Maybe it's due to the amount of Chef's Table I've been binging lately (new pastry season just came out!), but man have I been loving experimenting in the kitchen. Not going to lie, most days our 600 sq ft apartment doubles as Iron Chef America... sorry Maddy! This week's recipes stemmed out of a lifelong obsession of sweet pot and trying to incorporate them into every possible aspect of my life. Enter: sweet potato TOAST??? I know what you're thinking, but let me reassure you that this is one of the most delicious and nutritious bread-substitutes I've ever tried (boyfriend approved!). So good that it works with sweet OR savory toppings, I promise!

SPT, I honestly don't know how I've gotten this far without you.

FOR THE SPT:

Choose the biggest, fattest sweet potatoes you can find. Scrub and dry your potatoes, then use a really sharp knife to trim the ends and slice the potatoes lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. A mandoline would work super well for this if you have one!

So now for the cooking part. I've heard it's possible to achieve SPT greatness with a toaster alone, so if you're #blessed with a turbo powered Rolls Royce toaster oven, then pop your raw taters directly in machine and cook on the highest setting 3-4 times. HOWEVER, if you have no idea where your $15 sad-excuse-for-a-kitchen-appliance came from, I'd suggest the oven / toaster combo route. Very effective. Very delicious. Significantly less fingers charred in the process.

Oven / toaster route: 

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Rub the sweet potatoes with a very thin layer of olive or avocado oil (optional, but I like the extra flavor). Lay them flat on a baking rack and bake for 20-25 minutes until they are tender, but not cooked completely through. Then, transfer the potatoes to the fridge to let them cool for 30 mins before toasting (This is KEY!).

Once cooled, bring your sweet pot on over to the toaster and pop the slices in on the highest setting. Toast 1-2 times until bubbly and crispy. 

DISCLAIMER: Yes, this sounds like a lot of work for a piece of healthy "bread", BUT 1) it's unbelievably delicious, 2) it's v healthy (and GF, V, DF, Paleo, etc. if you're about that life!) and 3) you can prepare the slices in big batches to store in the fridge and toast as needed throughout the week! 

NOW FOR THE TOPPINGS:

Everything But the Bagel

Smashed avocado, smoked salmon, & poached eggs topped with Everything but the Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe's (this stuff is LIFE!)

CaCo

Creamy salted almond butter, shredded coconut & cacao nibs

Tomato Pesto

Garlic hummus, pesto & sliced cherry tomatoes topped with a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper

PBC

Creamy peanut butter, sliced banana & cinnamon

Think I'm going to have one for EVERY meal this week...

Can't wait to see how these turn out for you guys! 

xx grace