8/8/11

Healthy Recipes | Steamed Egg Cups

The incredible, edible egg is a complete nutritional package, evolved to be the sole source of nutrition for a growing creature. A single egg is only 70 calories, yet provides 5 grams of protein and all 9 of the essential amino acids. They also contain choline, which is important for proper body system regulation and may help prevent cancer.

Many people are hesitant to eat eggs because they contain cholesterol. Indeed, the egg yolk does contain about 200 mg cholesterol, which is about two-thirds of the current recommended daily intake.  However, despite media reports, the link between cholesterol and heart disease has not been firmly established, and there is evidence from many studies that disproves the theory that high cholesterol intake leads to heart disease. Unless you have been specifically told by a doctor to avoid choelsterol intake, I suggest you consider including egg yolks in your diet, as the majority of the egg's nutrients are present in the yolk

Here are some easy, healthy ways to incorporate eggs into your diet:
  • Scramble them for breakfast with diced peppers and onions
  • Bake with spinach and cheese to make light dinner frittata
  • Make a western omelet with ham, scallions, and green bell pepper

If you are looking for an egg recipe that is a little out of the ordinary, try steaming an egg. This is a very simple method with little cleanup. Fill a ramekin with a few fillings, crack in an egg, and steam over simmering water. I made mine with leftover cubed ham and roasted red pepper, but the possibilities to adapt this recipe to your tastes are endless, so feel free to experiment with different fillings.


Steamed Egg Cup
1 egg
Roasted red peppers (or fresh red bell pepper)
1/4 cup cubed, cooked ham
Olive oil or butter
Fresh herbs
Salt and pepper
Few crumbles of Feta


1. Put a shallow layer of water in the bottom of a skillet or pot. Bring to a simmer
2. Coat ramekin with oil or butter
3. Place ham and red peppers (or other fillings) in bottom of ramekin
4. Season with herbs, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine
5. Crack egg into ramekin
6. Cover ramekin with tin foil and place above steaming water. Place lid over skillet/pot
7. Cook until you can shake the ramekin and the egg white does not jiggle (20 minutes if fillings included, 10 minutes if cooking egg alone)
8. Remove from steam. Add cheese. Place tin foil back over ramekin and let sit for a minute to allow cheese to melt

2 comments:

  1. Rachel11:13 PM

    Wow, this actually looks like a recipe I might be able to make :) Gotta try it this weekend

    ReplyDelete
  2. That looks good, never thought of this before

    ReplyDelete