Easy Eggs – e ultimate convenience food

It’s September, which means back to routine! Schedules are becoming jam-packed with school, work and extracurricular activities, resulting in less time for meal preparation and meal times.

While it would be ideal to cook a full meal from scratch every evening, that’s not realistic for a lot of people. Families are busy and when juggling a busy lifestyle, many will rely on easy and convenient options to get supper on the table.

When we think of quick, convenient meals we often turn to less nutritious on-the-go foods, such as fast food and frozen pizza. However, you can still serve your family quick and simple meals without compromising nutrition.

One of my favourite convenience foods is eggs. Eggs are not only nutritious, but they are also delicious and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner when you are in a pinch. One egg contains about 5g of fat, no trans fats, and 6g highquality protein. e egg yolks also contain a source of Vitamins A, D, E and B12, along with other nutrients. Two eggs make up one serving of meats and alternatives as per Canada’s Food Guide.

Knowing how you can use eggs in all kinds of meals for your family can help reduce the stress of preparing a meal when time is tight. Here are some di erent ways you can use eggs for each meal of the day.

Breakfast

Most people think of eating eggs for breakfast, whether it be a fried egg served with whole grain toast and fruit, or a veggie-loaded omelet. Eggs are easy to add into your breakfast routine as they take only minutes to prepare. Some other ideas for eggs for breakfast include:

•PC Blue Menu peeled hard boiled eggs – these eggs are precooked and all ready for a graband-go breakfast

•Mu n Tin Eggs – the idea here is to make mini omelet cups by cracking eggs into a mu n pan and cooking them. Make a batch on Sunday and you have breakfast ready for the week! Store them in the fridge, microwave in the morning and enjoy.

•Build your own breakfast wrap – Use a whole grain tortilla, add a scrambled egg and keep a variety of toppings on hand to choose from, to create your own ultimate breakfast wrap. Toppings could include: Salsa, Hummus, Tzatziki dip, spinach, diced peppers, mushrooms, cheese or whatever you choose!

Lunch and Dinner

Beyond the “breakfast for dinner” concept that many are already familiar with, eggs can be incorporated into a wide range of dishes and meal ideas for any time of the day. Here are a few ideas:

•Southwest Wrap – take the breakfast wrap idea one step further, using a scrambled egg as a protein inside a wrap along with salsa, lettuce, black beans, corn, diced red peppers and topping it with Tex-mex cheese blend. Add in cumin, chili powder or other seasoning as desired.

•Salad – use the peeled hardboiled PC Blue Menu eggs as a protein on your salad – just slice and serve.

•Bento Box style lunch – Bento boxes are portioned-out lunch boxes with different compartments for each lunch component. Use hard boiled eggs as a protein in a bento box along with slices of cucumbers, carrots, and celery and some whole grain crackers to round it o .

•Squash and Greens Hash with Fried Eggs is a quick 20-minute recipe that is bound to be a crowd pleaser. It is a great example of how eggs can be used in a meal other than breakfast, and in a tasty and nutritious dish that you might not expect!

Squash and Greens Hash with Fried Eggs Ingredients:

Sun ower Oil Half onion, nely chopped 1 cup (250 ml) frozen PC Organics Butternut Squash Chunks 2 cups (500 ml) frozen PC Organics Kale, Spinach and Collard Greens Chopped Leafy Greens

½ tsp (2 ml) salt

¼ tsp (1 ml) freshly ground black pepper ¼ tsp (1 ml) hot pepper akes

2 PC Organics Free-range Large Brown Eggs

•Heat 2 tsp oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and frozen squash; cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, 4 to 5 minutes.

•Add frozen greens, salt, black pepper and pinch hot pepper akes; cook, stirring often, until greens are heated through, 5 to 6 minutes. Divide among serving plates. Set aside.

•Wipe out skillet. Heat remaining 2 tsp oil in same skillet over medium heat. Crack eggs into skillet and spring with remaining hot pepper akes; cook until whites are set but yolks are still runny, or to desired doneness, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve over squash mixture.

Makes 2 servings

Per Serving: Calories 161 Cal, Fat 10 g, Sodium 465 mg, Carbohydrate 12 g, Fibre 2 g, Protein 7 g

Recipe source: pc.ca

Ellen Greenan is a Registered Dietitian with Atlantic Superstore in Truro, Nova Scotia. Have a nutrition question? Want to book an appointment or shop with the dietitian? Book online at www.atlanticsuperstore/dietitians or contact me by phone at (902) 921-0700 or by email at ellen.greenan@loblaw.ca.