Easter is rapidly approaching and in deference to spring fertility rituals of yore, I want to advocate for The Egg. Here are a few things you can do with eggs, but first, some information.
Chicken eggs are full of incredible nutrients. (Duck and quail eggs are even bigger powerhouses of nutrition, but we are going to celebrate the chicken egg today.) They contain 11% protein, vitamins B1, B12, D, and A. They are full of potassium and iron. Eggs are a whole food that strengthens the immune system, promotes brain swiftness, and stabilizes the nervous system. It should also be mentioned that eggs contain HDL - the good cholesterol, and they can actually help you lower your LDL - the bad cholesterol. I could go on and on, but you can research the benefits of eggs as well.
And now a note about egg whites:
It is generally advisable to eat whole foods. The moment you separate out one element, you don't have a whole food any more - as widely seen in white flour, white sugar and processed-to-death food-like products. Eat the whole egg - just do it! The yolk is where all the goodies are. Egg whites alone leach vitamin C out of your body and have hardly any nutritional value. But a whole egg or two make for a great meal. Of course, if you are making meringues, those rules don't apply - ha!
And now a note about organic, free-range, naturally fed chicken eggs:
I don't want to get too soap boxy, but do you know how laying chickens in mass producing chicken farms are kept? It is incredibly inhumane. The chickens "live" under hideous conditions. Moreover, they are fed hormone laced foods, chicken meal (ground up chicken leftovers like beaks, claws, bones, eyeballs). This all translates into the egg you eat. "Grain-fed" is not as wholesome as it sounds. Chickens are not grain eaters. So being fed grains (instead of former fellow chickens) messes them up and translates into their eggs. If you buy the really cheap, mass produced eggs you are supporting this animal abusing, federally subsidized industry. Plus, you are eating eggs that are less than desirable as far as nutritional value and additives go.
Get your eggs at a local farmer's market or from a health food store that carries eggs from happy chickens. Are you going to pay more? You betcha. But think about it - if you pay $3 for 6 eggs, it will cost you a buck to make a 2-egg omelet. One dollar for a meal. Big whoop. Think about how much money we pay for meat (not a dollar, for sure), junk, soda, etc. etc.
Eggs from chickens that get to run around and peck have shells in all colors - which reflects their diverse diet. The shells are thick and sturdy. The yolks are really yellow - with no additives. Eggs in mass production are yellow because the birds have been fed stuff to make them yellow.
Chickens are really cool birds. Who knew? A few friends of mine keep chickens who become very attached to their humans. They will hop on your lap to be petted and have well defined personalities. It is not awesome to treat these darlings who give us their precious eggs with cruelty and lack of respect. Okay - I'm done now.
Eggs are - of course - delicious morning, noon, and evening. Cooked, poached, fried, scrambled - whatever you choose, they are versatile. I am not an egg-cooking genius. When I boil eggs, most often they crack and make a mess in the water. But I am good at making frittatas, and I'll share this wonderful one-pan meal concept here.
Here we go!
For 1 person, use 2 eggs. For 2 people, 4 eggs. For 3 people, 5 eggs. For 4 people, 6 eggs. Depending on how many other goodies you add, those egg quantities will e sufficient. You really don't want leftover eggs. They are like leftover French fries - not good.
Crack your eggs on a flat surface. That way the crack (!) is even and it's easy to pull the two halves of shell apart. Crack two eggs into a bowl and add about 3 tablespoons of milk, 1/2 & 1/2, or cream and whip the eggs until there are no more strings. This will ensure even cooking and good texture.
Vegetarian Frittata
Start heating your pan over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, butter and a little olive oil, coconut oil, bacon fat - in other words, your fat of choice. When the fat is hot - but not smoking - add one or two chopped green onions (white and green parts) and salt - a few pinches, according to taste. This will be your salt for the dish. You can add about 1/2 cup of diced zucchini, or summer squash, or red and/or green bell pepper, olives, jalapenos, grape tomatoes. Let your imagination go wild! Add some freshly ground black pepper, too.
Cook your vegetables until they have a little color but are still firm. They are going to continue to cook in the oven. If you want to use herbs, such as parsley, dill, basil, etc. chop and add to your beaten eggs.
Turn off the heat under the pan and slowly pour your eggs evenly over the saute, so that every part of the pan is covered in egg. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan, grated cheddar, crumbled feta, crumbled goat cheese or any combination of any cheese you like. Pop your pan in a in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. If you are only cooking a 2-egg frittata, you can put the pan under the broiler for a few minutes.
Before and after cooking
The eggs will cook, the cheese will melt. You will pull a picture of deliciousness out of the oven! After loosening the edges with a flat spatula, Flip the frittata in half and slide onto a plate. If you are making a larger frittata, loosen edges and slide the whole thing onto a warmed plate and cut in wedges to serve.
You can accompany your frittata with salsa, guacamole, hot sauce, sour cream with herbs, salt and pepper, and so forth.
Frittata with Meat
Bacon, Chicken sausge, ham... anything will do. If you are using bacon, cut it into bits and place in a cold frying pan. Heat slowly and stir to separate the bits. Keep frying the bacon until all the fat is rendered. That will be your fat (and most of the salt) for your whole frittata. 2 pieces per person should do. The more bacon you use, the more grease you'll have. You might have to remove some.
Remove the bacon and saute your vegetables in the grease. Add eggs, sprinkle bacon and cheese on top and bake or broil.
If you using sausage - and there are amazing sausages out there: chicken/basil, chicken/sun dried tomatoes/feta etc. - I recommend using some olive oil to fry your cubed sausage pieces. Cook until brown and scrumptious, then proceed as described above in the bacon part.
For an amazing dinner, add a fresh salad. A frittata is nutrient rich and very delectable. Your combination of vegetables is unlimited.
