We all know how cheap eggs are. You might as well pay the extra buck for organic. It hardly breaks the bank, and you’re getting far better nutrition. Eggs are an awesome source of protein, and don’t listen to the naysayers who preach against saturated fat: we NEED saturated fat!
Everyone’s used to eggs in the morning, right? Scrambled. Fried. In an omelet. They’re a great way to sneak veggies in to your morning meal: I like to add mushrooms or spinach or zucchini. However, for the purposes of recession cuisine – expanding our minds about how to create the cheapest, healthiest and tastiest meals possible – I like to add them to an evening meal every so often. Here are a couple of creative ways I’ve used eggs for my dinner protein.
THAI INSPIRED EGG AND RICE
brown rice
Stevia
coconut milk
coconut oil
water
1-2 eggs
veggies of your choice – try bamboo shoots, green and red peppers, onions…
fish sauce
lime juice
1. Boil rice in equal parts coconut milk and water. Add a few drops of Stevia to make it sweet.
2. Saute veggies in coconut oil.
3. Fry egg(s) in coconut oil.
4. Combine, and drizzle with fish sauce and lime juice to taste.
5. Enjoy!
ITALIAN INSPIRED EGG AND PASTA
gluten free pasta
salt
pepper
garlic
olive oil
lemon juice
greens of your choice: I like beet greens or spinach with this dish
1 egg
1. Boil pasta
2. Saute greens in olive oil and garlic.
3. Fry egg in olive oil.
4. Combine. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Devour!
photo credit: conskeptical
“That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood.” – Barack Obama, earlier today
Sure, Barack is talking about the dismal state of world affairs, but he’s also referencing the economic challenges plaguing Americans. In tough times, it’s best to pull inward, hunker down, and get to some serious grounding. And what’s more grounding than a hearty home-cooked meal? Food’s one of the easiest areas in which to scale back spending, with the added benefit that the simplest meals are often the most satiating (maybe that’s why, when you eat at that Noveau Japanese-Cajun-Antarctican fusion joint you always leave hungry…). Every week, on Recession Cuisine Tuesday, we’ll be exploring an inexpensive recipe that’s packed with nutritional power. Learn to stretch your dollar while fueling your body with the most micronutrients possible.
Today we are going to look at the ancient technique of sprouting, developed by the Chinese several thousand years ago. You know those organic broccoli sprouts you used to drop $7 per bag for at the Berkeley farmer’s market? The ones that turned brown in your vegetable drawer about two days after you got them home? Well, when you make your own, they’re far cheaper. And since seeds bulk up as they sprout, multiplying 8 to 15 times their weight, they’re a very economical choice. Rich with proteins, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, sprouts are one of the most nutritionally complete foods in existence. They’re a live food, which means they keep growing until the moment you bite into them – compare this with other vegetables, whose nutrients begin to oxidize (break down) the minute they’re harvested.
Sprouting is incredibly easy. All you need is a dark, cool place, a glass jar, a piece of cheesecloth with a rubber band, and the beans (mungs are a nice one to start with – be sure to get organic!). Put a ratio of 1 part beans to 3 parts water in the jar, cover with cheesecloth, secure with rubber band, and place in said dark cool place. After about 24 hours, drain off the water and add some fresh water to the jar, swirling or stirring a bit to rinse the beans. Then drain that off, still keeping the beans slightly damp. Re-cover, return to the dark cool place, and repeat the process every 12 hours. You’ll see the beans start to grow little tails. It’s your choice when to eat them – tails can be short, medium, or long.
The recipe below is by my friend and colleague Kelly Walker, a holistic nutritionist in San Francisco. It was my introduction to sprouting and it’s so delicious that if it’s your introduction, you too will become a sprouting groupie. Sprouts contains so much life force that you may feel bionic after consuming this salad.
MUNG SPROUT SALAD
2-3 cups mung sprouts
2 avocados, sliced
1 cucumber, diced
OPTIONAL: protein i.e. tuna, chicken, salmon, shellfish…
DRESSING: (to taste) salt, pepper, olive oil, cumin, paprika, either Balsamic Vinegar OR Apple Cider Vinegar OR lemon juice
Add everything together, stir, and eat. It’s fine to chill for an hour or so but will be soggy by the next day, so if you are stretching this out for a few meals, keep the dressing on the side…
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