Recipe: Avocado Tapenade Bruschetta

This tapenade is jumping with flavors and nutrients of just-picked garden tomatoes, good-quality extra virgin olive oil and intensifying hard-neck garlic.

The perfectly ripe avocados add a luscious creaminess and healthy monounsaturated fats, which also make this an ideal snack or appetizer for people who are nursing or want to avoid period pain or hot flashes, and for people to reduce prostate problems or have a family history of cancer.

Ingredients

¾ cup pineapple juice, preferably from a jar
1 just-ripe avocado (about 6 to 7 ounces), halved, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon (packed) lemon peel, finely grated
1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, very thin strips (chiffonade) cut from small leaves
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon capers, drained, chopped
1 cup (about 6 ounces) cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ cup pitted Castelvetrano and Kalamata olives, cut into ¼-inch dice
¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about 6 pieces), patted dry, cut into ¼-inch dice
4 slices 100% whole-grain bread

Directions

1. Pour the juice into a shallow bowl. Add the avocado; stir to coat.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, lemon peel, garlic, pepper and chili flakes to blend well. Add the basil, chopped parsley, oregano and capers; stir to combine. Mix in the cherry tomatoes, olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Drain the avocado well. Gently mix into the tapenade.
3. Toast the bread slices. Mound ½ cup tapenade on each. Spread to cover bread completely. Cut each slice on diagonal into quarters, or if the bread is smaller, cut diagonally in half. Arrange toasts on plates. Garnish with parsley sprigs.

Nutritional information (per serving)

Makes 4 servings

Calories: 345 calories
Total fiber: 10.3 g
Soluble fiber: 0.2 g
Protein: 4.6 g
Total fat: 24.7 g
Saturated fat: 3.3 g
Healthy fats: 20.2 g
Carbohydrates: 30.6 g
Sugars: 8 g
Added sugars: 0 g
Sodium: 490 mg
Potassium: 528 mg
Magnesium: 69 mg
Calcium: 141 mg

Source: The What to Eat When Cookbook by Michael F. Roizen, MD, Michael Crupain, MD, MPH, and Jim Perko, Sr, CEC, ACC, National Geographic Books (2020).