Orange Is the New Toast

Wheat toast. White toast. Sweet potato toast. Okay, one of these things is not like the others...

Kelsey Preciado, the blogger behind Little Bits Of, first came up with this so-crazy-it-might-be-genius idea when she didn't have any toast at home but craved it anyway. And when we got wind of this awesome substitution, we knew we had to give it a try: sweet potato toast is high in fiber and Vitamin A—as well as being friendly to paleo and gluten-free diets.

Orange Is the New Toast — *Images by Nick & Bay Nigro/Food Hacks Daily*

There's no reason not to try it yourself, unless you hate sweet potatoes (which may be a crime, or at least it is to us); this veggie substitute makes for a creative, fun breakfast in lieu of the typical toast routine.

Step 1: Slice It

Begin by slicing your sweet potatoes into ¼ inch-thick slices; you can peel your potato before slicing if you like, but we kept the skin on ours for a bit of texture (like a 'crust' for the toast, if you will).

The folks over at Epicurious have great advice for getting your sweet potato slices just right: slice a side of the potato off before you begin, so it rests flat on the cutting board while you cut your toast.

If you're looking for Texas-style sweet potato toast, though, you're out of luck: anything thicker than ¼-inch won't toast well. On the flip side, anything too thin will end up soggy and gross. So trust us—and stick with ¼-inch thickness for your slices. (You're welcome, Goldilocks.)

Step 2: Toast It

Sweet potatoes are much denser than regular toast, so toasting it is going to take longer than your regular white or wheat. But don't worry... good things come to those who wait.

Here are a few different ways of getting the job done, each with varying cook times.

If you're working with a conventional toaster, pop your sweet potatoes in on the highest setting. When they are finished, you'll most likely want to do another round of toasting... and another round... and maybe even another round. This is entirely dependent upon how strong your toaster is, so if you've got a gentle toaster, you'll need to have a lot of 'gentle' patience.

If you're working with a toaster oven, the process will be somewhat simpler. Crank it to the highest setting, then flip it halfway.

Alternatively, you can also make big batches of toast in the oven by heating the oven to 450°F and placing your slices on a baking sheet. Flip every 5 minutes until they are browned (about 20 minutes total).

Everyone has different preferences for regular toast, but we recommend cooking sweet potato toast until it's browned and just tender enough to be pierced by a fork. Otherwise, you'll be crunching on a raw slice—which doesn't sound terribly appetizing.

Step 3: Top It Off

Now, for the fun part: the toppings!

Sure, you can stick with the traditional (read: boring) toast toppings, like butter or jam. Or you can make your own amazing version of avocado toast—the current darling of the food world.

If this is all starting to sound a little too healthy for you, then slather some Nutella on that slice. We've never encountered a slice of toast that couldn't be improved with Nutella—bread or sweet potato.

The Final Say

Okay: sweet potato toast won't be an everyday replacement for our traditional morning toast, but it's definitely a creative alternative worth trying—and even more worth trying if your diet keeps you from enjoying regular toast. Don't be afraid to go crazy with toppings, either. We only explored the tip of the iceberg with avocado and Nutella... but other awesome toppings, like a fried egg or a soft cheese, are just waiting to be tasted.

Have you tried your breakfast hand at the new craze that is sweet potato toast? Let us know in the comments below!