Avocado and Shortcut Beet Hummus Toast is a nutritional powerhouse. Eat for breakfast to power through your morning, or anytime you need a boost. Easily made gluten-free, too!
Happy Monday, everyone, did you have a nice Halloween weekend??
Last Wednesday we flew out east to visit my in-laws then drove to Sully, Virginia, a 20 minute ferry ride from Jamestown, VA, to spend the weekend. The historical home we rented was built in the 1700s (!!) and sits on 100 wooded acres (no Winnie-the-Pooh sightings.) It was the perfect spooky-feeling spot to spend the holiday!
Not to mention a gorgeous one, as we arrived in time to catch the late-fall leaves still clinging to the trees. The drive up to the pitch black property on the night we arrived was a little (ok a lot!) eerie, but in the light of the day it couldn’t have been more picturesque.
Check this place out!
The Lightwood House was built starting in the 1760s in historic Sully, Virginia, just outside of Jamestown, Virginia, aka the first English settlement in the US. While the outside might look small, the inside is enormous, with 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and even a few secret hiding spaces…
I felt like I’d traveled back in time after stepping into the home with decor that matched the period, and antiques, floors, beams, and clocks that actually were of the period. The history nerd in me was DYING!!
We were at the house for two days with Ben’s family and spent one day hanging around the property, enjoying the mild weather.
Plus carving pumpkins for Halloween!
You can’t help but think about all the inhabitants of the 250+ year old house on nights like Halloween and, I won’t tell you who, but someone whose name rhymes with Glenn slept with a lamp on after scaring themselves by wandering around the woods after dark with his brothers!! ;)
Other highlights from the weekend included taking it easy and sipping coffee on the front porch.
Tree gazing while hiking around the property’s private trails,
and letting this little guy run and run and run. I don’t think I got a clear shot of him all weekend – he was on the go from morning until night!
We also went to a huge indoor/outdoor museum in Jamestown to learn how American’s first colony was built and, after spending a week in Virginia’s blue mountains last year, and this past weekend in Sully/Jamestown, I am more convinced than ever that Virginia is not just for lovers, it’s for adventure seekers too. There’s so much to do! Skiing, hiking, drinking (hello VA wine and cider country!) history, water, forests – it’s really got it all.
My Avocado and Shortcut Beet Hummus Toast has got it all, too (great segue, I know!) This toast isn’t just breakfast – it’s a POWER breakfast, and your new go-to when you need something packed full of protein and goodness to get you through the day. I was craving it like crazy this weekend!
I know what you might be thinking right now – beet hummus? What in the…? Why in the…? Trust me, it’s beyond fabulous. I tried this combo in Utah a couple weeks ago and the creamy, beet-infused hummus combined with cooling avocado slices, nutrient-dense microgreens, tangy goat cheese, and flaky sea salt won me over in seconds. Not to mention, I had one slice and could hardly even finish it – this meal is SO filling.
If you’ve never had avocado toast before, I am right there with ya’. While what feels like half the country has been smashing ripe avocado onto toast for breakfast over the past two years, I’ve been eating eggs and avoiding the devil gluten. Well, my friends, I’ve seen the light. The hot pink and neon green light, in fact. Ripe avocado slices topping shortcut beet hummus slathered onto gluten-free toast is a very, VERY good thing.
Have you seen the Nicolas Cage meme about ordering Diet Coke vs water and feeling healthy as, well you know what? Totally us when we’re eating this toast for breakfast!
Start by making the shortcut beet hummus. I am SO jazzed about this “recipe”! I’d planned to make beet hummus from scratch but was a little annoyed at the thought of having to buy a whole jar of tahini, making sure it was gluten-free, etc, then I thought, duh, what if I just added roasted beets to regular hummus? Shortcut beet hummus was born!
Roasted beets are packed with flavor and turn a little bit sweet in the oven. They’re not only super delicious, but high in vitamin C, fiber, and potassium. Beets might look a little intimidating but follow this easy roasting method and you’ll be making them nonstop from here on out.
You’ll need 1 medium-sized beet about the size of a baseball. Scrub the beet then wrap it in a piece of foil, place on top of a foil-lined baking sheet, and then roast for 40 minutes to 1 hour or until a knife inserted into the center meets little resistance, but is not mushy. Once the beet is cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to help peel the skin away (psst: your fingers might get a little red, but it’ll wash off!)
Chop the beet up then add it to a food processor with 3/4 of a 10oz tub regular hummus (I love Sabra Classic Hummus.) Process until smooth then add a little more hummus if it’s on the thin side, and then chill. How fantastic is this color, by the way? Perfect for bridal showers, princess parties…and this dish, of course!
The beet hummus can be made several days ahead of time – it gets better and “beetier” tasting the longer it sits. When you’re ready to eat, toast 2 slices gluten-free or regular bread. If you need to eat gluten-free make sure you do NOT use a toaster oven that’s been used to toast regular bread. Instead, place the bread on a foil-lined baking sheet then broil for 1-2 minutes on each side. I recommend a hearty, whole grain gluten-free bread vs a run of the mill white bread. It’ll stand up to the mountain of healthy toppings much better.
Slather the toast with the shortcut beet hummus then top with thin slices of avocado, crumbled goat cheese, and a sprinkling of microgreens. Microgreens are the shoots of lettuce leaves (or whatever mix you buy) that have been picked before sprouting into the greens we typically eat in salads. Microgreens are nuts because they’ve been found to contain 4-6 times more nutrients than the mature plants they grow into. How awesome is that? As they say, big things come in small packages!
Finish the avocado toast with a flourish of sea salt. I used the sea salt harvested at Terranea, which I received last spring. It’s very delicate and flaky, and is especially delicious on the ripe avocado.
Repeat your efforts on the other slice of toast, then dig in!
Print Recipe
Avocado and Shortcut Beet Hummus Toast
gluten freevegetarian15 minute meal
Description
Avocado and Shortcut Beet Hummus Toast is a nutritional powerhouse! Eat for breakfast to power through your morning, or anytime you need a boost. Easily made gluten-free, too!
Ingredients
serves 2
1 medium-sized beet (about the size of a baseball,) scrubbed
3/4 of a 10oz tub plain hummus (I like Sabra classic hummus)
4 slices hearty gluten-free or regular sliced bread (whole grain is best, dish will not be GF if using regular bread)
1/2 avocado, sliced
3oz crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup microgreens
sea salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil. Place beet inside another piece of foil then seal and place on baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center of the beet meets little resistance, but is not mushy. Once cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to help peel off the skin (should be fairly easy,) then slice beet and add to a food processor with hummus. Process until smooth. Can be done 3-4 days ahead of time.
Toast bread (gluten-free eaters - do NOT use a toaster that has been used for regular bread. Instead, place bread on a foil lined baking sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes a side,) then spread with beet hummus and top with avocado, goat cheese, microgreens, and sea salt.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Give this healthy, filling (and frankly, beautiful!) toast a try and you’ll have a hard time going back to cereal. These toasts aren’t just for breakfast, either. Enjoy anytime you need a boost!
The post Avocado and Shortcut Beet Hummus Toast appeared first on Iowa Girl Eats.