This is especially true for immigrant families. My parents came to this country in the late 80s from India, and whenever I ask about what that was like for them, their first answer will inevitably be about food. Or, rather, the lack thereof. As vegetarians in a country that hardly knew what the word meant, they found it difficult and taxing to navigate enormous supermarkets and restaurants. Add to that their profound homesickness, and their longing for home-cooked food deepened. They had both grown up eating traditional Indian food – phulka, dal, sabzi, rice – and belonging to a culture for which cuisine is arguably the central component, these foods represented their history and tradition, things they felt quite removed from at first. I noticed how the same thing happened tohappened me to me when I went to college. Though I’d never really cared for phulka sabzi when I lived at home –always preferring Mexican or pizza –- my homesickness during freshman fall manifested in the form of craving my mom’s dal chawal andor idlis. During this time, I remember calling my dad and asking him what he missed most about home when he went to school in a strange, new country. His response, apart from all the traditional Indian foods, was mango toast.

Sweet:

This is the best summer breakfast! Make sure you use a cold mango, one that’s been refrigerated for at least a few hours. Combine that with a piece of hot, buttered toast and you’ll know why I love this simple dish so much. Also keep in mind that the kind of mango used here is very important! It has to be sweet and non-fibrous, which is why the two types listed below are best.

1. If it’s not there already, place your mango in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
2. Place your bread in the toaster. While this is happening, peel your mango and cut it thinly in a horizontal direction, so you get broad ribbons of mango. You can see how I did it in the picture.
3. Butter your toast and arrange the mango slices on top of it. Serve immediately and enjoy!

This is basically a deconstructed apple pie that’s more convenient and healthier while being just as satisfying.

1. Chop your apple into small pieces (about ½ cup). Heat a pan and spoon the coconut oil/butter onto it. Once it has melted, reduce heat to medium and add your apples.
2. Stir the apples frequently for about 10 minutes, or until the apples have shrunken and softened. A few minutes before you take the apples off the heat, add in the cinnamon and lemon juice and stir to evenly coat.
3. Let your apples rest while you put your bread in the toaster. Once it’s toasted, spread on the almond butter and top with the “apple pie.”
4. Drizzle on your sweetener of choice and enjoy while it’s warm!

For some reason, yogurt and toast are thought of as two distinct foods that typically aren’t grouped together. But if yogurt and toast are your two favorite snacks, why compromise by only picking one?

•     1 slice of good quality bread
•     ¼ cup thick yogurt of choice (cashew and Greek work well!)
•     ½ cup berries or diced peach
•     Optional toppings: pepitas, cacao nibs, honey or agave syrup to drizzle, granola, etc.

Process:

1.  Put the bread in the toaster. Make sure you toast at a higher setting or the yogurt might make the bread soggy. 
2. While this is happening, wash and prepare your fruit.
3. Once the toast is out, spread the yogurt on evenly and top with your fruit. Sprinkle on any toppings you want (I always like a little crunch!) and enjoy!

Savory:

This is my favorite savory toast to eat with any kind of vegetable soup.

1. Put the bread in the toaster.
2. In a pan, heat a bit of oil. Add the peppers, salt, black pepper, and chili flakes and sauté on high for 2-4 minutes, or until the skin of the peppers begins to blister. The goal here isn’t to cook the peppers, but simply to flash heat it to intensify the pepper’s flavor.
3. While the peppers are cooking, cut yourself a lemon wedge and chop the parsley.
4. Spread the tahini evenly on the toast and top with the peppers. If your tahini is unsalted (most are!), you may want to add some more salt on top. Sprinkle on the parsley and squeeze the lemon juice on top. Enjoy while it’s hot!

This is my mom’s recipe!

1. Place your bread in the toaster.
2. Finely dice all of the vegetables and mix them with the cheddar, salt, and black pepper.
3. When the toast is done, top the bread with the veggies and cheese and place in a toaster oven on the broil setting for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the cheddar melts.
4. Top with the chili flakes and whatever herbs you’d like, and enjoy while it’s hot!

I always make this when I’m craving pizza but don’t have any!

•     1 slice of good quality bread
•     1 small portobello mushroom cap, sliced
•     1/8 tsp salt
•     1 tbsp sundried tomato pesto
•     ½ tbsp fresh basil, chopped
•     Black pepper and red pepper flakes, optional

 Process:

1. Put the bread in the toaster.
2. Heat some oil in a pan and add the sliced mushrooms and salt. Cook on medium heat until the mushrooms have softened and puckered and are easily pierced with a fork.
3. Spread the pesto evenly on the bread and line up the cooked mushrooms on top. Sprinkle on black pepper and pepper flakes if desired. Top with basil. Enjoy!

Hope you enjoy these recipes! A final note: feel free to use the dairy-free alternative for any of these ingredients. That’s what I do and it tastes great!

Yours truly,

Sanjana

Graphic by Abby Smith

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