Oats, rye, and wheat with poached eggs, crispy bacon and maple syrup

Change up your breakfast routine with this healthy (and delicious) recipe from The Grain Bowl (Phaidon, £19.95) – a collection of 90 hearty recipes built around quinoa, oats, rye, chia, spelt, buckwheat, barley, amaranth, black rice, and millet. 

Choose oats, rye, and wheat with poached eggs, crispy bacon and maple syrup as a breakfast alternative over the Christmas period.

Serves 2

Preparation: 5 min

Cooking: 10 min

Ingredients

• 35g rolled oats
• 35g rye flakes
• 35g wheat flakes
• 720ml chicken stock 
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 4 eggs
• 6 rashers streaky bacon
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Half fill a medium pan with water and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

2. Add the grains and stock to a large pan, then place over high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium- high heat and cook for 7–8 minutes, or until the porridge reaches the desired consistency. Remove from the heat.

3. Meanwhile, once the porridge has been cooking for 4 minutes, add the vinegar to the pan of simmering water and swirl the water clockwise with a spoon to create a whirlpool. Crack the eggs and drop them, one at a time, into the centre of the swirling water but make sure they do not touch each other. The eggs should take 2–3 minutes to cook. The fresher the eggs, the more likely they are to form a perfectly poached egg. Use a slotted spoon to prod an egg white to see if it’s firm; if it is then immediately remove the eggs from the water and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels.

4. Set a frying pan over medium-high heat and add the bacon rashers. Once crisp on both sides, remove from the heat and place the bacon on a plate lined with paper towels.

5. Divide the porridge between 2 bowls. Top with the eggs and crispy bacon slices. Drizzle with the maple syrup and season with salt and pepper to serve.

The Grain Bowl is out now, packed full of recipes for everday healthy eating.