Scrambled, deviled, poached, fried, boiled, baked, steamed, omelet, frittata. What do all these words have in common?
That’s an easy one right? Ahh the little yellow and white wonderment of a simple egg! The perfect staple to any healthy eating regime and not to mention an excellent source of protein with all nine essential amino acids encompassed in each little shell!!
But wait a minute!!! Why do I advocate eggs? Aren't they supposed to raise cholesterol levels that lead to heart disease? And haven't we been told time and time again to remove the yolk and have eggs only once or twice a week??
Well I’m here with some good news!! You can merrily hop along to your nearest grocery store or farm (even better) and pick yourself up a carton of ORGANIC eggs!
(**Just make sure they are organic as the source of your food makes all the difference to your health and eggs from a chicken in battery cages who has never seen the light of day arent quite at the same nutritional level as organic or pastured eggs which come from a chicken who roams freely outdoors nibbling on insects and other natural food stuffs.)
The nutritious delicious egg has gotten a bad rap over the last couple of decades and for no good reason. Eggs have long been victimized as one of the culprits of high cholesterol but it turns out in fact that this is not true and in recent studies eggs and other animal fats have been proven to do quite the opposite. In various tests, people who added two eggs to their daily diet actually lowered their LDL levels.
So what does this mean for all us health conscious ladies out there? It means break out the whisk and start scrambling up those eggs again! Eggs are one of the best breakfast foods out there, not just because they're so yummy whichever way they're cooked but because of the following reasons;
1. They're Cheap : I buy my eggs from Whole Foods and although Organic eggs are always going to cost more I have to say $4.99 for 18 eggs is a pretty good deal, considering eggs are just as good a protein source as meat!! And 18 eggs make me 9 breakfasts (I usually use two)!! I use them in smoothies as well instead of buying super expensive protein powder!! Hey, I'm an actress on a budget!
2. They're Quick: Seriously, scrambling an egg takes me all in all about 3 minutes, boiling does take a little longer but the beauty with eggs is you can boil a bunch together at the same time and then keep them in you fridge readily available for whenever you're in a rush out the door but need a nutritious snack! Omelets take a little bit more time considering I usually like to load them with veggies and cheese but it still takes me no more than 10 minutes! So there's really no excuse for you to not eat breakfast!!
3. They're so Nutritious: This is probably the most important point! Eggs are like little nutritional treasure chests. Not only does one egg contain all the nine essential amino acids which are the building blocks of your body and of good health, but they also may help prevent blood clots, stroke and heart attack (due to Vitamin k) and they are one of the only sources of naturally occurring Vitamin D which helps build strong teeth and bones and has been found to protect against cancer. And they also are a good source of choline, a nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system! If that’s not enough reasons to eat an egg I don't know what is...
So to finish up today’s blog about my favorite breakfast food here is a recipe of my own. Feel free to try it out and leave me comments on how you eat your eggs :)
Spinach, Onion and Cheddar Omelet
Ingredients:
2 organic or pastured eggs
1 tsp of organic butter (butter is actually good for you! more on this later)
2 tbsp organic half and half (good quality dairy is also good for you, more on this later)
A dash of Mrs. Dash poultry seasoning
A handful of fresh or frozen chopped spinach
3 slices of raw cheddar cheese
1/4 small chopped onion
BEAT eggs, half and half and seasoning in small bowl until blended.
HEAT butter in 7 to 10-inch nonstick omelet pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. TILT pan to coat bottom. POUR IN egg mixture. Mixture should set immediately at edges.
GENTLY PUSH cooked portions from edges toward the center with inverted turner so that uncooked eggs can reach the hot pan surface. CONTINUE cooking, tilting pan and gently moving cooked portions as needed.
When top surface of eggs is thickened and no visible liquid egg remains, season with salt and pepper. PLACE cheese on one side of omelet; top with onion and spinach ( if using frozen spinach, make sure it has had time to defrost and be dry). FOLD omelet in half with turner. With a quick flip of the wrist, turn pan and INVERT or SLIDE omelet onto plate. SERVE immediately
Eat and enjoy!! Yum!
If it's a special morning like a weekend, why not add some chicken sausage (available at health food stores like whole foods) and fry up some tomatoes to add as a side!! Yummy and healthy!!
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