Have you ever had a time where you just really wanted something to go right and it just… didn’t? This happened to me yesterday… I was really craving pasta salad, and thought it would be nice to add another pasta salad recipe to my blog. So I started working on a recipe that sounded really promising on paper – a creamy, mayo-free pasta salad with a caramelized vidalia onion, lemon and chipotle dressing. Sounds good, right? Except it came out weird. I can’t really describe it. It was kind of good, but it had this weird aftertaste that was just too funky for my liking. But I just felt soooo angry – I’m so used to my recipes coming out great on the first try that I was bamboozled in the face of failure.
And then I started thinking about how hard I am on myself. I expect perfection all the time. As much as I love blogging, I always want my photos and posts to be the best, my recipes to be the most delicious – and I get flustered if they’re not. I mean, God knows there’s a ton of better food photographers out there than me. Why can’t I just be content with the work I’m doing now? Unfortunately, I don’t have any good answers yet. This isn’t one of those posts where I come to a huge realization at the end, and have a “moral of the story”. I’m just really darn hard on myself, plain and simple. And I don’t really know how to fix it. I don’t know how it’s so easy for me to be nice to others, and so easy for me to be terrible to myself. I mean, if I was reading this same thing from someone else, I would say, “Hey, what are you talking about?! You’re fantastic, and the work you do is great!” But to myself, I say, “Be better. Be better. Be better.” like it’s a mantra I have on repeat in my head. I mean, I guess there’s always room for improvement in everyone. But there has to be a time where you can just say, “I’ve done enough”. Maybe not perfection, or mind-blowing achievements, but just enough.
So if any of you have any advice or tips on how to be content about where you are, I’m all ears.
Today’s recipe is one that I made on Nom last week. I thought it was about time an avocado toast recipe made its way onto this blog. For this toast, I paired a super-fresh parsley and cilantro pesto with creamy and rich tahini, topped with black pepper and red pepper flakes for a hint of spice. It came out absolutely delicious, and I hope you all love it! :)

Green Pesto Avocado Toast w/ Tahini
Ingredients
Pesto
- 1 Cup Herbs packed - I used half parsley, half cilantro
- 1 Small Clove of Garlic
- 1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Juice + Zest from 1/2 a Lemon
- 1/4 Tsp Pepper
- 1/8 - 1/4 Tsp Salt to taste
Avocado Toast
- 2 Slices Bread of Choice
- 1 Avocado
- Tahini
- Black Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Start by making the pesto - combine all pesto ingredients into the food processor and process it until smooth. You want it to be a little liquidy - it's much easier to drizzle on toast that way. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Toast your bread - either use a toaster, or sauté the bread in a little olive oil until the bread is brown on both sides.
- Prep your avocado - slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Carefully, make cuts into the avocado to make thin slices. Then, using a spoon, scoop the slices out of the avocado.
- Assemble your avocado toasts - layer the avocado slices on to the toast (see the photos as reference). Then, drizzle a little bit of the pesto and the tahini onto the toast. Top with black pepper and red pepper flakes if you'd like a little spice.
- Serve and enjoy!
Song of the Day:
Tomorrow Is A Long Time – Nickel Creek
33 Comments
Katrina
June 7, 2016 at 12:16 pmWell this certainly turned out right! It looks lovely. I can be hard on myself when recipe don’t work out perfectly too…I feel ya!
Sarah
June 7, 2016 at 4:40 pmIt’s the food blogger struggle, I guess ;) Thanks Katrina!
Bri @ Natural Girl Modern World
June 7, 2016 at 2:27 pmThis looks delicious Sarah! So bright and so beautiful. I totally know what you mean about getting down when a recipe doesn’t work out quite right. I think you have lots of company:D Recently, I’ve been framing my first trial as….well, a trial. It sounds silly but I need to remind myself of that all the time!! No expectations – just me having fun in the kitchen (because that’s the way it’s supposed to be, right?!). Then by the second / third time it’s usually all worked out. I still can’t help but feel down when I get a recipe fail, but I always need to remind myself that it’s all about trial-and-error after all. Hope you’re having a great week. Big hugs xx
Sarah
June 7, 2016 at 4:42 pmThat’s such a good idea, Bri – looking at your first trial as an actual TRIAL, instead of expecting perfection on the first go. I feel so silly for not doing that ;) Thanks for the words of encouragement, girl <3
Fernando @ Eating With Your Hands
June 7, 2016 at 2:44 pmI guess this goes for so many people of our generation. There are so many people doing in some way or another the same thing, and we all know how tough it is to stand out…. It is good to be hard on yourself at that point I think, because what ultimately comes out the other end is something that people will really enjoy – and that’s why we all do this in the first place, right?
Sarah
June 7, 2016 at 4:45 pmDefinitely. It’s really hard to stand out when there’s so many amazing bloggers and food personalities out there. And there’s definitely a place for self-improvement in everything we do. Now I just have to find a balance with that and being proud of myself too :)
Shelly @ Vegetarian 'Ventures
June 7, 2016 at 5:02 pmUgh – this post is all too relatable! I do the same thing to myself often and my boyfriend is constantly reminding me to look at all I’ve accomplished and not the one thing in front of me not working out. This toast is definitely a winner though!
Sarah
June 8, 2016 at 10:57 amMy boyfriend does the same thing!! It’s good to have someone in your life to help you keep perspective :) Thanks Shelly!
Richa {VeganRicha.com}
June 7, 2016 at 9:26 pmah. give me that avocado toast!!
yup, my husband says the same thing about me. The day something doesnt work out right I am in a funk. Too much pressure on self.
Sarah
June 8, 2016 at 10:58 amIt’s a food blogger thing, I swear! We put so much pressure on ourselves! :(
Emilie @ Emilie Eats
June 7, 2016 at 9:56 pmI totally understand expecting perfection all the time. I’ve been like that in all areas of my life ever since I can remember – and my blog is no exception. A good thing for me to do is go back to the first posts by my favorite bloggers and see that even THEY weren’t perfect when they started.
All that said, I think these toasts look absolutely perfect! I never thought adding pesto (which is weird because I’m obsessed with the stuff) so I need to ASAP!
Sarah
June 8, 2016 at 10:59 amThat’s so true! No blog was perfect when they started. Well, maybe like one or two ;) Thanks Emilie! :D
Katya
June 8, 2016 at 8:22 amAnd now, suddenly, I feel the irresistible urge to make coriander/oarsley pesto. Just the thought of how it may taste blows my mind.
A very inspirational recipe :)))
Sarah
June 8, 2016 at 11:00 amThanks Katya!! :D
Natalie | Feasting on Fruit
June 8, 2016 at 12:58 pmEven simple avocado toast you make look so beautifully artfully messy! But I totally feel you on the perfectionism thing. Heck just yesterday I spent 3 hours designing a pin which is just insane and could have been so much better spent. I don’t know how to stop it except for catch myself, take a step back, and try to look at the bigger picture…not saying it always works though :D
Sarah
June 8, 2016 at 4:59 pmThanks Natalie!! :) But it’s nice to know that there are people out there who experience the same thing… it makes me feel like I’m not actually crazy!! ;)
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs
June 11, 2016 at 12:57 pmI’m exactly the same, Sarah, especially with the photography aspect of blogging. I know I’ve improved a lot but I’m also constantly trying to push myself to be better, and it’s always good to recognize the good things we are doing. You’re wonderful, don’t forget! I love the look of this recipe – pesto + avocado = total love.
Sarah
June 11, 2016 at 4:39 pmI think you and your photography are wonderful too, girl <3 But I hear you. I'm super hard on myself on the photography aspect as well.
Grace @ FoodFitnessFreshAir.com
June 13, 2016 at 10:48 amWant this. Right now. !!!
Sarah
June 13, 2016 at 12:49 pmHaha thanks, Grace!! :D
Nicole
June 20, 2016 at 4:18 pmThis looks deliciously messy :). Love the idea of adding tahini to avocado toast — funny, it’s never occurred to me, though I sprinkle on some sesame seeds often. I bet something as simple as avocado + tahini + lemon + a pinch of shichimi togarashi would also be excellent!
Sarah
June 21, 2016 at 9:06 amThat sounds AMAZING!! I am such a shichimi togarashi enthusiast but I never thought to put it on my avo toast! Thanks for the awesome idea, Nicole! :D
Traci - The Kitchen Girl
June 28, 2016 at 1:17 pmOh my gosh, Sarah, this looks aaaahhhmazing! I cannot wait to whip it up for breakfast! Sharing to my social media b/c, well, you are the bomb, gal!
Thanks
Sarah
June 28, 2016 at 4:23 pmAww thank you so much Traci!! You’re the sweetest :)
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Kristina
January 1, 2017 at 12:46 pmThis recipe looks so amazing!! Beautiful photos! :) And I completely know what you mean about being too hard on oneself–letting go of the unattainable ideal of perfection is so freeing!
Sarah
January 1, 2017 at 2:33 pmThank you so much Kristina!! And yes – it is very freeing! :D
Mirjam Therese
March 20, 2017 at 11:24 amThis recipe is like… cravings all over the place! To be perfectly honest I’m not a huge avocado fan, but your photos makes it look so delicious I think I might actually have to give this one a try!
Sarah
March 20, 2017 at 11:38 amThanks Mirjam!! :D
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Michelle
December 28, 2017 at 11:25 amTried this out after seeing it on Cooking Light’s IG this morning – yummy!!
Sarah
December 28, 2017 at 12:05 pmI’m so glad you liked it, Michelle!! :) Thanks for leaving a review :)
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