Almond Butter Avocado Toast

I love a simple, satisfying lunch. Something with lots of healthy fats and honest flavor that keeps me energetically vibrant and feeling light. Often, lunch for me is a hemp-rich smoothie or a big salad of greens, peppers, and summer fruit. But sometimes a sandwich is the only thing that will do. Put it in-between two pieces of bread and I'm there.

I'm a bit of an almond and avocado fiend, as most people who know me will attest. I eat one or two avo's and at least a handful of almonds most days. They really satisfy my appetite and crush sugar cravings. A spoonful of almond butter will keep me going when I start getting bored-hungry around 3PM at work. I got the notion to start putting them together last year when a friend starting following a primal-style diet and recommended it to me. A sammie with those two power foods in combo is a win.

At first this combination seems odd. But once you've tried it, you realize how perfectly almond butter and avocados match. Both are fatty and mild flavored, with a barely-there sweetness. And both pair well with almost anything.

I like 'em open-faced, personally. Less bread, more good stuff. Enjoy!

For this recipe, I used an olive oil I reserve especially for its flavor. It's a hand-pressed Portuguese olive oil from some folks who live here in Charlottesville. It's nutty, sweet, and low in tannins. If you can get your hands on some high-quality, pure olive oil it really makes all the difference.

Almond Butter Avocado Toast

Ingredients

• 1 avocado

• 2 slices sourdough bread (I used Sami's wheat-free sourdough), toasted

• 4 tablespoons almond butter

• 2 tablespoon goat chèvre

• 1/2 tsp agave

• 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper flakes

• 2 large rounds sliced from an heirloom tomato

• 1/2 teaspoon excellent extra virgin olive oil

• 1/8 tsp smoked bittersweet paprika

• sea salt, to taste

Method

1. For the first sandwich, spread 2 tbsp almond butter, then goat chèvre liberally on your toast. Drizzle with agave and sprinkle with chipotle. Spread half of the avocado on top. Top with sea salt to your liking.

2. For the second sandwich, spread 2 tbsp almond butter on your toast. Arrange tomato slices on the sandwich, and top with the rest of the avocado. Drizzle with fine olive oil, and sprinkle the smoked paprika over top. Top with sea salt to your liking.