When I know that I am having an exceptionally long and busy week, I find it is better to make dish that can last most of the week.
This week, I want to share a recipe for a Spinach-Egg Log. For most students, time is something valuable that cannot be spared for tasks outside of school and cooking healthy meals is something that does not get much thought. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it is beneficial to make something the weekend before that you can eat throughout the week while getting key vitamins and minerals.
A study done by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has shown that eggs now contain 14 percent less cholesterol and 64 percent more Vitamin D. While eggs are all-natural and offer more protein than any other food, the amount of Vitamin D increase is crucial. Vitamin D plays a role in making Calcium easier for the body to absorb.
Pairing eggs with spinach helps to enhance the benefits you will receive from the two. Frozen spinach contains more nutrients than its fresh counterpart. Freezing vegetables before packing them helps to seal in the nutrients they contain without subjecting them to chemicals. Also, fresh spinach has been picked, washed, packaged and then has to travel great lengths by truck to the grocery stores giving the spinach a chance to begin breaking down and losing its nutrients. One 10 ounce package of frozen spinach contains 37 percent of our daily value of Calcium.
Spinach is also one of the foods richest in Manganese. Although it is not commonly talked about in everyday settings, Manganese is an important mineral. A 10 ounce package of frozen spinach contains 100 percent of our daily value of Manganese. Able to maintain your blood sugar levels, Manganese works with the body to help break down carbohydrates, fats and proteins for the body to absorb.
Next time you have a crazy week that is full of papers, tests and homework give this recipe a try. It takes only 30 minutes to make and can last you a full week of breakfast. Try adding a couple of slices of whole wheat toast and it is a power meal: eggs for the boost of Vitamin D to help absorb the Calcium from the spinach, Manganese from the spinach to maintain order in your body and whole wheat to maintain a healthier body weight.
Recipe:
Vegetable or Olive Oil
1 cup of fat-free milk
1/3 cup of all purpose flour
8 eggs
1 tablespoon of mustard, Dijon if you have
2 10 ounce packages of frozen spinach, chopped
2 cups shredded cheese
Salt and pepper for taste
Directions:
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees and brush a rimmed baking sheet with oil. Lay a piece of parchment paper in the baking sheet that hangs over both short ends and brush with oil.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all your ingredients except for the spinach and 1 cup of cheese. Pour the egg mixture into the baking sheet and layer the spinach on top.
3. Bake for 12 minutes and top with the remaining cup of cheese. Cook until the cheese is melted, anywhere from 2 to 4 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes and then, starting at one of the shorter sides, lift the parchment paper and and let the eggs roll until you have it into the shape of a log.
5. To serve: cut slices from the log and enjoy.
6. To store: put the Spinach-Egg Log on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.