Boost Your Well-Being: Begin Healthy Eating With Eggs

Boost Your Well-Being: Begin Healthy Eating With Eggs

Many of us start out each year with good intentions to eat healthier, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavour, especially when you have eggs on hand.

Eggs are vitamin-packed, and with only 70 calories and six grams of protein per egg, not only are they a delicious choice for any meal, but they are good for your body, too! Eggs contain nutrients such as iron, choline, and vitamin B12, which play a role in keeping blood cells healthy as well as helping in brain development and function. Those are just a few of the 14 essential vitamins and nutrients found in an egg.

Not only are eggs good for you, but egg farmers in Ontario follow strict on-farm food safety and animal care programs to ensure you are getting a safe, high-quality egg. Did you know that eggs go from the farm to the grading station to the grocery store in only four to seven days, so that farm-fresh eggs are available in your grocery store all year long?

Eggs don’t just have a place on the breakfast table, either. You can enjoy eggs at breakfast, lunch and dinner while sticking to those healthy resolutions. If you are looking for inspiration, why not try an Easy Low-Carb Paella? It’s got all the flavour and flair of the traditional Spanish dish, but with the simple switch to cauliflower rice, you can maintain your healthy goals.

For this recipe and more, visit getcracking.ca/recipes

Easy Low-Carb Paella

Servings: 4 | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 22 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup (250 ml) concentrated chicken broth

• Pinch of saffron

• 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice

• ½ tsp (2 ml) smoked paprika

• 5 cups (1250 ml) cauliflower rice*

• 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

• 50 g sliced cured Spanish chorizo (about ⅓ cup)

• ½ small onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 300 g peeled and de-veined 31-40 pieces of black tiger shrimps

• ½ cup (125 ml) roasted red peppers, diced

• ½ cup (125 ml) frozen peas, thawed

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh parsley leaves and lemon wedges

Directions

1. Place eggs in the bottom of a small pot. Cover with cold water and heat until boiling. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for 9 minutes. Drain water and immediately transfer to an ice bath. Drain and peel eggs. Set aside.

2. In same small saucepan, combine broth, saffron, lemon juice and paprika; bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Immerse peeled eggs into hot broth mixture and let stand to absorb flavour. (Transfer broth and eggs into a large mug or measuring cup if broth is too shallow to submerge eggs completely).

3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over high heat. Sauté
   cauliflower rice for about 5 minutes until lightly browned and softened. Remove rice to a bowl.

4. In same skillet, sauté chorizo, onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Stir in shrimp and roasted red peppers, cooking for 2 minutes. Pour in broth, reserving eggs. Stir in cauliflower rice and cook over high heat until liquid has reduced; about 3 minutes. Stir in peas and season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Cut eggs into quarters and arrange over paella. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges to serve.

 *Tip: Store-bought cauliflower rice is readily available, fresh or frozen. If using frozen, thaw and drain before adding to the skillet. To make your own, cut 1 medium head of cauliflower into small florets. Working in batches, place 1-2 cups (250 to 500 mL) in a large food processor and pulse in short bursts to process into small rice-sized grains. (Avoid overfilling food processor as this will cause some of the cauliflower to be puréed while other pieces remain chunky).

Tip: Shrimp can be substituted for extra chorizo, eggs or chicken.