Eggs Have Surprisingly Healthy Benefits
By Holly Clegg on April 1, 2012
By Holly Clegg –
We know bran is full of fiber and blueberries are brain food but you may be cutting out yummy foods previously deemed bad for you and missing out on their surprising health benefits. Sound too good to be true? Not this time. You do not have to deprive yourself to enjoy a healthy nutrient-rich diet.
Although eggs have previously been labeled as artery-clogging, they are now a highly recommended protein-rich food full of vitamins and minerals such as choline and lutein – vital for brain function, eye health, pregnancy and fetal development. At only 70 calories per egg, each provides 13 essential nutrients, vitamins and high-quality protein. Although eggs do contain cholesterol, recent studies have shown that they actually contain 14% less than previously thought, at 185 mg cholesterol per egg. The American Heart Association recommends eating 300 mg or less of cholesterol per day, so you may easily enjoy a whole egg several times per week for it’s nutritional benefits, or whip up a few egg whites to still get that great source of protein. Too much of a good thing can be bad for you if done in excess. The key is to treat yourself occasionally and by doing so you will also be boosting your health with nutritional benefits!
Mexican Breakfast Casserole from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle At Any Age
Simple ingredients magically create this make-ahead scrumptious breakfast dish fulfilling everyone’s expectations in my house.
Makes 8-10 servings
- 1 (4-ounce) can green chilies
- 8 ounces ground breakfast turkey sausage
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red, green, or yellow bell pepper, cored and chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 5 eggs
- 4 egg whites
- 2 cups fat-free half-and-half
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 5 (8-inch) 98% fat-free flour tortillas, cut into quarters
1. Coat 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread green chilies along bottom of dish.
2. In large nonstick skillet, cook and crumble sausage until starts to brown. Add onion and bell pepper, cooking until sausage is done and vegetables tender. Add garlic and chili powder. Remove from heat. Cool.
3. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, and half-and-half. In another bowl, combine green onion and cheese.
4. Spoon one-third of sausage mixture over chilies in baking dish. Top with one-third tortilla quarters and one-third cheese mixture. Repeat layers, ending with cheese. Pour egg mixture evenly over casserole and refrigerate, covered, at least 6 hours or overnight.
5. Preheat oven 350°F. If using glass baking dish, place in cold oven and bake 50-60 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown and knife inserted into custard comes out clean.
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories 262 Calories from fat 28% Fat 7g Saturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 129mg Sodium 578mg Carbohydrate 23g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 5g Protein 18g Dietary Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 2 1/2 lean meat
Holly Clegg, author of best-selling trim&TERRIFIC® cookbook series, including the women’s lifestyle cookbook, Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age, and also the specialized trim&TERRIFIC® Diabetic Cooking and Eating Well Through Cancer. With 1 million copies sold, Holly has promoted her healthy lifestyle recipes on Fox & Friends, NBC Weekend Today, and The 700 Club. Known as the healthy “Queen of Quick,” she understands the demands of the busy person and with her user friendly, pantry friendly, and time friendly cookbooks. For more information, visit www.hollyclegg.com or http://thehealthycookingblog.com.
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