When we feel completely exhausted, tasty things on toast are the ultimate shortcut to a quick and nourishing meal. Even better, you’ll probably have most of the ingredients for this in your pantry and fridge already. Mushrooms are full of magnesium, which can help us feel calmer and less anxious. Don’t worry if you can’t find wild mushrooms—regular mushrooms will work just as well.
Serves 2 | Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 10 minutes
a glug of olive oil
2 shallots (or 1 small onion), finely sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
14 oz mixed mushrooms (shiitake and wild mushrooms are great, but any mushrooms will do), wiped clean and sliced—feel free to leave some of the smaller wild mushrooms whole, as they are so pretty
5 cups spinach
2 garlic cloves, chopped
a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
1 tbsp tamari
½ tsp hot paprika or chile powder
a handful of freshly chopped parsley
juice of 1 lemon
2 thick slices of sourdough bread
toasted nuts or seeds, to serve ( optional )
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the shallots. Sprinkle with salt and cook for about 5 minutes, until the shallots begin to soften.
Add the mushrooms, making sure they don’t crowd the pan. Toss with the shallots to coat in the oil, then cook for a couple of minutes. Add the spinach, garlic, thyme, tamari, and paprika and season with salt and pepper. Leave for 2 to 3 minutes, then give the pan a good shake and stir in most of the parsley and the lemon juice.
While the mushrooms are cooking, toast the bread. Place the toast on plates and pile high with the mushrooms. Sprinkle with some toasted nuts or seeds for some extra crunch if you fancy and sprinkle with the rest of the parsley.