oh my word, try mashed avo + lime + salt and pep + chopped cilantro atop warm crunchy toast 🙂
Delicious sounding! I like to mash an avocado with miso to spread on toast. Got that tip somewhere in the blogosphere and have been eating it ever since 🙂
This would be seriously addictive, I have no doubt, especially when served over pudla!
Shelby,
Thought you might like this take on it! 🙂
Jes,
It does make a great snack, too!
Kiersten,
I’m sure you don’t really need a grill (a frypan will likely do just fine)–all you’d miss is the grill marks!
jessy,
Yep, it did go super-well with the chickpea pancakes! A bet a cast iron skillet would work perfectly. Glad you liked the Google comment! 😉
Nora,
Too bad! Hope you enjoyed the rest of the BBQ, though.
Andrea,
I’m sure you don’t really need a grill for this! And the cheela are really worth making–and easy!
Jenny,
I couldn’t agree more! What a great way to get some healthy fats, I think. 🙂
Ruth,
Thanks so much! And thanks for letting me know about the Clean Eating bit–I had no idea they’d put a photo/blurb in this time!!
Susan G,
Your combination sounds pretty lip-smacking, too!
Erin,
I certainly hope so. I know I’m definitely a fan.
Natalie,
Sounds just delicious. I think I’ll have to try that next time!
Lisa,
Yes, the pudla do make it especially appealing!
Great story, with an even greater ending! I love avocado, and I especially love smashing it and creating neat foods with them. The avocado toast is a great idea. Your pictures look so tempting!
Yum! I never would have thought about grilling avocado, but I do love it warm when it’s on sandwiches. This sounds great!
I love browsing magazines in line at the supermarket – though I do it less with sylvia – and I love avocado on toast – have never tried it warm – must try – and some tomato and cracked black pepper goes wonderfully with avocado on toast (as does peanut butter) – I love the idea of it on cheela – must try!
Avocados are one of my all time favorite nearest and dearest loves. And I adore them on vegan butter toast splashed with a bit of hot sauce! But I have never even considered grilling them, you are a genius!
Simply perfect! Now, I have to get over my fear that the avocados I see at the grocery store will never ever ripen, and get some to make this dish.
Gina,
Thanks so much! Since I posted this, I’ve been hearing about so many great ways to smash and eat the avo! Can’t wait to try some of them out.
Lori,
If you like warm avocados, you’ll love this. 🙂
Johanna,
Well, I must admit that’s one combo I’ve never considered–avocado and PB! As soon as I’m back on PB, I’m giving it a try. 🙂
Voracious Vegan,
Mmmm, hot sauce! Another great way to enjoy the amazing avocado!
Josiane,
Take my word for it, they WILL ripen. Last week I bought a bag of rock-hard, lime-green avocados (how could I resist, when a bag of 5 is half the price per avo as buying them individually?) and they did, indeed, ripen perfectly. Just pop the almost-ripe ones in the fridge so you don’t have 5 ripe avocados all at the same time!
Amazing! I’ve never grilled avocado, but that looks so good, I’ll just have to try it.
Mmmmmmm, lovely! I have never thought of having it on toast before, it would be great for breakfast. It would be nice on bruschetta with tomatoes too.
I made a smoothie with an avocado this morning – apple, avocado and mint. It was delicious. I must try to do more with them.
I’ve baked avocado halves before and absolutely loved it. It’s like the best butter ever! I like the idea of putting it on the grill.
This looks wonderful. I am adding it to my meal plan for somtime this week. I am looking forward to browsing around your site for some recipe ideas.
Fabulous idea. Grilled avocado on toast. Yum! I will have it over a thin layer of miso on toast. The best breakfast!!
wow that looks amazing!
That looks as delicious as I imagine it tastes!
Hannah,
Yes, it’s really worth a try!
Holler,
I LOVE the idea of avos in a smoothie! Must try it.
Diann,
Yes, it’s incredibly rich tasting–yum!
Carrie,
Thanks so much–and thanks for reading my blog! 🙂
Anh,
The addition of miso would make this truly terrific. Thanks for the idea!
Lindsay,
Thanks so much!
Lisa,
Good imagination–it does taste delicious! 🙂
glad to know i’m not the only one who looks in other peoples carts 😉 and grilled avocado?? going to try this one!
Now I’m totally regretting not buying an avocado when we went grocery shopping today! One of my go to quick and favourite meals is mashed avocado on toast, with diced tomatoes (or salsa), crushed tortilla chips, and some grated cheese. Then quickly toasted to melt the cheese in the toaster oven mmmm. That cheela looks delicious too. And I have some chickpea flour in the cupboard hmm.
oh Ricki, this is pure brilliance! and I giggled at “breadlike substance”.
Thanks, Ricki 🙂
I felt like such a weirdo when I was standing over my counter slicing out the “wing” shapes, but just kept reassuring myself they were vegan so it was all good.
Mmm that avocado dish is looking delicious. I usually just half-ass it and place some sliced avocado on bread and throw it in the toaster…this may motivate me to work a little harder 🙂
ooh! me! gimme gimme gimme. um, ‘scuse me, just got a little carried away there. I grew up eating avocado sandwiches and they’ve always been a big thing for me.
Once I have my kitchen back in working order- this could seriously become my new favourite meal
Looks great! That stone hollow is just begging for a scoop of beans – would make a wonderfully healthy light meal.
Oh my god, this looks amazing!!!