WHAT’S IN AN EGG?
Eggs are simply healthy, nutritious, and just quite simply… egg-ceptional. Did you know that eggs are among the healthiest foods you can eat? They are inexpensive, rich in high-quality protein and healthy fats and contain many essential vitamins and minerals. We love eating eggs in all shapes, sizes and forms. Now lets talk about egg cooking basics!
Did You Know?…..
JUST ONE COOKED EGG HAS:
- 40% of your daily vitamin D requirements
- 25% of your daily folate requirements
- 12% of your daily Vitamin B2 requirements
- 20% of your daily selenium requirements
- Eggs also have vitamins A, E, B5, B12, as well as iron, iodine and phosphorus.
Egg Cooking Basics
HARD-BOILED EGGS
Place your uncooked eggs in a single layer at the bottom of your pot. Add water to just cover the eggs. Bring water to boil. Boil for 8-9 minutes. Allow to cool. Peel the eggshells off, serve with a dash of salt and pepper.
SOFT-BOILED EGGS
The difference between a hard-boiled egg and a soft-boiled egg is that in a soft-boiled egg, the yolk – and sometimes the egg white – is slightly runny. To make a soft-boiled egg, place your uncooked eggs in a single layer at the bottom of your pot. Add water to just cover the eggs. Bring water to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Peel the eggshells off and serve.
POACHED EGGS
To make poached eggs, you’re going to want to start with the freshest eggs. Fill your saucepan with 2/3 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the water to a simmer. Crack your egg into a bowl over a fine mesh strainer, then slowly pour your egg into the saucepan. Poach for 3-4 minutes. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon, pat dry and serve with a dash of salt and pepper.
EASY FRIED EGGS
Start with a small non-stick skillet. Add a small amount of butter or oil such as avocado oil. Heat on medium heat. Crack eggs and add them to the pan. You may choose to cover the pan with a clear lid when the whites turn slightly opaque. Cook until the edges of the whites are slightly lifting away from the pan.
- Sunny Side Up – the egg is fried, not flipped and the yolk is runny
- Over Easy – the egg is fried, flipped for a short amount of time and the yolk is still runny
- Over Medium – the egg is fried, flipped for a moderate amount of time and the yolk is slightly runny
- Over Hard – the egg is fried, flipped for an extended amount of time and the yolk is cooked until it is hard
SCRAMBLED EGGS
To make perfectly scrambled eggs, place your cracked eggs in a bowl and whisk them vigorously. Add a splash of cold water and whisk some more. Add a small pinch of salt and pepper. Heat a small nonstick skillet on medium-high heat and add a tab of good butter. Reduce heat to medium heat. Cook eggs, stir often.
OMELET
Once you have mastered the perfect scrambled eggs, omelets are a breeze to make. Heat your nonstick skillet the same way as if you were making scrambled eggs. Once you have vigorously stirred your eggs, add a splash of cold water, salt and pepper pour them into a small nonstick skillet and cook on medium heat. Once the edges of your egg “pancake” have started to lift, use a large, flat spatula, and gently lift the entire egg “pancake.” Place your favorite omelet ingredients (such as cheese, bacon and spinach) on one-half of the egg “pancake”. Flip the other side of the “pancake” over your cheese, bacon, and spinach. Flip and serve hot.
MICROWAVED EGGS
I have a neighbor that makes a quick microwave egg scramble in a mug every morning for her kids to eat on the way to school. To microwave an egg, crack an egg into a mug and cook for 30-45 seconds. Do not try and microwave an entire egg in its shell as it will tend to explode!
Now that we have covered the egg cooking basics, stay tuned for an upcoming post on my favorite 25 egg recipes that are egg-ceptionally perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
