We’ve all read the article claiming millennials “can’t afford to buy homes because they’re too busy buying avocado toast.”

And as a millennial, I say, actually, we can’t buy homes because they’re expensive AF and we don’t get paid enough to keep up with the price of living in today’s society.

Anyway – this post is about TOAST. And how although rent/home prices may be total shit in California, we have freaking GOOD avocados, so, we capitalize on them. For every meal. Plus, they’re loaded in healthy fats and omega-3s, so unless you have an allergy, you know you love them (or should).

When I moved away from Encinitas, I missed my friends first and the food second. Seriously – one of the biggest cons listed on my pro and con moving list was THAT LEUCADIA AND ENCINITAS FOOD THO. I love it. It’s me in a menu. It’s my spirit animal in a town. But, ultimately, family and best friends > food, so I’ve been crafting up all the foods I miss most from local beachside coffee shops, like avocado toast.

With that, here’s a few of my personal toast recipes that are favs among my friends and fam –

Use bread, gluten-free bread, or sweet potato slices as the base.

For all avocado toasts listed, I use my universal avocado homemade herb spread; the recipe is

• 1 avocado
• 1 tablespoon dried chives
• 1-2 teaspoon(s) Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel seasoning
• Pinch of salt + black pepper
• Pinch of paprika
• Dash of onion powder
• Mix like guacamole and use as your avocado spread.

Blackberry Herb Goat Cheese Avocado Toast with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

• Avocado spread
• Organic blackberries
• Toasted pumpkin seeds
• Herb and chive goat cheese (use cashew cheese or leave out if vegan or dairy-free)
• Drizzle a thick balsamic vinegar on top

Cherry Tomato and Marinated Onion Avocado Hummus Toast

• Organic cherry tomatoes, washed and sliced with seeds removed
• Marinated onions (sharing my recipe here soon)
• Avocado spread
• Hummus of choice
• Optional – add goat cheese or sheep’s milk feta cheese
• Optional – top with freshly ground pepper or Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel Seasoning and chives

Almond Butter Strawberry Banana Toast with Honey and Cinnamon

• Almond butter or cashew butter (use sunflower butter if you need to avoid nuts due to allergy or preference)
• Sliced banana
• Sliced organic strawberries
• Top with organic ground cinnamon and drizzle with local raw honey