Mira's Avocado Toast
Inspired by the East End Market in Orlando, Florida
Saturday mornings are usually packed with lots of planning time and shopping for the next week workload, unless I'm facilitating a cooking class. Today, I decided to take a short break and go visit the East End Market located near Audubon Park District in Orlando, Florida
The story behind this place is very inspiring. A group of local ‘foodpreneurs’, including local farmers and cuisine artisans joined forces to build a beautiful culinary hub in a former church building. Starting a food business in Florida can be a challenging adventure, and the East End Market provides the perfect platform to launch a food related business in the middle of a very supporting community.
On the main floor, the location offers food artisans small retail space, an incubator kitchen and a beautifully landscaped patio area. A spacious event space with a full kitchen and office space stage the second floor. They also use the outdoor space very wisely; the front of the building has large picnic tables and a functional vegetable and flower garden.
The long, yet quickly moving line and the inviting plates coming from the little kitchen at the end of the market, led me to my first stop…Farm & Haus. They advertise farm to table high quality ingredients, and I was not disappointed. I ordered their breakfast special; Buckwheat pancakes with lemon curd and fresh Florida strawberries compote. Unfortunately, there are no photos, because I was so hungry, I was not thinking clearly. The pancakes where fluffy and warm, the compote was all strawberries, no fillers and not overly sweet. And, that was the best lemon curd I’ve had in my life. Such simple recipes yet packed with fresh and authentic flavors. Good for you Farm & Haus, I will visit again.
My second stop was to Olde Hearth Bread Company. A must visit whenever I’m in the area. Although I grew up eating bread often and I love it, bread its not part of my daily food intake. I work hard on keeping my sugar and processed carb intake as low as possible. That's why finding bread made with high quality ingredients is a treat for me.
Olde Hearth Bread Company has a great variety of bread and flavor combinations with no preservatives and no artificial flavors. So fresh and authentic, it makes any other breads look bad. I picked up some delicious Ciabattas and a sliced loaf of Green onion bread with a crunchy crust, yet soft and sponge inside.
Since the rest of my day included some food shopping for classes and events, I picked up some extra ingredients and prepared a delicious lunch inspired by the
Mira's Avocado Toast with Old Hearth Bread Co. Green onion loaf
The avocado, shrimp and chia seed added great flavor and nutrition to my dishes however, it was the freshness of the bread that made these recipes so scrumptious.
Avocado Mash
2 ripe avocadoes
1 tsp. lime juice
Pinch of Pink Himalayan Salt & White Pepper
Mash Avocados and mix with the rest of the ingredients. The lime juice should keep them from turning brown. Keep refrigerated.
Toppings
1 Tsp Chia Seeds
3 to 5 heirloom tomatoes cut along side
¼ cup spring mix greens
Shallot & White Pepper Shrimp
5 jumbo shrimp
1 tsp lime juice
Pinch of Himalayan Salt & White Pepper
½ tsp crushed garlic
1 small diced shallot
1 tsp avocado oil
Dress shrimps with lime juice, Himalayan salt and white pepper and let them sit for a few minutes. Meanwhile Sautee shallots in avocado oil in medium heat for 2 minutes, add seasoned shrimp and garlic. Cook covered until shrimp are no longer pink, just 3 minutes so they don’t overcook.
I toasted some of the bread and left one fresh just to taste the difference and loved both ways.Spread the avocado on the toast and top with the ingredients. Drizzle with some more avocado oil and devour.
Here’s how I made mine, you are welcome to make your own combination. Enjoy!
