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March
17, 2005
Prairie
Fare: Are You an “Egg Head”?
By
Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service
Eggs have had their
share of controversy over the years. You might even say they’ve
been beaten up a bit. One year they’re “good” for you
and the next they’re not.
In the nutrition world,
eggs often are considered one of the “gold standard” foods.
The protein they contain is highly digestible and they contain vitamins
and minerals, all at a very economical price. An egg has about 80 calories
and 5.5 grams of fat.
The controversy surrounding
eggs concerns their cholesterol content (about 215 milligrams per egg)
and a potential link with heart disease. The American Heart Association
recommends a maximum of 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol per day.
Saturated fat in a
diet, however, is of greater issue for heart disease than dietary cholesterol.
Unless you’re following a special diet or advised otherwise by a
health-care professional, an egg a day generally is considered OK for
most healthy adults, based on research with more than 117,000 nurses and
other health professionals. However, take into consideration the nutritional
content of your other food choices and consider, too, how eggs are prepared.
Use a nonstick pan or nonstick spray to keep fat content low.
How much do you know
about eggs? Try this quiz. The answers are at the end.
- Eggs are unique
in that they are one of the few foods that naturally contain
a. Vitamin B-12
b. Vitamin D
c. Vitamin E
- How can you tell
an egg is hard-boiled without breaking the shell?
a. It’s impossible
b. Weigh it
c. Spin it. If it wobbles, it’s fresh.
- If you drop an
egg on the floor, what could you generously sprinkle to help soak up
the mess?
a. Sugar
b. Salt
c. Flour
- How long are eggs
safe to use after their “sell by” date?
a. one day
b. one week
c. one month
- Why might a “green
halo” form around hard-boiled eggs?
a. The eggs were cooked too long.
b. The eggs weren’t stored properly.
c. The eggs are old.
The answers are 1.
b; 2. c; 3. b; 4. c; 5. a.
Here’s a recipe
from the American Egg Board. Visit the site for lots of egg information
and recipes at www.aeb.org
Italian Spinach and Egg Roll-ups
6 lasagna noodles
1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and pressed
1/2 c. (4 oz.) part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 c. (2 oz.) low-moisture part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. chopped green onions with tops
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, crushed
1 14-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional
To hard-boil eggs,
place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover
at least an inch above eggs. Cover and bring just to boiling. Turn off
heat and remove from burner. Let eggs stand, covered, in hot water about
15 minutes for large eggs (18 minutes for extra-large). Immediately
run cold water over eggs.
Cook noodles according
to package directions. Drain well. Set aside. In medium bowl, stir together
remaining ingredients except spaghetti sauce and Parmesan cheese until
well combined. Spread half of the spaghetti sauce over bottom of greased
11 by 7 by 1 1/2 –inch baking dish. Spread a scant 2/3 cup of
the spinach mixture over one of the cooked noodle strips. Starting at
the short end, roll up strip. Place roll, seam-side down, in the baking
dish. Repeat with remaining noodles and spinach mixture. Spoon remaining
sauce over rolls. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated
350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil. Continue baking until heated
throughout, about 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if
desired.
Makes six servings.
Each serving has 340 calories, 14 grams of fat, 33 grams of carbohydrate
and 1.6 grams of fiber.
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Source:
Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu
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