Wake up – It’s National Egg Day!

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? No matter; today is National Egg Day, so it’s all about the egg. Eggs are an essential ingredient to baked goods and are a part of our everyday diets. There’s so much to celebrate in these small packages.

The nutrient-rich food has gone back and forth with science and nutritionists over the decades as to just how many eggs are too many for a healthy diet. My doctor says 4 eggs a week. Let’s see, two in an omelette, two for Eggs Benedict, and that’s not counting the three yolks in the Hollandaise Sauce. Over the limit! But there are good things about eggs. One egg provides an excellent source of protein and vitamin D. At 75 calories and 5 grams of fat, it’s an easy choice to satisfy hunger, too. Eggs are easily seasoned and pair well with vegetables to increase the nutritional value of a meal.

I think a Veggie-Egg Omelette would be a great place to start, don’t you? The beauty of an omelette is that it’s welcome in the morning; perfect for a light lunch and even better as a late supper.

Veggie Stuffed Omelette
Per Omelette
1 cup loosely packed Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves
2 Mini Bell Peppers
1 small Shallot
1/4 cup Mushrooms
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
2 Whole Eggs
1 Egg White
Kosher Salt to taste
Pinch White Pepper
1/4 cup Mild Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Rinse spinach leaves, spin or pat dry and set aside. Dice the bell peppers and shallot; set aside. Rinse and slice the mushrooms; set aside.

In 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion and mushrooms to oil. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is tender. Stir in spinach; continue cooking and stirring just until spinach wilts. Remove vegetables from pan to small bowl. Cover to keep warm.

In medium bowl, vigorously beat whole eggs with egg white. Season with salt and pepper, whisk well. Reheat same skillet over medium-high heat. Quickly pour egg mixture into pan. While sliding pan back and forth rapidly over heat, quickly stir with spatula to spread eggs continuously over bottom of pan as they thicken. Let stand over heat a few seconds to lightly brown bottom of omelet. Do not overcook; omelet will continue to cook after folding.

Place cooked vegetable mixture over half of omelet; top with cheese. With spatula, fold other half of omelet over vegetables. Gently slide out of pan onto plate. Serve immediately.

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Oh, and just for the record, I use an Omelette Spatula when making any omelette – it is amazingly gentle. I bought mine years ago at a kitchen store; but you can find them online as well.