Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day: start it right with my recipe for Woodland Mushrooms on Toast with Streaky Bacon.
Start your day the right way
The last week in January is National Breakfast Week in the UK and each year the Shake Up Your Wake Up Campaign reminds us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! I know we are all guilty of skipping our first meal of the day when things are a little busy or when nothing in the fridge takes our fancy.
I am terrible at following my own advice, and I often miss breakfast then find myself snaffling a bit of fruit before lunch because I'm hungry. But I am trying hard to eat simple breakfasts that require just a handful of ingredients and next to no cooking time. Woodland Mushrooms on Toast is one of those recipes. And to make it extra special, you can add streaky bacon for a salty hit!
Why is breakfast so important?
In short:
- Breakfast benefits you and your family and can help make you healthier and happier.
- People who eat breakfast tend to be slimmer than breakfast skippers.
- Breakfast provides you with the energy and nutrients needed for an active lifestyle.
- There are a wide variety of breakfast foods to choose from that can be enjoyed at home, at work or on-the-go.
This year the campaign also wants to encourage people to think about where their breakfast foods come from and to support the farmers who produce it. You can find out more on the Shake Up Your Wake Up website and by following the campaign on social media - just keep an eye out for the #ShakeUpYourWakeUp hashtag!
More than just a slice of toast
A slice (or two) of toast is one of the most common breakfasts across the UK. And for good reason! It's quick, it's easy and you can even eat it on the go. You can choose granary loaf, white or wholemeal bread. Plus, there's a never ending list of toppings to choose from.
For this year's Shake Up Your Wake Up campaign I've made the humble slice of toast extra fancy by swapping the bread for a toasted English muffin and adding sauteed mushrooms with streaky bacon pieces.
Who wouldn't get excited about breakfast if they knew they were waking up to Woodland Mushrooms on Toast?!
Woodland Mushrooms
I am a huge fan of mushrooms in every shape and size. And, it amazes me that there are a wide range of edible mushrooms growing in the woodlands around us.
Foraging for mushrooms shouldn't be taken lightly and it takes years of watching and learning before you should dare to forage them without an expert by your side. But once you learn how to spot them, you'll have opened up an entire new world of ingredients!
I particularly love girolles. I love their smell, shape, colour and of course taste which make them perfect for this recipe.
If you're not sure where to find girolles then any old chanterelle will do. If you can't find chanterelles then simply pick your favourite mushroom that is available. I love chestnut mushrooms so they'd be my replacement mushroom of choice.
Whichever mushroom you choose then the method is the same - simply sautée the mushrooms with thin strips of streaky bacon, white onion, garlic and rosemary. Thyme may be the more usual herb of choice to go with mushrooms but I love rosemary with girolles.
Oyster mushrooms, chicken of the wood, porcini, puffballs, and the humble field mushroom all grow in the UK and would work well in this recipe.
If you want to see more recipes made using foraged foods, check out my foraged recipes archive.
Make it vegan
Since turning vegan I still LOVE this recipe because it works just as well using vegan bacon alternatives. My favourite branch is THIS but Richmond and La Vie also work perfectly!
The recipe
This recipe is simple dish that can be made in between 5 and 10 minutes (depending on how awake you are feeling). The girolles have an an earthy, peppery flavour which works well with the salty bacon. Take a slice from your favourite loaf of bread or an English muffin, then top with the sautéed mushrooms and bacon. It really is that easy!
Woodland Mushrooms on Toast with Streaky Bacon
Ingredients
- 50 g butter
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 rashers bacon or vegan bacon
- 1 small white onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 200 g mushrooms girolles / chanterelles
- 1.5 teaspoon rosemary leaves only, chopped
- 1 English muffin toasted, or two slices of toast
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a shallow pan.
- Cut the streaky bacon into thin strips and fry for a couple of minutes on a low heat.
- Add the onion (finely diced) and garlic (sliced) and continue cooking for another minute or until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the butter and the girolles and cook on a medium heat, stirring the mushrooms gently as they cook.
- In the meantime, toast the bread on both sides.
- Once the mushrooms are tender and the onions and mushrooms cooked, spoon the mushroom mixture over the toast including the melted butter.
- Serve while hot!
Nutrition
More extra special breakfast and brunch recipes
This might not be the kind of breakfast you have every day (perhaps a tad too much butter for it to fall in the "healthy recipe" camp) but hopefully I've shown you that breakfast doesn't have to be boring.
If you find yourself reaching for the same branded cereal week in week out then you are going to get bored and eventually stop eating it! Add a bit of variety to your breakfast routine and you'll find yourself more inclined to eat the most important meal of the day.
For more inspiration check out my breakfast recipe archive.
Noel says
Lovely breakfast food! All of my favorite morning foods rolled into one!! Nothing like making it easy!
stumbled and yummed
Kevin Chambers-Paston says
I am terrible with breakfast and must admit to skipping in regularly! I must stop doing that and make sure I eat a good breakfast; starting with this delicious recipe!
Andrea @ Made With Pink says
This looks soo good!! I must admit I had to click through when I saw Girolles because I had no idea what they were. I thought they were some sort of pork product. Mushrooms on toast is my new obsession, and I will definitely be making your version. Thanks so much for linking up to #BrilliantBreakfasts.
Lucy @ Bakingqueen74 says
I love the look of this, I will try it one weekend very soon - sounds delicious! Just up my street too.
Lynn | The Road to Honey says
My blood sugar gets all wonky if I skip breakfast so I rarely miss it; however, as of late my breakfasts have gotten to be quite predictable. I love that idea of mixing it up a bit by sautéing some mushrooms and bacon and spooning them over a slice of toast. And since the Mr. and I need our protein after our morning workouts. . .I'll be topping the Mr's with an egg (and scrambled egg whites for myself),
Emma Walton says
I'm always very impressed by people who manage breakfast every day so well done Lynn I should take a leaf out of your books! We exercise in the evening but we've been meaning to flip our day round for a while. If we do I might start adding eggs to this too! Great suggestion!
Judy says
I love breakfast - I often eat it for supper! I had no idea what girolles were and now I want to try this. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Emma Walton says
Thanks Judy! I must admit I hadn't heard of them until I saw them in the market for the first time last year. They taste fantastic though so do keep an eye out for them!
LydiaF says
I could eat mushrooms every day, why not for breakfast, too? Looks yummy 🙂
Emma Walton says
Hi Lydia! Good to hear from another mushroom fan! (I have even been known to snack on raw mushrooms...) Glad you like the recipe!
Sharee @ Savory Spicerack says
I make sure I get up early enough before work to get some type of breakfast in before I have to hit the road. If not, I would be a monster at work! Love your breakfast recipe!
Emma Walton says
Sharee - I know the feeling! I'm sure I'm a lot friendlier in the mornings when I do manage to squeeze breakfast in. I'm glad you like the recipe 🙂