Not-ella: Sweet Cocoa Avocado "Nutella" Toast

In January of 2018 there were near-riots in France as a grocery chain knocked down the price of Nutella, the popular chocolate-hazelnut spread that's gathering a following here in the U.S. But is it really worthy of that kind of devotion? After all, the first two ingredients are sugar and palm oil-not ideal fuels to start the day. This sweet cocoa avocado toast has got it all-protein, good fats, whole-grain carbs, and the potassium boost of banana.

While avocado may have seen its day as a trend, it still has plenty of devotees (yours truly included), and has become a fixture on countless breakfast and lunch menus everywhere. After the recent "Nutella riots" as they were dubbed by the press, I merged the concepts of avocado toast and Nutella into one super-simple spread. Using only a handful of real food ingredients, this "Not-ella" spread is oil- and dairy-free and sublime. It's an easy, filling breakfast and a good after-school treat.

Serves: 2 to 4

1 medium ripe avocado
2 teaspoon cocoa or cacao powder (preferably organic and fair trade)
1-2 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar, to taste
1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter
4 average slices whole-grain bread, toasted
1-2 bananas, as needed depending on size, thinly sliced

In a shallow bowl, mash peeled and pitted avocado until smooth.
Add the cocoa, maple syrup, and peanut butter. Work in with the tines of a fork until well blended.
Spread onto toast and top with sliced bananas. Eat right away, and enjoy!