7 Creative Avocado Recipes That Have Nothing to Do With Toast or Tacos

From salad dressing to chocolate pudding.

In the Kitchen with Keri: How to Go Way Beyond Avocado Toast

We share heaps of healthy information on Nutritious Life’s blog every day, but “In the Kitchen with Keri” is your chance to spend some quality time with the wonder woman behind it all, Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN. It’s where she invites you into her space to share the ingredients she’s currently obsessed with, recipes she can’t get enough of, and other tips and tricks learned over many years of life as an always-ahead-of-the-curve nutritionist and wellness expert. From Open-Faced Sandwich to Toast I’ve always loved open-faced sandwiches. Now, thanks to the avocado toast craze, I call them “toasts” along with everyone else (and have to focus on making them look super pretty in addition to delicious, naturally). Why toasts? First of all, I like that you’re getting just one slice of bread at a time instead of eating a full sandwich, to avoid excess carbs. (Not because you shouldn’t eat them, but because you can easily overdo them!) And you can basically layer anything you’ve got in your fridge onto one of these and have a delicious, healthy meal ready to go in minutes. Breakfast! Lunch! Snack!  You can really meet a lot of nutrient needs and bring variety and flavor to the table without having to plan far ahead. For the bread base, I’m a big fan of Ezekiel’s Food for Life. I like it because it’s made with sprouted grains, is organic, and it doesn’t contain added sugar or other unnecessary, unhealthy ingredients. A good organic sourdough is another great option. These are a few toasts I whipped up recently. 3 Ways to Go Way Beyond Avocado Toast First, since we’re talking avocado toast, I love starting with the mashed avo and then layering on whatever vegetables and protein I’ve got. In this one pictured, I had leftover Spicy Roasted Zucchini and Corn, so I threw that on top. You could also add sliced turkey or leftover grilled chicken to turn it into more of a meal—veggies, protein, and healthy fats, all represented. RELATED: Delicious Roasted Veggies, 3 Ways For the most simple of the bunch, I spread hummus on the toast for plant protein and then top it with colorful heirloom cherry tomatoes and a little bit of fresh basil. Mediterranean magic made in less than a minute! Finally, it doesn’t have to be all about savory. Sometimes your sweet tooth will be tingling, and you don’t want to give into cravings for less nutritious foods (I’m talking to you, cupcakes). RELATED: Finally: Learn How to Prevent Sugar Cravings I spread a little goat cheese on the toast, top it with fresh blueberries, and then drizzle it with a little bit of honey. Pro tip: Use Ezekiel’s Cinnamon Raisin bread for this one for even more sweet deliciousness, or sprinkle some cinnamon on top (for flavor and about a 100 health benefits). That’s it! You’re ready to take a big bite … after posting your gorgeous #toasts on Insta, of course.

5 Expert Instagram Tips for Gorgeous Healthy Food Photos

  If you’re looking for Instagram tips related to food photography, Miranda Hammer, MS, RD, CDN, is more than qualified to dish them out. Not only is she a highly credentialed registered dietitian nutritionist and graduate of The Nutrition School, Hammer is a natural foods chef and the founder of the Crunchy Radish, a blog that features her creative take on plant-based, seasonal cooking. Hammer also has a knack for making the food she whips up—from Black Quinoa Porridge to Dark Chocolate Bark with Ginger and Pistachios—look ridiculously gorgeous, enticing more than a few healthy followers to double-tap regularly. Arranging your avocado slices “just so” may not seem important, but if you’re in the business of wellness these days, “likes” are important. They impact your ability to spread your green smoothie-based message and build a healthy business. (And if you’re sharing shots of sweet potato toasts just for the fun of it, getting three likes is still pretty infuriating.) So we asked Hammer to share a few of her go-to Instagram tips. At the core, she said, is authenticity. We dig that. “Develop your own signature style and voice so your photos look true to who you are and your aesthetic. Is your look rustic, moody, clean and bright, or very styled? Play around and figure out what works best for you.” Keep reading for five more tips that will have healthy eaters double-tapping your pics like every one is of a colorful smoothie bowl with a side of avocado toast. 5 Instagram Tips for Gorgeous Healthy Food Photos 1.Find the light. “Using natural light as much as possible is ideal for capturing photo-worthy food. Try and set up your photo station near a window. If the light is too intense, consider a sheer curtain or cloth that you can tape up as needed or easily move.” 2. Style your food in an aesthetically pleasing manner. “The goal is to entice your viewers to want to make your dish or be inspired. Add some microgreens or fresh herbs, fluff up your salad to give it height and dimension, add some nuts or seeds. Bring in color, vibrancy, and depth.” 3. Stock up on props. “Check out some thrift stores or find a great ceramics maker and build a little collection of bowls, spoons, plates, and linens to add feeling and character to your photographs. But, avoid using garnishes and food props that are not actually in your recipe.” 4. Think about the textures of the photo. “Have a glass of wine or water, some utensils, a linen napkin, or/and a small bowl of salt.” 5. Shoot from above. “Use angles that you actually use to look at your food IRL.” About Miranda: Miranda Hammer is a New York City based Registered Dietitian and founder of the clean-eating, healthy-living blog Crunchy Radish. Her health and wellness philosophy focuses on health-supportive, plant-based, seasonal eating, and balanced living. Upon graduating from the clinical nutrition program at New York University, Miranda worked as a dietitian at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. Most recently she completed the Chef’s Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. Miranda primarily focuses on content and recipe development for brands, websites, and magazines, as well as running her private counseling business. You can also take her plant-based nutrition course over at mindbodygreen.