1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter cup (40 g) diced cooked ham cup (38 g) diced green pepper 2 tablespoons (20 g) diced onion 3 eggs, beaten Salt and pepper Melt the b.u.t.ter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ham, green pepper, and onion and saute for a few minutes until the onion is softened.
Pour in the eggs and scramble until the eggs are set. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Yield: 2 servings 2 servings Each with 7 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbs and 23 grams of protein.
Don"t look at the number of servings and a.s.sume you can"t feed a hungry family with a scramble- these recipes are a snap to double, as long as you have a skillet large enough to scramble in.
Huevos Con El Sabor de Chiles Rellenos Chiles Rellenos-green chilies stuffed with cheese, dipped in batter, and then fried-are irresistible, and very time-consuming to make. However, since the traditional batter is egg-rich, it occurred to me to incorporate the chilies and the cheese into a scramble. It"s delicious! If you haven"t tried canned green chilies, you should know that they"re only slightly spicy-this recipe won"t leave you gasping and reaching for a gla.s.s of water.
6 eggs cup (30 g) canned diced green chilies 1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter or oil 4 ounces (115 g) Monterey Jack cheese, cut into small chunks Beat the eggs with the chilies. Spray a large, heavy skillet with nonstick cooking spray and put it over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the b.u.t.ter or oil, and move it around to coat the bottom of the skillet.
Pour in the beaten eggs with chilies and scramble them until they"re about half-set. Add the chunks of Monterey Jack, continue scrambling until set, and then serve.
Yield: 2 or 3 servings 2 or 3 servings a.s.suming 2 servings, each will have 4 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 31 grams of protein.
Inauthentic Machaca Eggs True Machaca is made with beef that you"ve salted and dried, then rehydrated in boiling water, and pounded into shreds. It"s very tasty, but I don"t know a lot of people who want to do that much work. The beef shreds from the Ropa Vieja work beautifully in this scramble!
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil 1 cup (200 g) Ropa Vieja (page 380) green bell pepper, diced onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 cup (240 g) canned tomatoes with green chilies, drained 5 eggs cup (16 g) chopped fresh cilantro Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet and add the Ropa Vieja, diced pepper, onion, and garlic. Saute them together, stirring often, until the onion and pepper are becoming a little soft. In the meanwhile, measure your tomatoes and beat your eggs.
Okay, your onion is translucent, and your pepper"s starting to soften. Add the tomato, stir it up, and then pour in the beaten eggs. Scramble until the eggs are set. Divide evenly between two plates, top each serving with half the cilantro, and serve.
Feel free to add some chopped jalapenos or more green chilies to this, if you"d like it spicy. Or you could use a pasilla or Anaheim chili in place of the green pepper.
Yield: 2 to 3 servings 2 to 3 servings a.s.suming 2 servings, each will have 30 g protein; 12 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber; 10 g usable carbs.
Curry Scramble I"m in love with curry. With a green salad, this makes a great light supper whether you"re a devoted curry lover or not.
1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter teaspoon curry powder clove garlic, crushed 3 eggs 1 tablespoon (15 ml) heavy cream 3 slices bacon, cooked until crisp Melt the b.u.t.ter in a heavy skillet and saute the curry powder and garlic over medium-low heat for a minute or two.
Beat the eggs and cream together, pour into the skillet, and scramble until the eggs are set. Crumble bacon over the top.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving 3 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 23 grams of protein.
Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Scramble This sounds fancy, I know, but it takes almost no time and is very impressive. It"s terrific to make for a special brunch or a late-night supper. A simple green salad with a cla.s.sic vinaigrette dressing would be perfect with this.
4 eggs cup (120 ml) heavy cream 1 teaspoon dried dill weed 4 scallions pound (115 g) chevre (goat cheese) pound (115 g) moist smoked salmon 1 to 2 tablespoons (14 to 28 g) b.u.t.ter Whisk the eggs together with the cream and dill weed. Slice the scallions thin, including the crisp part of the green. Cut the chevre-it will have a texture similar to cream cheese-into little hunks. Coa.r.s.ely crumble the smoked salmon.
In a big (preferably nonstick) skillet, melt the b.u.t.ter over medium-high heat. (If your skillet doesn"t have a nonstick surface, give it a shot of nonstick cooking spray before adding the b.u.t.ter.) When the b.u.t.ter"s melted, add the scallions first and saute them for just a minute. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the eggs are halfway set-about 1 minute to 90 seconds. Add the chevre and smoked salmon, continue cooking and stirring until the eggs are set, and serve.
Yield: 3 servings 3 servings Each with 5 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 27 grams of protein.
Springtime Scramble 4 stalks asparagus 8 fresh snow pea pods 1 scallion 3 eggs 1 teaspoon olive oil Snap the bottoms off your asparagus where they break naturally and then cut the stalks into -inch (1.25-cm) pieces on the diagonal. Pinch the ends off the snow peas and pull off the strings. Then cut them into -inch (1.25-cm) pieces, too. Put the two in a microwaveable bowl, add a couple of teaspoons of water, cover, and microwave on high for just 3 minutes. Uncover as soon as the microwave beeps! While this is happening, slice your scallion, including the crisp part of the green, and whisk your eggs.
Okay, pull your asparagus and snow peas out of the microwave. Spray a medium skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add the olive oil and let it start heating. Drain the asparagus and snow peas and throw them in the skillet, along with the scallion. Now pour in the eggs and scramble until set. That"s it!
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving Each with 19 g protein; 8 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber; 6 g usable carbs.
Piperade Say "peep-er-ahd." This Basque peasant dish has so many vegetables in it that it"s a whole meal in itself.
2 tablespoons bacon grease cup diced onion cup diced green pepper [image]cup diced tomato (very ripe fresh or canned) 3 eggs, beaten Salt and pepper Heat the bacon grease in a heavy skillet over lowest heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onion is soft.
Add the pepper and the tomato. Stir, cover, and cook at lowest heat for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. (You want the vegetables to be quite soft.) Pour in the eggs and scramble slowly until the eggs are just set. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving 13 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber, for a total of 10 grams of usable carbs and 18 grams of protein.
Variation: Hearty Piperade-Make just as you would regular Piperade, but add cup (40 g) diced ham for each serving. (This is a great time to use up any leftovers you"ve been saving.) Saute the ham with the vegetables and then add the eggs and scramble as usual.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving 14 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber, for a total of 11 grams of usable carbs and 24 grams of protein.
Moroccan Scramble With all these vegetables, this is a meal in itself. It"s exotic and fabulous.
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil cup (30 g) chopped onion teaspoon minced garlic or 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon (15 ml) tapenade cup (60 g) canned diced tomatoes 3 eggs teaspoon ground c.u.min 2 tablespoons (8 g) chopped fresh cilantro Salt and pepper In a skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat and start sauteing the onion and garlic. When the onion is translucent, add the tapenade and tomatoes and stir. Now, whisk the eggs with the c.u.min and pour into the vegetable mixture. Scramble until mostly set and then add the cilantro and scramble until done. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving 11 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 10 grams of usable carbs and 18 grams of protein.
Italian Scramble This is a good quick supper. Serve it with a green salad and some garlic bread for the kids.
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil cup (40 g) diced green pepper cup (40 g) chopped onion 1 clove garlic, crushed 3 eggs 1 tablespoon (6.3 g) grated Parmesan cheese Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat and saute the pepper, onion, and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
Beat the eggs with the Parmesan and pour into the skillet. Scramble until the eggs are set and serve.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving 8 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 7 grams of usable carbs and 17 grams of protein.
Parmesan Rosemary Eggs This is so simple and so wonderful. If you like Italian food, you have to try this. It"s also easy to double or triple.
3 eggs 2 tablespoons (30 ml) heavy cream cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese teaspoon ground rosemary*
teaspoon minced garlic tablespoon b.u.t.ter Whisk together the eggs, cream, cheese, rosemary, and garlic. Put a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat (if it isn"t nonstick, give it a shot of nonstick cooking spray first). When the pan is hot, add the b.u.t.ter, give the egg mixture one last stir to make sure the cheese hasn"t settled to the bottom, and then pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Scramble until the eggs are set and serve.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving 3 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 25 grams of protein.
*You can use whole, dried rosemary, but you"ll have little needles in your food. If you do use whole rosemary, increase the amount to 1 teaspoon.
Greek Scramble 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil 1 tablespoon (10 g) minced onion 6 good, strong, black Greek olives, chopped 3 eggs, beaten cup (38 g) crumbled feta cheese Heat the oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion for a minute or two and then add the olives and saute for a minute more.
Pour in the eggs and add the feta. Scramble until set and serve.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving 6 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 22 grams of protein.
French Country Scramble This is for anyone who doesn"t think that eggs can be elegant.
4 ounces (115 g) sliced mushrooms 3 scallions, coa.r.s.ely sliced 1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter 2 canned artichoke hearts, chopped 6 eggs cup (120 g) shredded Gruyere If you haven"t purchased your mushrooms already sliced, slice them up while you slice the scallions. In a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, saute the mushrooms and scallions in the b.u.t.ter. When the mushrooms have turned darker, add the artichoke hearts (I just slice mine right into the skillet) and stir the whole thing up. Then beat the eggs, add them to the skillet, and scramble the whole thing. When the eggs are about half-set, add the cheese and scramble until done. Serve.
Yield: 2 or 3 servings 2 or 3 servings a.s.suming 3 servings, each will have 10 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbs and 19 grams of protein. Note: Keep in mind that much of the carbohydrate in artichokes is in the form of inulin, about the lowest-impact carbohydrate yet discovered, so the blood sugar impact is less than the numbers would imply- which is pretty low to begin with.
Hangtown Fry This is a very famous dish originating, I believe, in the Gold Rush days of California.
8 large oysters 2 tablespoons (16 g) low-carb bake mix or rice protein powder 4 tablespoons (55 g) b.u.t.ter 4 eggs 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cream 2 tablespoons (12.5 g) grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons (7.6 g) chopped fresh parsley Coat the oysters with the bake mix or protein powder, either by putting the bake mix or protein powder in a shallow dish and rolling the oysters in it or by shaking them in a small brown paper bag with the mix in it.
Melt the b.u.t.ter over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the oysters and fry until golden all over, about 5 to 7 minutes.
While the oysters are frying, beat the eggs and the cream together. When the oysters are golden, pour the beaten eggs into the skillet and scramble until set. Divide between 2 serving plates, sprinkle a tablespoon of Parmesan and a tablespoon of parsley over each portion, and serve.
Yield: 2 servings 2 servings Each with 5 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 21 grams of protein.
Hot Dog Scramble Okay, it"s not haute cuisine, but I"ll bet your kids will eat it without complaining.
1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter 1 hot dog, sliced into rounds small onion, chopped 3 eggs, beaten cup (30 g) shredded cheddar cheese Melt the b.u.t.ter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the hot dog slices and onion and saute until the onion is limp and the hot dog slices are starting to brown.
Add the eggs and scramble until half-set. Add the cheese and continue to scramble until the eggs are set and the cheese is melted. Serve.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving 8 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 7 grams of usable carbs and 31 grams of protein.
Chipotle Eggs Smoky and complex in flavor, chipotle peppers- smoked jalapenos-are very special, and they make these eggs very special, too. Personally, I think a side of avocado slices with a little lime or lemon juice would be nice with this.
cup (80 g) finely chopped onion teaspoon minced garlic or 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil 2 small chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce, finely minced-about 2 teaspoons 6 eggs cup (50 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese Spray a large, heavy skillet with nonstick cooking spray, place it over medium-high heat, and start sauteing the onion and garlic in the oil. When the onion is translucent, add the chopped chipotles, stir them in, and let the whole thing cook for another minute. (This is a good time to break and scramble the eggs.) Pour the eggs into the skillet and scramble until nearly set. Scatter the cheese evenly over the top, turn the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let it keep cooking until the cheese is melted- just a minute or two. Serve.
Yield: 2 or 3 servings. 2 or 3 servings.
a.s.suming 2 servings, each will have 5 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 4 grams of usable carbs and 24 grams of protein. This also contains 285 milligrams of calcium and 248 milligrams of pota.s.sium. (They"ll be more pota.s.sium if you have those avocado slices!) Fried Eggs Are you tired of all that scrambling? These next few recipes are, in one form or another, good old fried eggs.
Fried Eggs Not Over Really Easy If you"re like me, you like your eggs over-easy so that the whites are entirely set and the yolks are still soft-but you find it maddeningly difficult to flip a fried egg without breaking the yolk. Here"s the solution!
3 eggs tablespoon b.u.t.ter or oil 1 teaspoon water Spray your skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place it over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the b.u.t.ter and coat the bottom of the pan with it. Crack your eggs into the skillet-careful not to break the yolks!-and immediately cover them.
Wait about 2 minutes and check your eggs. They should be well set on the bottom but still a bit slimy on top. Add a teaspoon of water for each serving (you can approximate this; the quant.i.ty isn"t vital), turn the heat to low, and cover the pan again.
Check after a minute; the steam will have cooked the tops of the eggs. If there"s still a bit of uncooked white, give it another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Lift out and serve.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving About 1.5 grams of carbohydrates, no fiber, and 16 grams of protein.
For the easiest eggs, use a skillet that fits the number of eggs you"re frying. A 7-inch (18-cm) skillet is just right for a single serving, but if you"re doing two servings, use a big skillet.
Huevos Rancheros 1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter or oil 2 eggs 3 tablespoons (49 ml) salsa (hot or mild, as you prefer) 2 ounces (55 g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded Spray a heavy skillet with nonstick cooking spray and set it over medium heat. Add the b.u.t.ter or oil and crack the eggs into the skillet. Turn down the heat and cover. Let the eggs fry for 4 to 5 minutes.
While the eggs are frying, warm the salsa in a saucepan or in the microwave.
When your fried eggs are set on the bottom but still a little underdone on top, scatter the cheese evenly over the fried eggs, add a teaspoon or two of water to the skillet, and cover it again. In a minute or two, the tops of the eggs should be set (but the yolks still soft) and the cheese melted.
Transfer the eggs to a plate with a spatula, top with warmed salsa, and serve.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving 4 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbohydrates and 25 grams of protein.
Asparagi All"Uovo This Italian dish turns a couple of eggs into a light supper. This looks like a lot of instructions, but none of the steps takes much time.
1 pound (455 g) asparagus teaspoon minced garlic or 1 clove garlic, crushed cup (60 ml) olive oil cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese 8 eggs Preheat the broiler.
Snap the bottoms off the asparagus where they break naturally. Put the asparagus in a microwaveable ca.s.serole dish or a gla.s.s pie plate. Add a couple of tablespoons of water and cover. (Use plastic wrap or a plate to cover a pie plate.) Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes.
While the asparagus is cooking, stir the garlic into the olive oil.
When the asparagus is done, drain it. If you have 4 single-serving oven-proof dishes long enough to hold asparagus, they"re ideal for this recipe-divide the asparagus between the 4 dishes. If not, you"ll need to use a rectangular gla.s.s baking dish. Arrange the asparagus in 4 groups in the baking dish.
Whether you"re using the individual dishes or the single baking dish, drizzle each serving of asparagus with the garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and divide the cheese between the 4 servings. Put the asparagus under the broiler, about 4 inches (10 cm) from low heat. Let it broil for 4 to 5 minutes.
While the asparagus is broiling, fry the eggs to your liking. Either use your biggest skillet to do them all at once or divide them between two skillets.
When the Parmesan is lightly golden, take the asparagus out of the broiler. If you"ve cooked it in one baking dish, use a big spatula to carefully transfer each serving of asparagus to a plate. Top each serving of asparagus with 2 fried eggs and serve.
Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 4 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 3 grams of usable carbs and 16 grams of protein. If you"d like 22 grams of protein, add a third egg to each serving.
Rodeo Eggs This was originally a sandwich recipe, but it works just as well without the bread.
4 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces 4 thin slices onion 4 eggs 4 thin slices cheddar cheese Begin frying the bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat. When some fat has cooked out of it, push it aside and put the onion slices in, too. Fry the onion on each side, turning carefully to keep the slices together, until it starts to look translucent. Remove the onion from the skillet and set aside.
Continue frying the bacon until it"s crisp. Pour off most of the grease and distribute the bacon bits evenly over the bottom of the skillet. Break in the eggs and fry for a minute or two until the bottoms are set but the tops are still soft. (If you like your yolks hard, break them with a fork; if you like them soft, leave them unbroken.) Place a slice of onion over each yolk and then cover the onion with a slice of cheese. Add a teaspoon of water to the skillet, cover, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted.
Cut into four separate eggs with the edge of a spatula and serve.
Yield: This serves 2 if they"re good and hungry or 4 if they"re only a bit peckish or if they"re kids. This serves 2 if they"re good and hungry or 4 if they"re only a bit peckish or if they"re kids.
In 2 servings, each will have 4 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 27 grams of protein.
Gruyere Eggs 1 tablespoon (14 g) b.u.t.ter 2 eggs cup (30 g) shredded Gruyere cheese 1 scallion, sliced Spray a heavy skillet with nonstick cooking spray and melt the b.u.t.ter in it over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet and fry them until the bottoms are done but the tops are still a little soft.
Scatter the Gruyere over the eggs. Add a couple of teaspoons of water to the skillet, cover, and let cook another couple of minutes until the cheese is melted and the whites are set.
Move the eggs to a serving plate, scatter the sliced scallion on top, and serve.
Yield: 1 serving 1 serving 2 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 19 grams of protein.
Chili Egg Puff Serve this versatile dish for brunch or supper. And don"t be afraid of those chilies: The mild ones aren"t hot, they"re just very flavorful. (And if you like hot foods, feel free to use hotter chilies.) 5 eggs 3 tablespoons (15 g) soy powder or (24 g) rice protein powder r teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon baking powder 1 cup (225 g) small-curd cottage cheese 8 ounces (225 g) Monterey Jack cheese, grated 3 tablespoons (42 g) b.u.t.ter, melted 1 can (4 ounces, or 115 g) diced green chilies, drained Preheat the oven to 350F (180C, or gas mark 4). Spray a 6-cup (1.4-L) ca.s.serole dish with nonstick cooking spray or b.u.t.ter it generously.
Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them with a whisk. Whisk in the soy powder, salt, and baking powder, mixing very well.
Beat in the cottage cheese, Monterey Jack, melted b.u.t.ter, and chilies. Pour the whole thing into the prepared ca.s.serole dish, put it in the oven, and bake for about 35 minutes. (It"s okay if it"s a little runny in the very center when you spoon into it; that part acts as a sauce for the rest.) Yield: 4 servings 4 servings Each with 7 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of fiber, for a total of 6 grams of usable carbohydrates and 30 grams of protein.
Don"t know how big your ca.s.serole dish is? Fill it with water using a measuring cup. You want one that just holds 6 cups (1.4 L) of water, although just a tad bigger or smaller won"t matter.
Swiss Puff This is a great comfort-food-type supper.
4 eggs 1 batch Ultimate Fauxtatoes (page 209) teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon (15 g) b.u.t.ter 2 cups (240 g) shredded Swiss cheese 4 scallions, sliced, including the crisp part of the green shoot 2 tablespoons (7.6 g) chopped parsley 4 drops hot pepper sauce Preheat oven to 375F (190C, or gas mark 5).
Separate your eggs. (Since whites with even a tiny speck of yolk in them will stubbornly refuse to whip up, do yourself a favor and separate each egg into a small cup or bowl.) Dump the yolks into the Fauxtatoes and beat them in; add the salt, pepper, and b.u.t.ter. Dump your (presumably yolkless) egg whites into a deep mixing bowl and set aside.
Stir the shredded Swiss cheese into the Fauxtatoes and then stir in the scallions, parsley, and hot pepper sauce.
Now, using an electric mixer, beat the whites until they stand in soft peaks. Fold gently into the Fauxtatoes. Spoon the whole thing into a 6-cup (1.4-L) ca.s.serole dish you"ve sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.