Avocados are a healthy staple in the kitchen. Packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, and high in monounsaturated fat, their creamy texture and mild flavor lend well to dips, smoothies, even ice cream, while their coolness provides a foil to spice and heat in salsas and salads. Having said that, one of the best ways to eat an avocado is as simply as possible, so its delicate flavor will stand out. And that's where avocado toast steps in.

There's no shortage of avocado toast on restaurant menus these days. From the straightforward smear to the vegetable-patch-piled garden variety, there's a toast for every appetite. I prefer my avocado toast simple: often sliced and layered on toasted country-style bread, adorned with a squeeze of lemon, a dribble of oil, freshly cracked black pepper and a pinch of sea salt flakes. Simplicity clearly rules in the technique, and in this case, it's key that every ingredient is of high quality -- from the bread (artisan country style), to a luscious drizzle-worthy extra-virgin olive oil, to my go-to Maldon sea salt flakes, which are stashed in my cupboard, solely reserved for strategic sprinkling and finishing.

Sometimes, if I am feeling fancy or entertaining, I'll nudge my toast up a notch, and brush the avocado slices with a thick lemon-balsamic reduction, which adds the glossy bling of a slick, sweet-tart glaze. Again, the same rule applies -- use a high-quality vinegar. If you have any leftover syrup, you can save it to drizzle over fresh strawberries or whisk into a salad dressing.

Avocado Toast with Balsamic Reduction

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Serves: 1 to 2

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar


1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice


Sea salt


2 slices country-style bread, 1/2-inch thick

Extra-virgin olive oil


1 large garlic clove, peeled, partially smashed


1 large ripe but firm Hass avocado


Sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper, for garnish

Make the glaze: Combine the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the vinegar reduces by half and has a thick syrup consistency, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven broiler or a grill pan. Lightly brush the bread slices on both sides with olive oil. Toast in the oven or on the pan until golden brown, turning once. Transfer to a plate and rub with the garlic clove.

Trim the tip of the avocado. Run a knife vertically around the center of the avocado, cutting into flesh until knife meets the pit. Gently twist the avocado open and remove pit. Carefully remove the skin, keeping the avocado intact.

Thinly slice each half crosswise, about 1/4-inch thick. Arrange the slices on the bread, overlapping. Brush with the balsamic syrup. Season with sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper.

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There's no better way to enjoy ripe fruit than in a good old-fashioned crisp. In the summer, stone fruit and berries reign supreme, while in the fall, apples and pears take over. This crisp was inspired by late spring's fresh rhubarb and boysenberries. I spied them at my weekend farmers market. A little rickety garden table in the far corner of the maze of stalls was lined with blotchy pint-sized cartons, stained blue and violet, from the juices of wild raspberries, blueberries and (best of all) boysenberries.

Boysenberries peak in a relatively short window from late spring to early summer here in California. They resemble a floppy cone-shaped blackberry, and taste like a tart cross between a blackberry and raspberry. Next to the berries was a wicker basket filled with dainty upright new rhubarb stalks awash in green and pink. The colorful messages were clear: Come and get us. And so I did.

I made this dessert for our dinner guests that night, one of whom is gluten-free. The topping was crisp, nutty and sweet, faintly spiced with cinnamon. It was delicious for gluten-free and gluten-lovers alike, and a perfect embellishment to my farmers market find. If you don't have access to boysenberries, feel free to substitute blackberries or raspberries.

Rhubarb Boysenberry Crisp

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: about 1 hour, plus cooling time

Yield: Serves 6

Topping:

3/4 cup almond meal

3/4 cup rolled oats (gluten-free or regular)

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled

Filling:

1 1/2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)

2 cups boysenberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of the topping ingredients, except the butter, in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop the walnuts. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Place the rhubarb and half of the boysenberries in a bowl. Sprinkle the sugar over and gently mix to combine. Whisk the lemon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl. Pour over the fruit, add the zest, and gently stir to coat. Spread the fruit in an 8-by-8-inch (or similar size) baking dish, or, alternatively, divide the fruit between individual gratin dishes. Arrange the remaining boysenberries over the top of the fruit, and then evenly spread the topping over the fruit.

Bake in the oven until the topping is golden brown, the rhubarb is soft, and the juices are bubbling, about 45 minutes. If the topping browns before the filling is fully cooked, then loosely cover with foil to prevent burning. Remove and cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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When I was young, one of my favorite side dishes was rice pilaf. It came in a slim box with a portion of rice and a sachet of spices, dehydrated chicken stock -- and goodness knows what else -- all set to prepare with water on the stovetop. The results were salty, addictive and aromatically flavored. My brothers and I would fight over who got to finish the bowl on the dinner table; one box was never enough.

These days, I make pilaf from scratch -- and you probably do, too, without realizing it. The principle behind pilaf is that rice, or another grain such as bulgur or farro, is sauteed to lightly toast the grains, and then steamed in a flavorful broth, along with a few aromatics such as onion, garlic and spices. When ready to serve, the rice is fluffed to separate the grains and prevent stickiness, and handfuls of fresh herbs, chopped almonds or chilies are added for extra flavor, crunch and color.

You can choose to keep the rice simple or add the garnishes selectively to your taste. I tend to pile them all on, because rice pilaf always seems to bring out the hoarder in me -- and they do add sensational taste. So, before you reach for a box of pilaf in the supermarket with a long list of multisyllabic ingredients, remember that it's really quite easy -- and much cheaper -- to make your own from scratch.

Homemade Rice Pilaf

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 6 as a side dish

2 3/4 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

Generous pinch of saffron threads

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup orzo

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/4 cup basmati rice

Optional garnishes:

1 scallion, white and green parts thinly sliced

1 small red jalapeno, finely chopped

2 to 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped almonds

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Combine the stock, 2 tablespoons butter, the salt, paprika and saffron in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and keep warm.

Heat the oil and melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a deep skillet (with a lid) over medium heat. Add the orzo and saute until light golden, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and saute for about 1 minute, and then add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and continue to cook, stirring constantly to coat and lightly toast the rice, for about 2 minutes.

Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook, undisturbed, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve with the garnishes sprinkled over the top.

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