Lake Regional Health System | Thrive | Spring 2018

NUTRITION 10 | Spring 2018 W hy did the chicken cross the  road? Maybe to escape the egg critics. Now, after long being blamed for clogging arteries with cholesterol, eggs are coming out of their shells again. That’s because researchers unscrambled the facts. Yes, the yolk of one large egg contains about 200 milligrams of cholesterol. But eating one whole egg a day does not raise most people’s blood cholesterol. More egg-cellent news: Whether the egg is white, brown or Araucana blue, it delivers high-quality protein, B vitamins, minerals (including iron) and choline, which your body needs to metabolize fats and carbohydrates. So it boils down to this: Eggs are good for you! Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; U.S. Department of Agriculture Baked eggs in a nest A good egg Makes 4 servings. Ingredients Cooking spray 4 slices firm whole-wheat bread 4 large eggs Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 large plum tomato 4 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese 1 teaspoon freshly chopped chives Directions • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 4 cups in muffin tin with 3-inch cavities with cooking spray, and set aside. • Cut crusts off bread, making each slice square. Using rolling pin, flatten bread slightly. Press bread into muffin tin cavities with points sticking up. • Break 1 egg into small bowl, then slip into one bread cup. Repeat with remaining eggs. Season with salt and pepper. • Cut 4 thin slices from center of tomato, reserving rest for another use. Cover each egg with tomato slice, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese. • Set muffin tin in oven, and fill empty cavities in tin halfway with water. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until eggs are set to your taste and bread tips are browned. Run thin knife around outside of each baked egg nest, then lift it with tongs, garnish with chives, and serve on plate or in small bowl. Nutrition information Serving size: 1 egg nest. Amount per serving: 177 calories, 8.5g total fat (3g saturated fat), 14g carbohydrates, 11g protein, 2g dietary fiber, 263mg sodium. Source: American Institute for Cancer Research JUMP-START YOUR DAY Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day? Get good nutrition tips and recipes at lakeregional.com/ healthyeats .