Smashed Avocado Toast with Sauteed Bell Pepper, Asparagus, Mushrooms, and Fried Eggs

Guys! These ice days have been absolutely brilliant because they've allowed me to get back into the kitchen, cook, and photograph food in actual daylight!! Goodness. I didn't realize how much I've missed being in the kitchen, buzzing around chopping and prepping and tasting! Expect at least one more post (maybe even later today) before the weekend is over. I'm so excited that I've been able to blog!

Okay. So. Avocado toast is SO simple and SO delicious, with the added bonus that avocado is just SO GOOD FOR YOU! So when you add a bunch of fresh veggies (for color, flavor, and health factors) and top it off with some quick fried eggs (for protein!), you're left with a powerhouse meal that looks beautiful and tastes even better!

You can dress this up with whatever vegetables you enjoy. I had mushrooms, asparagus, and some mini bell peppers on hand, and they all sounded delicious for this toast, so I decided to go for it. Feel free to mix this up as you desire!

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of thick-cut bread, lightly buttered on one side (I used Italian; you can use French, Sourdough, etc).
• 1 avocado, mashed
• 3 mini bell peppers, sliced, or one regular-sized bell pepper
• 4 stalks asparagus, woody ends trimmed
• 2-4 crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Heat oven to 375 and toast buttered bread directly on racks until golden and crunchy; about five to ten minutes. (You can also toast your bread in a toaster oven or a regular toaster--I have neither, so the oven was my go-to).

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add sliced bell pepper, mushrooms, and asparagus, and saute until fragrant and tender-crisp--about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Fry two eggs in the same frying pan until they reach your desired temperature (mine were over hard today, which is a little more cooked than I normally prefer--but they were delicious! Spread mashed avocado over toasted bread and top with sauteed veggies and fried eggs. Season eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts-- Servings: 2 • Size: 1 slice toast with 1 egg • Calories: 366 • Fat: 26.8 g • Carbs: 23.9 g • Fiber: 9.7 g • Protein: 11.5 g • Sugars: 6.6 g