I’ve had mushrooms on toast for breakfast a couple of times recently. But it’s really filling and I think it would also make a great lunch or simple supper dish. Perfect for one. Very quick and super simple. Only 220 calories, but keeps me going until lunch, may be that big punch of protein.
Mushrooms on toast
150g Mushrooms, 32p
30g Basics value soft cheese, 74p/300g, 7p
Slice bread, 2p
Total cost 41p
Per serving 220 calories, 29g carbs, 7g fat, 13g protein
On mySupermarket today, the supermarkets were listing mushrooms at the £2.13 a kilo level, so no shop in particular is cheapest for this.
Wipe and slice the mushrooms. Fry until golden, no need to use oil if you don’t want to.
Toast your bread. Mix the soft cheese in the hot pan with the mushrooms to make a sauce. You may need to add the tiniest splash of water, a tsp or two. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Pile on top of the toast and devour.
variations
If you’re having to for lunch or supper, maybe add a bit of greenery, or sliced tomatoes. Add some mustard for a bit of a kick: slice in some garlic: add some turmeric and ginger or any other curry spices: add a tsp or two of tomato purée: leave out the soft cheese and this is vegan, add a vegan cream substitute or make a little sauce with things like soy, tomato purée, spices, miso etc: mix the mushroom types if you have the chance to get any. If you are a confident forager, this would be fabulous.
this has become an instant favourite!
Thanks Mina! I’ve had a look a couple of times at the plans and they all seem to work at a dieting level if you cut down or leave out the cakey extra parts. So you can get the veg portions that are in there.
Mind you, the plans are for 2000 calories for an adult woman and 2500 for an adult man. Not all women will need 2000 cals. So if you need less than 2000 calories pre-diet, the plans will still work for you, but you will need to cut a bit more out as well, reducing your portion size or something, as well as the cakey parts
Really enjoying going through all your recipes and looking at the calorie counts as I’m on a (self imposed) low calorie diet at the moment! I do think sometimes it’s hard to balance the budget with a calorie controlled diet and not feel hungry as the bulky, low calorie stuff (i.e. green vegetables or lean meats) tend to be dearer than the other end of the spectrum (pasta, potatoes etc)
Anyway, just wanted to say thank you, again, for your wonderfully helpful blog!
Oatcakes are one of my favourite things! Been alright this week and actually lost a little this morning, so feeling quite cheery about it all
I might make some oatcakes, work out the macros for them so I can add a few in here and there
If you are using ground up oats, Staffordshire oatcakes go very well with mushrooms and are quite filling.
I was wondering if you had the above plus a couple of eggs for breakfast whether it would stop you feeling hungry all the time even if you were on 1700 calories a day. I suppose it depends whether your body remembers from day to day that it’s short of food.
I know that awful hungry feeling but luckily I seem to have got passed that stage now, it has taken 6 weeks though. I do eat a lot of veggies which help to fill me up and I have a large glass of water before meals, sparkling especially helps, chopped fresh fruit with soya yoghourt and sometimes a sprinkle of granola makes a nice pud. Sometimes if I feel hungry a fruit tea first and if that doesn’t work I will have just one biscuit, but it can be so hard!
Chrissie – I am doing my newest workout plan this week. It’s based on AMRAP (as many reps as possible) completely different to the last ones, and much quicker to get through, so less time at the gym.
Well done with your weight loss, I’m rather envious! Mine is extremely slow, the guys at the gym haven’t quite cracked it yet. It’s 9pm and I’ve been hungry since 7pm, 2000 calories aren’t quite enough, but not much weight has come off yet, just 2 or 3 pounds. I’m waiting to see if it does still, and hoping my coach can make something work where I’m not more hungry than I am now. I know I lose weight at 1700 calories, but I find it extremely hard to stick too as I am uncomfortably hungry the entire time.
Katherine – it’s going very slowly. I suspect I’m going to end up at 1700 calories where I know I lose weight, but where I am hungry all the time. I’m just doing as I am told, I’m sure they’ll solve it sooner or later.
As to the meal plans, when I do the live below the line thing using very similar ingredients, I didn’t feel hungry. It was 2000 calories, the amount recommended for the average woman, a lot more carbs than I’m having now too. I might explore using flour made using whizzed up oats in place of white flour in lots of things for future plans.
Amazingly, pancakes made with white flour, and served with cheap jam were really filling on the live below the line. Almost pure high gi carbs!
Lola – I tried yogurt one day too when I was doing Slimming World, which is a low fat regime. And no, it didn’t work for me either.
I have an exuberant rosemary bush, so that will go in next time, and maybe a sliver of garlic
I have to ration my carbs very carefully ATM, and can just about get this in if the rest of day is extra low
Hello Lesley, I adore mushrooms and have been making mine with a creamy sauce,made with soya milk and a little bit of garlic thrown in, lovely with rice, noodles, pasta, jacket spud or in a pitta it makes a “meaty” meal. How are you getting on at the gym? I am still sticking to the vegan diet and have now lost 1 stone 7 pounds and some of your recipes are a great help, thank you, Chrissie.
Hello Lesley
It sounds like a good breakfast with a slightly luxurious feel.
I hope your weight loss regime is going well.
I was wondering whether in the light of current weight loss advice, there was anything you would do differently in your meal plans to make them more filling. From personal experience, I’d say anything based on white flour is a disaster for breakfast. It’s difficult to find anything cheaper, though. I suppose cutting out the sugar and adding a box of eggs to each plan might help but there might not be enough calories…
I like creamed mushrooms too and today have both mushrooms and creme fraiche,which I use for the creamy sauce, sitting in the fridge,so thanks for the reminder. I generally add whatever fresh herbs are going,plus seasoning and a touch of French mustard.Sometimes I add scraps of chopped ham. I have tried using up plain yoghurt instead of cream, but that was a failure:the heating process curdled the sauce. It was edible but not great.However,I have never thought of using soft cheese,which can be bought cheaply,so will try it when I next have some in and,as usual,all your suggestions should make some interesting variants.You are right . This makes a great breakfast,lunch or supper. Not too much work for a delicious meal!