Avocado Lover's Breakfast Toasts

Ok ok, even I need a break from oatmeal every now and again. This doesn't happen too often but every once in a while I get a craving for something else. This time it was for a delicious breakfast toast that would be of fresh flavor but would include some protein as well. The person guilty for setting oatmeal aside from my morning plate is actually my fiancé who sent me pictures of blogging ideas late last night after the game and these just happened to be toasts :)

I made a spread out of "feta" cheese, avocado, olive oil, piment d'espelette and pickled red peppers, fried two eggs on a pan and laid these on two loafs of country style bread I had around that was going to dry out if I didn't use it now. I have a horrible tendency to buy bread and not eat it (such a waste). I would recommend this goodie to be served rather on top of rye bread, sweet rye bread even better. In Finland we have the perfect bread for this which is called "Saaristolaisleipä" meaning something like "archipelago bread" or "islander bread" in English - it is just divine and we're lucky to have my mom bake some for us each time she comes around.

Avocado Lover's Breakfast Toasts

serves 1-2, time 20 min 

2 large loafs of country style bread (or rye bread)

2 fried eggs

ham (smoked or parma)

Avocado breakfast spread

pickles for decorating

Avocado Breakfast Spread

half an avocado

2 table spoons of "feta" cheese (I used Apetina but any will do)

one slice of pickled sweet red bell pepper (according to taste)

drizzle of olive oil 

piment d'espelette (or chili)

In a small bowl smash avocado half with a fork, mix in the feta cheese, add olive oil and the bell pepper chopped in to fine small pieces. Taste, add a hint (tip of a tea spoon) piment d'espelette and see if it needs anything added. Depending on the feta cheese you're using you might need to add honey to keep the flavors balanced between sweet and sour. 

Once the spread is ready, fry the two eggs on a pan so that they are attached to each other. Once the bottom half is cooked, flip the other egg on top of the other so you'll end up with one fried egg. Cook to the level you like but not too runny as it won't hold on top of the bread. Set aside.

Cut the two loafs to half so you have four small loafs. Add the Avocado Breakfast Spread and cut triangles from eggs on top. Take strips of ham and form rolls of them and attach to breads with tooth picks. Finish with pickles and persillade spice or fresh herbs on top. Enjoy!

These would work on a picnic or brunch as well. In that case one portion would be enough for four people as you would be serving other snacks and bites as well. 

Hockey wife's hockey night (one of the many)...

Spring, that beautiful time of the year when you can stroll around the city with your fiancé and have a relaxed coffee and just enjoy. Or alternatively you can have that coffee by yourself either at the rink or at home watching your fiancé chase the pock on TV. 

Hockey life has it's own climax each year when the playoffs start. It's an intense finale for another intense year of training, games, sweat, stress and joy. A bunch of mixed emotions while still loving each second of it. It's not only intense to the players but to their families as well but if you love the game, you learn to love the hockey life as well. 

When the clubs change, so do the social circles around them. You meet new people every year, some you make friends with for a season, some for life. These are the people who understand what the hockey life gives and takes and how things roll around the game. There has been many seasons when together with the partners of the players we've been watching the playoffs and finals keeping our fingers and toes crossed for our team till the very last minute. 

This year I have been cheering for our team on my own as I've been pursuing my career this past year which has meant living in different cities. I love watching ice hockey and can get pretty loud when commenting the game especially if at home (usually at this time our dog gives me "the look") so in that sense perhaps it's for the best I have nobody around to hear. It's a great sport and a lot of fun to watch.

Our team made it to finals and for today's game I made some healthy kale chips to keep my nerves down while watching the game. There's two games left after tonight so it's safe to say that the rest of the week's plan is based on these :)

Nerve Cooling Kale Chips

serves 1, time 10 min

a couple branches of kale

2 table spoons of oil

salt

lemon pepper

garlic powder

piment d'espelette (or chili)

Set oven to heat up to 160C. Wash the kale branches and dry with paper. Rip the branches to pieces (throw the central, "wooden" bit out). Mix oil with the spices on a large bowl and throw in the kale pieces. Mix until all the kale pieces have some oil and spices to them (not too much so they don't burn). Spread on a paper covered oven plate so that chips are not attached to each other. Let cook in the oven for 10-15 minutes until crisp.

My Everyday Oatmeal

Those who know me, also know that I love oatmeal in all different forms. Nothing beats a warm bowl of oatmeal in the morning with some cottage cheese and fresh berries or banana and peanut butter or honey and cinnamon - the sky is the limit. I eat oatmeal almost every morning and wanted to share my most common oatmeal combo for you to try.

Breakfast overall is my favorite meal of the day and if I skip breakfast I end up feeling foggy and cannot concentrate well on anything. A bowl of oatmeal is an ideal breakfast as it gives you energy on a steady pace throughout the morning and prevents you from falling for sugary snacks before lunch.

Finding the right ingredients wasn't easy in the beginning when we'd first moved to Poland, I knew no words and doing your grocery was always a lottery. It wasn't just once that I bought cream but actually ended up having kefir or sour cream instead. Now I know better and what makes my oatmeal loving heart very happy, is that I've found the Finnish 'Elovena' oats here! I've tried the Polish ones too, but these make the most tender porridge you can dream of.

My Everyday Oatmeal

serves 1, time 10 min

1 dl Elovena (or other fine texture instant oats) oats

2 dl boiling water

pinch of good quality salt

half a teaspoon coconut oil

On top:

150g cottage cheese

berries or fruit (pear works well)

nuts & seeds

(cinnamon)

Mix oats and salt in a cereal bowl. Bring water to boil and mix well with oats. Let rest for 2-3 minutes. Mix the coconut oil in, add toppings and enjoy with your favorite hot drink!