Lemon-Avocado & Poached Egg on Toast in 6 Steps

Continuing the theme of eating healthy (and keeping your bank balance healthy at the same time), one of my favourite breakfasts is lemon avocado on toast with a poached egg. Sounds like it’s complicated, but it’s super not, and I’ll show you why. I’ll include some variation for those of you who’re vegan and those who prefer something meatier for breakfast, but this meal, as is, is vegetarian.

You don’t need much, and what you do need isn’t going to cost you more than a couple of quid. Remember that stuffed butternut squash we made? You should still have the black peppercorn and sea salt from that. If you don’t, they’re 89p each for a grinder from Lidl.

Note: I get most of my ingredients from Lidl, and the closest place to campus that’s similar is probably Aldi, where the prices are comparable, if not a bit cheaper (usually!).

You’re gonna need:

1.  A slice of wholewheat bread (70p-ish a loaf, depending on where you buy it.)
2. Half of a medium (ripe!) avocado (79p in Lidl, or two ‘ready to eat’ ones for £1.59.)
3. Some lemon juice (A single lemon is about 30p, but a bottle of Lidl lemon juice is 32p)
4.  A medium egg (6 free range, 79p)
5. Salt and pepper

Ripe avocados ‘give’ a little when you squeeze them

If you don’t have one of these sieves, get one

Artistic egg breakage

What you’re gonna do:

1. Set some water to boil on the hob. Some recipes suggest putting white vinegar and salt in the water, but I personally don’t do that. It’s up to you though! While you’re waiting you should . . .
2. Halve the avocado, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Or an old Chinese take-away container, if you’re anything like me. I don’t judge.
3. Add some salt, pepper, and a generous amount of lemon juice. Squeeze maybe an eighth of the lemon (half a quarter?) onto the avocado, or a couple tbsp from your bottle. I’m super into lemony flavours so I’d personally use like. . . a quarter of that flippin’ thing. The best way to tell how much you need is to . . .
4. Mush the avocado up with the back of a fork, then add more salt/pepper/lemon if required. It should be a mushy little mess by the time you’re done. Don’t worry if there’s little chunks, as long as it’s mostly mush.
5. Poach the egg for 2-4 minutes. To do this, you literally just stir the boiling water until it’s all going round the pan, then crack your egg into it. Leave it alone for 2 mins if you want a runny egg, or 4 if you want a firmer egg. If the water starts boiling over or anything, turn it down to a simmer.
6. Cook your toast. Spread your avocado mush on the toast. Drain your egg. Put your egg on the toast.

Then eat it! Eat all of the darn thing. It’s yummy, refreshing and filling, and the longest part of it is waiting for the water to boil. Weighing in at just 293 calories, this is a pretty healthy breakfast and a quick, easy way to start the day.

If you’re Vegan: Try slicing the avocado instead of mushing it, and sprinkling the slices with lemon, pepper, and salt. Layer these on a piece of toast, and add a few dollops of basil pesto.

If you want something Meatier: Instead of an egg, you can add slices of smoked salmon. A very posh breakfast indeed.