Get Your Greens With These 5 Ingredient Toasts

Ed. Note: After seeing a snapshot of my sister-in-law Beth’s gorgeous green toast appetizers, I begged her to share the easy breezy recipes on the blog while summer produce is still at its peak. Beth’s vegetarian diet means that she’s always finding creative ways to make meat-free dishes feel inspired, and these apps are no exception – including the most perfect avocado toast that’s simple and delicious.  Plus, you can find all the kitchen tools & serving pieces she used in the photos at her shop, Lemon Gem – an absolute must-stop on any trip to St. Louis. Beth, take it away! 

Even though it’s early August, the back-to-school buzz always seems to start the long goodbye to summer — something I fight with every fiber of my being each year. I can’t quite bring myself to start thinking about warm, cozy meals and cardigans when, at least here in Missouri, the temps still hit the upper 80s, and the backyard beckons us outside for porch dinners with friends.

Photography by Jordyn Dolan

Last summer my husband Collin and I kept planning these elaborate four-course meals when we had guests over — partly because we wanted them to feel special; partly because we missed cooking more complex, time-consuming meals (and I think Collin enjoyed showing off his culinary skills, ha!). But things would quickly go from enjoyable to stressful as we prepped and cooked all these different components, and we’d still be in the middle of the madness when our friends arrived.

It clearly left an impression, because this summer we’ve been all about easy entertaining: multiple courses exchanged for a main, one to two minimal sides, and recipes we can prep the night before. We pretty much always use the grill because, much like a campfire, it has a way of drawing everyone together to sit and sip on cocktails.

Grilling can be a challenge for us though because I’m usually the lone vegetarian in the group, so finding something that’s satisfying for me as a main course isn’t always easy. That’s why I have officially dubbed this season as the “Styles Summer of Toasts.” A thick slice of grilled artisanal bread is the perfect canvas for an endless combination of toppings.

We have a local eatery here in St. Louis called Union Loafers that makes the most delicious artisanal breads, and after trying several different toppings, we keep going back to our green-hued friends: avocado and zucchini.

We keep our avocado toast simple, mashing it with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The zucchini toast gets a bed of rosemary-infused ricotta, grilled zucchini, red pepper flakes, toasted almonds, mint, and lemon zest salt. My favorite salt is from Jacobsen Salt Co. in Portland. Their salts are consistently a top seller at my kitchen store Lemon Gem Kitchen Goods, and we’ve had so much fun incorporating those flavorful flakes into our own meals.

To go with the toasts, we do a delicious grilled okra. Once all the components are chopped and grilled, we assemble them ourselves, which makes serving a breeze. We use a big bowl for the okra and a pizza peel or cutting board for the toasts. I love that these boards are durable enough to prep ingredients, cute enough to serve food, and dishwasher-safe at the end of it all.