10 More Vegan Breakfast Toasts (Compilation #3)

 Lately, the price of bread has made it feel like a luxury good. I guess in a way it is. It's definitely a convenience food, and I'm happily paying for someone else to make bread for me, because I don't have the capacity to make bread all the time. (I did that, once upon a time; I look back on that season of my life with a degree of bewilderment. But in my defense, I had less going on back then. And I hadn't gone through a global flour shortage.)

I'm not eating as much bread these days as in the profligate times of yore, when I would grab a slice of toast to round out tons of meals. But paradoxically, I enjoy it more, now. For context, I live in an area with a ridiculously high cost of living. Most of the time, I buy a loaf of bread for $4-7 or so these days, which, frankly, is painful enough. But there are loaves of bread currently on sale at my normal grocery store--which is not a fancy gourmet market, just the normal store--for fourteen dollars. That rye bread is not going to be seen here anytime soon, but its very existence still terrifies me.

What is seen here, though, are some basic ideas that have made for pleasant mornings for me, and may make for pleasant mornings for you, too, when you feel like a slice of toast. I stave off the seemingly endless money panic I experience with treating myself as well as I can and giving myself regular reminders that I can still nourish myself without dropping double-digits on a loaf of bread. So here there are fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, the occasional chickpea, and a host of other things that add up to me doing my best to take care of myself. There's a lot of symbolism in a slice of bread, really.

This is the third entry in my toast series, though toast will still show up in my more diverse breakfast compilations, too. If you missed the other toast roundups, here are links to the first and the second.

1. Warm "Honey" Pear and Ricotta Toast with Walnuts (Soy Free)

This is a slightly more complex toast than I usually make, but it was pretty great nonetheless! I had made some almond ricotta, so I was already halfway there. The recipe is veganized from My Primrose Hill Kitchen, using vegan butter and vegan honey alongside the almond ricotta. The complexity of flavors is really great here, plus it got me to keep to my resolution to eat more pears.

2. Toast with Veggies, Non-Dairy Cream Cheese, Dill, and Capers (Soy Free)

If you like this combo on a bagel, you'll very likely love it on toast, too. Here, I have Miyoko's cream cheese with sliced tomato, red onion, and cucumbers. I topped that with flaky salt, a sprinkling of dried dill, and some capers. The capers really make this what it is--absolutely delicious. And it's cheaper than a bagel, even with the price of bread being what it is.

3. Yeasted Banana Bread with Salty Vegan Butter (Nut Free)

I can't really explain this one as anything other than a craving. I had made yeasted banana bread and wanted to make toast, so I made toast; I added vegan butter and then had the impulse to sprinkle on some flaky sea salt. It was, somehow, amazing.

4. Cream Cheese and Persimmon Toast with Seeds (Soy Free)

Start with some whole wheat toast. Spread on some of your favorite non-dairy cream cheese (here, Miyoko's). Add slices of ripe fuyu persimmon, some hemp seeds, and chia seeds. The cheese and persimmons complement each other really well--this is is sweet and tangy and wonderful when persimmons are in season.

5. Peanut Butter and Grape Chia Jam Toast (Soy Free)

You can find the recipe for grape chia jam I used here at Love Thy Carrot. I substituted Jelly Berry grapes for the Concord grapes and cut it in half, but otherwise made it as written, with one exception: I used an immersion blender to smooth out the mixture before adding the chia seeds. In general, I love chia jams, but a grape version isn't as popular as berry versions, and it should be! We already knew the grapes-and-peanut-butter flavor is a classic. This one isn't as sweet as it would be with jam or jelly, but it has an intense grape flavor and for me, it's perfect.

6. Carrot-Cucumber Toast (Soy Free, Nut Free)

You've already seen one iteration of carrot toast previously, but here's another! This time it's just carrot spread, cucumber, and everything bagel seasoning--a no fuss way to begin a day.

7. Broccoli Pesto, Veggie, and Scramble Toast

I had some leftover broccoli pesto, which was the basis of this toast. I spread the pesto on toasted whole wheat bread, then topped that with a mushroom-onion-spinach sauté, and finally a scrambled JUST Egg. I added some cracked black pepper. This was a really nice, hot, savory breakfast!

8. Sweet Potato Hummus Toast (Nut Free, Soy Free)

I had half a sweet potato that needed using in the fridge along with half a can of chickpeas, so it was only logical that they would become this roasted sweet potato hummus from Bowl of Delicious. I was pretty exhausted on the day I made this, so all I mustered for the toast was the hummus and everything bagel seasoning, but often the simple things are the most satisfying.

9. Arugula Avocado Toast (Soy Free, Nut Free)

This is an easy recipe from Fork in the Road that really layers on the flavor. You start with a base of toast that has been drizzled with olive oil and seasonings, then add sliced avocado. On top of that, you have a simple arugula salad dressed in olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. It's finished off with hemp seeds, sesame seeds, and some crushed red pepper flakes. This was a bit messy to eat, so you might go for a knife and fork if you have people to impress. If you're alone, you can probably just amuse yourself with getting salad everywhere and eat it with your hands.

10. Seed and Parsnip Spread Toast (Soy Free, Nut Free)

Imagine: You know it is parsnip season, and you are trying to eat seasonally, but you aren't that familiar with parsnips. But you have some sunflower seeds on hand, and run across a recipe that combines both. You're intrigued, so you make it, and it turns out to be one of the best spreads you've ever had. Well, folks, if you're tired of hummus and tired of the non-hummus spreads that still rely on tahini, then this recipe from Tasty Simply Vegan is there for you. No so, no nuts, and if you put it on something without gluten, also gluten free, too! Plus if, like me, you like hiding veggies in your breakfast, this is a perfect hidden-veggie meal.

Okay, that is maybe too much like ad copy, but I did really love this spread! I had to add a bit more water to get my food processor to really blend the mixture down, but once it did, it went from a slightly chunky mix I tasted and thought "this will be okay" to one that made me pause and celebrate life for a moment. I spread it on toast, added a garnish of chives, and had a smoothie with my toast to complete my meal.

So here's to making it through! And hope that we'll remember these days fondly in the future. They say grocery prices may be falling slightly. I will believe it when I see it. Hang in there, everybody.