Easy, heart-healthy sardine avocado toast

The humble tinned sardine has never gotten a fair shake. Tender and a little salty, these tiny members of the herring family typically lack any unpleasant fishy odor or taste, and are packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B-12, calcium and other beneficial minerals.

The American Heart Association recommends eating oily fish twice a week, and tinned fish like sardines are an easy, inexpensive, shelf-stable choice. Combined with heart-healthy avocado and a fried or poached egg, sardine avocado toast is filling and delicious. And with fish as the star protein, hungry folks who observe Lenten fasting days can also enjoy it anytime.

Ingredients
4 slices sturdy bread
1 large ripe avocado
4 large eggs
1 tin sardines (we recommend smoked sardines in olive oil)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch garlic powder
Balsamic vinegar

Peel and mash the avocado. Add lemon juice, garlic powder and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside, then open sardines and remove filets from the oil — you’ll need about two filets per slice, depending on the size of the filets. With a fork, break the sardine filets into chunks and discard any stray pin bones you find. Set aside and put the bread into the toaster. While your bread toasts, drizzle oil into a skillet and place over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Fry eggs to desired doneness (or poach in a water bath, if you prefer).

To serve, spread each slice of toasted bread with mashed avocado and top with your desired quantity of sardines. Lay a fried egg on top and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Add more salt and pepper if desired and serve.