Instant Pot Matzo Ball Soup

These large, fluffy vegetarian matzo balls are 
made in an Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker.

Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook and Pinterest. 

       
With Passover approaching, here's an easy way to make matzo ball soup in your Instant Pot. One of the secrets of making great matzo balls is to never uncover the pot while they are cooking. Well, there's no chance of that happening while they are locked in a pressure cooker! 

For this recipe, I'm using Manischewitz Matzo Meal, not a matzo ball mix.

Matzo Ball Soup
Vegetarian
[makes 8 matzo balls/4 servings]

Requirements
Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker

Ingredients
For the Matzo Balls
1/2 cup Manischewitz Matzo Meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 eggs from happy chickens
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
For the Soup
8 cups water
2 stalks celery, small diced or thinly sliced
1 cup small diced onion
2 carrots, sliced
1/4 cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 Rapunzel vegetarian boullion cube
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt to taste

Directions
Make the matzo balls. In a small bowl, mix the matzo meal, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and dried parsley. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, slightly beat the eggs and then mix in the olive oil and matzo meal mixture and then two tablespoons of water. Blend until the mixture is uniform. Cover and place in the refrigerator until the mixture firms up, about 20 to 30 minutes.  

In the meantime, add the soup ingredients to your instant pot. Using the “Sauté” button, bring the broth to a brisk boil. Stir well.

Soup ingredients

Remove the matzo ball mixture from the refrigerator. With moistened hands, form the mixture into 8 (1-inch) matzo balls. Turn the Instant Pot off (it will continue to boil), and drop the matzo balls into the pot. Do not stir.

Immediately secure the lid, making sure the top vent is closed. Press the “Manual” button and set for 15 minutes at high pressure. When done, quickly release the pressure and remove the lid carefully with the steam venting towards the back.

I was surprised to see how big these turned out!

Serve immediately.

Nutrition
Per serving (2 matzo balls plus soup):  185 calories, 10 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 71 mg omega-3 and 973 mg omega-6 fatty acids*, 140 mg cholesterol, 5 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, and 721 mg salt (not counting salt to taste.)

* Fatty acids do not include contribution from the matzo meal since that information is not listed by the manufacturer. To increase the beneficial omega-3 content, use omega-3 eggs.

Paleo Fried Rice - Low Calorie and High FiberVegan And Vegetarian Options

Grated cauliflower is used instead of rice in this recipe.

Follow Foods For Long Life on Pinterest and Facebook.

Me, Write about Paleo?
As many of you know, I'm not a big fan of the Paleo diet. As I wrote 3 years ago in my blog post, "Why you should leave the Paleo Diet to the Caveman", I feel that a strict Paleo diet consumes too much animal protein and avoids some of nature's best foods - legumes and whole grains, which makes it difficult to get the amount of fiber that people should have. And with the number of meat meals prescribed, it is not an environmentally sustainable diet.

That said, vegans and others whose diet centers mostly around plants, can consume too many carbohydrates and that's not good for you either. Especially if they eat a lot of white rice and pasta. In our case, we've been eating the large amounts of potatoes and corn we harvested this summer plus when we eat out, it's almost always Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian or Japanese food so it's hard to avoid rice. All these carbs have consequences.

Recently, my naturopath tested my HbA1c (Hemoglobin A1c). The result was 5.6%, which is normal, but at the very high end. (Doug's was 5.4%). Pre-diabetes numbers are 5.7% to 6.4%, diabetes is 6.5% or greater. To be safe, she recommended I reduce my consumption of carbohydrates, especially at breakfast, and get more exercise. 

So here's a fried rice recipe with lots of veggies and no rice. There's an optional egg in there for a bit of extra protein.

                             *                             *                            *

Fried Cauliflower Rice
Vegan or Vegetarian (with the egg), Dairy and Gluten Free
[makes 4 servings]

Ingredients
1 cauliflower, quartered
2 carrots, peeled
6 scallions, sliced (1 cup)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger, or to taste
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil (divided)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
4 ounces mushrooms, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 large pasture raised egg, beaten
salt to taste

Directions
Holding the cauliflower by the core, grate the cauliflower on a large grater. Discard the core. 

Grate the carrots.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Add the cauliflower, carrots, scallions and ginger. Season with black pepper. Cook for several minutes, stirring frequently. 

Add the soy sauce, mushrooms, and peas and cook until the vegetables are fork tender. 

If you are omitting the egg, add salt to taste, adjust seasonings (pepper and soy sauce) if needed, and serve.

To add the egg, move the vegetables to the edges of the pan making an empty circle in the middle. Add the teaspoon of sesame oil in the center and then the beaten egg. Sprinkle the egg with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Stir slowly for several minutes until the egg is cooked.

Fold the cooked egg into the rest of the vegetables. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

Nutrition
Per serving with egg: 170 calories, 6 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 53 mg cholesterol, 114 mg omega-3 and 2,155 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 9 g protein, 23 g carbohydrates, 9 mg fiber, and 324 mg sodium plus added salt.

Per serving without egg: 142 calories, 4 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 102 mg omega-3 and 1,547 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 1 g protein, 23 g carbohydrates, 9 mg fiber, and 307 mg sodium plus added salt.

Kala Namak - India Black SaltMake Your Tofu Scramble Taste Like Real Eggs!

Kala Namak makes your tofu scramble or "egg" salad
taste like real eggs.

Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook and Pinterest.
Check out my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen.

Kala Namak

Kala Namak, or India Black Salt (which is actually pink), is used in Indian cuisine. But it's also used vegan cooking to mimic the taste of real eggs due to its very distinctive sulfurous taste. 

India Black Salt is actually pink due to its iron content.

This is a great find if you are trying to make your tofu scramble not only look like eggs but to give it an authentic egg taste too. 

Tofu Scramble

To make a tofu scramble, squeeze the water out of a 15 ounce block of extra firm tofu and then crumble it into a bowl. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric.

Tossing crumbled tofu with turmeric gives it an egg color
and also boosts its anti-inflammatory properties.

In a medium saucepan, sauté your favorite veggies in a few teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. Here I use one half of a green bell pepper, crimini mushrooms, and a little chopped onion. I also like to use artichoke hearts, spinach, shiitake mushrooms, and other veggies in my scrambles.

When the veggies are cooked, add the crumbled tofu and season with Kala Namak (about 3/4 teaspoon or to taste) and black pepper to taste. 

Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until heated through and serve!

"Egg" Salad

Or, to use this to make an egg salad, replace the salt with Kala Namak in my Eggless Egg Salad Sandwich recipe for more of an egg-like taste.

I'm sure you'll come up with your own interesting recipes for this unusual salt. If so, please share them with us!

Raw Beet And Kale Salad A Delicious Way To Detox!Vegan And Vegetarian Options

Raw beets and beet greens are mixed with raw kale
in this simple and delicious gluten-free salad.

Follow Foods For Long Life on Facebook and Pinterest.
Check out my eBook, Health Begins in the Kitchen.

Beets Aid Detoxification
If you are looking for a spring cleanse, adding raw beets to your diet is the way to go. The body rids itself of toxins in a two-step process - Phase I detoxification and Phase II detoxification. Beets contain betalain pigments which support our body's Phase II detoxification operation. In this process, toxins are hooked up to other molecules, neutralized, and excreted from the body. Betalains lose their potency when cooked for long periods of time so they are most effective when eaten raw, steamed for 15 minutes or less, or roasted for less than one hour. Beets are also known to purify the blood.

Other Benefits of Beets
The phytonutrients in beets also reduce inflammation by inhibiting the activity of COX-1 and COX-2 inflammation-triggering enzymes. Beets also provide strong anti-oxidant support, especially for eyes health and nerve tissue.

1 cup of raw beets is only 58.5 calories and provides:
4 g dietary fiber
2 g protein
13 g carbohydrates
34% daily requirement (DV) of folate
22% DV of manganese
13% DV of potassium
11% DV of vitamin C

Don't Forget the Greens
Beet greens are very delicious and can be used like Swiss chard or spinach. They are particularly rich in carotenoids, like beta-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin, critical for eye health.

Kale Also Aids Detoxification
Isothiocyanates (ITCs) made from glucosinolates in kale help our body detox at the cellular level supporting both Phase I and Phase II detoxification. Phase II detoxification also requires sulfur and kale is extremely rich in sulfur compounds. 

Together, beets and kale can play a powerful role in protecting our bodies from environmental toxins.

Beets and kale are a detoxifying combination!

Inspired by Chef Esteban's Kitchen
Chef Esteban, from the Vineyards Inn in Kenwood, California, makes a kale salad that inspired me to make this dish. His version is vegetarian, with cooked egg white chopped so fine over the dish that I thought it was grated cheese. In my vegan version of the dish, I omit the egg but add the pressed garlic and a touch of creamy mayo and vinegar to achieve the flavor of his recipe. I'll also present a vegetarian version too which includes the hardboiled, pasture-raised egg.

     *                      *                        *

Raw Beet and Kale Salad
Mostly Raw, Gluten Free, Vegan or Vegetarian Options

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil or hemp oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/2 pound raw kale, stems removed and thinly sliced (4 cups) 
Beet greens from 2 medium beets, stems removed and thinly sliced (1 cup)
1 clove pressed garlic, or more 
1 tablespoon Vegenaise or mayonnaise
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 hard-boiled pasture-raised egg  (optional)
2 medium beets, peeled and grated (2 cups)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

In a large bowl, mix the lemon juice, oil, and salt until well combined.

Add the kale and beet greens and mix well until they are completely coated with the dressing. (I like to massage the lemon and oil into the greens with my hands.) Set aside and let marinate for 15 minutes. This will tenderize the greens.

Marinate the kale and beet greens in lemon, oil and salt.

In a cup or small bowl, mix the garlic, mayonnaise, and vinegar. If you are making the vegetarian version, mash the cooked egg yolk into the dressing. If too thick, add a teaspoon of water, or more as needed. Set aside.

Add the grated beets to the marinated greens. Add the creamy dressing and black pepper and toss well. 

If making the vegetarian version, top with finely chopped egg white and serve.

Inspired by Chef Esteban's Kale Salad at the Vineyards Inn.

Per serving (vegan version using olive oil and without egg): 74 calories, 3 g total fat, 0.4 g saturated fat, 95 mg omega-3 and 237 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, and 444 mg sodium.

Per serving (vegetarian version using olive oil and including egg): 87 calories, 4 g total fat, 0.7 g saturated fat, 101 mg omega-3 and 336 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 35 mg cholesterol, 3 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, and 454 mg sodium.

"Lucky" French Toast With Mango, Blackberries And Whole Grain Seeded Baguette - A Healthy Vegetarian Breakfast

Use a whole grain, seeded baguette. I use Judy's Breadsticks.

Why Is This "Lucky" French Toast?

I spent decades traveling throughout Asia on business when working in high tech. And after flying well over a million miles doing so, I picked up many Asian customs, dietary habits and superstitions. I eat with chopsticks as easily as with a fork and when I eat out, it's almost always Japanese, Vietnamese or Chinese cuisine.

I'm Italian which naturally makes me pretty superstitious to begin with so it was pretty easy to latch on the Chinese belief that 8 is a very lucky number. I've since become pretty obsessed with the number 8 but the Chinese are even more so. If you recall, the Beijing Olympics started on 8/8/08 at 8 minutes and 8 seconds after 8PM. The number 8 is associated with wealth and fortune which are very important in the Chinese culture. On one of my first visits to Hong Kong, I was shocked to hear that someone had paid $50,000 for a license plate with all 8's. I'm sure it would cost a lot more for that today.

So today's recipe is "lucky" because it has lots of "8's"; 8 slices of bread, 8 drops of stevia, 1/8 teaspoons of all seasonings and 8 large blackberries. And, you can say, this is what I "8" for breakfast!

Don't Eat Eggs from Tortured Chickens

Many of my readers are vegans who avoid all animal products and feel pretty strongly about not eating eggs. As a nutritionist, I feel that an occasional egg can be part of a heathy diet. But I do feel strongly that most of the egg industry abuses and tortures chickens. If you are lucky enough to live in the country, as we do, you can easily find eggs from chickens who live outdoors and a natural diet. In fact, you may have chickens yourself or neighbors who will sell you their eggs. But for those of you who live in the city, it's not so easy. Many of the eggs you buy are from chickens who are kept in large, dark buildings in very crowded and filthy conditions. Some of their beaks are cut so they don't peck each other to death. I can't imagine that an egg coming from an environment like that, from a chicken who is under that much stress, can be as healthful as one from a free range chicken. So if you eat an occasional egg, know your source.

***

Lucky French Toast with Mango and Blackberries

[serves 2]

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

2 large organic eggs from happy chickens

1/4 cup unsweetened organic soy milk (or other milk)

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon vanilla

8 drops liquid stevia

8 slices whole grain, seeded baguette cut 3/4" thick

8 large blackberries

1/2 mango, diced

Coat a non stick 9" frying pan or griddle with olive oil.

In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add soy milk, salt, cinnamon, vanilla and stevia and beat well. Heat the pan on medium heat. Dip slices of baguette into egg mixture making sure they soak it up, and place in heated pan. Drizzle extra egg mixture, if any, slowly over the baguette slices. Cook several minutes on each side until lightly brown making sure the egg is cooked thoroughly. Remove from pan, top with mango and blackberries and serve immediately.

Per serving: 310.3 calories, 12.3 g fat, 3.1 g saturated fat, 211 mg cholesterol, 12.6 g protein, 41 g carbohydrates and 6.1 g of fiber.

Broccoli, Shitake Mushroom and Red Pepper Quiche With A Brown Rice Crust -How To Make A Healthy Vegetarian Quiche

Sauté the red bell pepper, red onion and shitake mushrooms.

A brown rice crust is easy to make and is low in calories and fat.

Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of shredded parmesan and bake.

After baking 45 minutes at 375 degrees, let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Beware Restaurant Quiche

When some people see the word "broccoli" or "vegetable" in a menu item, they often get the false impression that the dish is healthy. With vegetable quiche dishes, nothing could be further from the truth. That's because most quiche dishes made in a restaurant are prepared with butter, heavy cream, full fat cheeses and lots of eggs. And that's just the filling! The crust is generally made from refined white flour and butter or lard. It wouldn't be hard for a slice of restaurant quiche to be over 600 calories and contain 40 to 50 grams of fat.

How To Lighten Up A Veggie Quiche

First, the Crust

I was very excited to find ready made, whole wheat and spelt crusts at Whole Foods. At first glance, I thought that would be a healthy choice for my crust. After reading the label, however, I was surprised to find out that one crust contained almost 900 calories, 64 grams of fat and 32 grams of saturated fat. Even though the saturated fat was from "tropical" oils and contained zero cholesterol, I was still put off by the amount of total fat and calories. I found a few recipes that made a crust using a mixture of cooked rice and eggs and was very pleased with the results. To step it up a notch, I used brown rice and an egg white. The resulting crust had half the calories and 1/16th the fat of the ready-made whole wheat crust. It wasn't as convenient as pulling it out of the freezer but it was still pretty easy to make and certainly worth the effort.

Then, the Dairy

You can lower the calories and saturated fat and still get a very nice consistency by using reduced or low fat cheese instead of full fat cheese. In this recipe I use low fat cottage cheese and reduced fat swiss or cheddar. You can also replace cream with soy milk or fat free evaporated milk. To further reduce the calories and cholesterol, you can replace one of the eggs with 2 egg whites. The flavor created by adding a few tablespoons of high quality parmesan on top will give the impression that all of the dairy ingredients are rich and decadent and no one will realize that you've made these healthy substitutions.

Finally, the Vegetables

There is no need to fry the vegetables in loads of butter. Steam the broccoli and lightly sauté the onions, peppers and mushrooms in a few teaspoons of olive oil.

And the Result is...

The following recipe uses all of these techniques and weighs in at around 300 calories a slice with14 grams of fat and only 4 grams of saturated fat. It also provides around 20 grams of high quality protein and almost 7 grams of fiber. That's pretty healthy for a quiche.

Good Menu for a Brunch, Baby or Bridal Shower

A veggie quiche is great to serve at a brunch or shower. Serve with roasted baby potatoes, a big fruit or raw green salad and, for a special treat, Mimosas (a flute filled with half champagne and half orange juice). Enjoy!

***

Broccoli, Shitake Mushroom and Red Pepper Quiche in a Brown Rice Crust

[serves 8]

For the crust [you'll need a 9 inch pie pan]

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 large egg white

pinch of salt and pepper

For the filling

2 cups broccoli florets

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup baby shitake mushrooms

2 large organic, cage free eggs

2 large organic, cage free egg whites

1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk or fat free evaporated milk

1/2 cup low fat organic cottage cheese

1/2 cup reduced fat swiss or cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried)

2 tablespoon parmesan, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine cooked brown rice, egg white, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan. Press the rice mixture into the bottom of the pie pan and up the sides. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes until it "sets". Remove from oven. LOWER THE OVEN TO 375 degrees.

Steam the broccoli until fork tender and separate into small pieces. Remove from heat and let cool. Sauté the onion, bell pepper and shitake mushrooms until they soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Place the eggs and egg whites in a mixing bowl and lightly beat. Add the milk, cottage cheese, shredded swiss or cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley and mix thoroughly. Add the cooled broccoli and sautéed vegetables and mix well. Pour mixture into the baked rice crust and top with parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until you can gently shake the quiche and it doesn't wiggle. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Per serving: 304.1 calories, 13.9 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 119 mg cholesterol, 19.8 g protein, 33.2 g carbohydrates and 6.6 g of fiber.

Zucchini Corn Pancakes with Homemade Organic Low Sugar Plum Jam

Zucchini pancakes on a no-stick grill.

Preparing plums for making jam.

Here Come the Zucchini and the Plums

I'm getting 3 zucchini a day from my garden and every plum on my plum tree ripened over a one week time frame. I decided to make zucchini pancakes and some healthy plum jam (some for the pancakes and a few jars to put away for the winter). Feel free to double or triple the jam recipe. The great thing about Pomona Universal Pectin is that you can you make two or three batches at one time. This recipe makes about 4 1/2 cups.

This low calorie dish is perfect to prepare as a light summer dinner or for Sunday brunch. Serve together with side salad of fruit or greens. Best of all, it will help you use up some of that prolific zucchini!

***

Organic Low Sugar Plum Jam [makes 4 1/2 cups]
4 cups of chopped organic plums with skin
3/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 package Pomona’s Universal Pectin (contains pectin and calcium powder)

The following recipe is from the Pomono package:

Before starting, make calcium water:
1. Put 1/2 t white calcium powder and 1/2 cup water in a small, clear jar with lid.
2. Store in refrigerator between uses. Lasts a number of months – discard if settled white powder discolors.
3. Shake well before using.

Instructions for low sugar plum jam:
1. Wash and rinse jars; let stand in hot water. Bring lids and rings to boil; turn down heat and let stand in hot water.
2. Prepare plums. Remove seeds and chop. Measure 4 cups of chopped plums and put into a pan.
3. Add 4 teaspoons of calcium water into the pan and stir well.
4. In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix 3/4 cups of organic sugar with 3 teaspoons of pectin.
5. Bring fruit to boil. Add pectin-sugar mixture; stir vigorously 1 to 2 minutes while cooking to dissolve pectin. Return to boil and remove from heat.
6. Fill jars to 1/4 inch of top. Wipe rims clean. Screw on 2 piece lids and put filled jars in boiling water to cover. Boil 10 minutes (add 1 minute more for every 1,000 feet above sea level). Remove from water and let jars cool undisturbed. As they cool, the seals-lids should be sucked down (you’ll hear them pop). Lasts about 3 weeks once opened.

Per 1 tablespoon serving: 12.5 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, .1 g protein, 3.1 g carbohydrates and .1 g of fiber.

Zucchini Corn Pancakes [makes 16 pancakes]

2 packed cups shredded zucchini

1 cup fresh corn kernels

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons scallions, sliced

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup organic, unsweetened soy milk

2 large organic, free range eggs, lightly beaten

Olive oil for the grill

While packing the zucchini in a measuring cup turn it over and press out the excess moisture into the sink. Place the zucchini in a large bowl and stir in the whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt until the zucchini strands are well coated. Mix in the corn, parsley and scallions. Stir in the beaten eggs and soy milk. On a heated no stick griddle that has been lightly greased with olive oil, drop about 3 full tablespoons per pancake. Cook until they bubble (a few minutes or so depending on the heat of the grill) and flip over. Cook until brown and serve. Top each pancake with 1 tablespoon of plum jam or your favorite topping (applesauce, sour cream....).

Per pancake: 47 calories, .9 g fat, .3 g saturated fat, 26.4 g cholesterol, 2.5 g protein, 6.9 g carbohydrates and 1.1 g of fiber.

Healthy Vegetarian Eggs Benedict with Creamy Avocado Dill Sauce

Both eggs served on thick whole grain bread.

Organic, free range, antibiotic free eggs with omega-3.

Non- stick egg poacher.

Poaching in a non-stick fry pan.

Eggs Benedict is a very popular breakfast dish but it’s also one of the unhealthiest. This healthy vegetarian alternative will allow you to enjoy it without “too much” guilt.

We start with a whole grain English muffin, which adds 4 grams of fiber vs. its white, processed counterpart. Or, instead of individual English muffin halves, you can also place both eggs on one thick slice of whole grain, seeded bread. Instead of slices of Canadian bacon, we place the eggs on a bed of steamed spinach, tomato slices and soft goat cheese. We use organic Omega-3 eggs and top them with the creamy vegan avocado dill sauce that I posted on June 19, 2009. Regular Hollandaise sauce is made with egg yokes, butter and sometimes cream. This adds unnecessary calories, fat and cholesterol to the dish (do we really need an “egg sauce” on top of eggs?). Although eggs are high in cholesterol, a bit over 200 mg per egg, they can still have a place in a healthy diet if you limit them to a few times a week and you also limit the other sources of cholesterol in your diet.

Why Eat Eggs?
Eggs themselves are pretty low in calories (70 calories each) are high in protein (6 grams of protein per egg) and are a good source of riboflavin, vitamin B12 and phosphorus. Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, is required for cell growth and energy production. Vitamin B12 is required for a healthy nervous system and for the formation of red blood cells. Also known as the “energy vitamin”, a key deficiency symptom of vitamin B12 is fatigue. It is impossible to get this essential vitamin from a raw food vegan diet so a raw foodist must supplement to avoid health problems including megaloblastic anemia and serious problems with the nervous system. Cooked food vegans must eat fortified foods like cereals, beverages and meat analogues. Phosphorous is important in the formation of bones and teeth, energy production, protein synthesis and muscle contraction. Eggs are also a very good source of selenium, a potent antioxidant vitamin that has been associated with reducing cancer risk. Egg yolks have been shown to be a highly bioavailable source of lutein and zeaxanthin, phytochemicals important in the prevention of macular degeneration.

When selecting eggs, I want to make sure they come from a chicken that’s living a good life. That may sound ridiculous to some of you, but just think about it. On one hand, you have chickens that are stuffed into tiny cages, fed antibiotics, often have their little beaks cut off and never see the light of day. On the other hand, you have chickens who get to go outside, eat grass supplemented with organic vegetarian grain and flaxseeds and are treated humanely. I would venture to guess that the egg coming from the happy chicken is a lot better for you. So, if you live in the country, find a chicken farm and see how they are treated. Better yet, raise a few chickens yourself. If you live in the city, buy the most expensive eggs you can find and make sure they say, “no antibiotics”, “vegetarian diet that includes flax seed”, “cage free or free range”, and “high in omega 3”.

***

Vegetarian Eggs Benedict with Creamy Avocado Dill Sauce [serves 2]
4 large organic, free range, antibiotic free, omega-3 eggs from incredibly happy chickens!
2 whole wheat English muffins, cut into 4 halves or two thick slices of whole grain bread
5 cups raw organic spinach
4 thick slices of tomato
3 ounces chevre goat cheese (made without animal rennet) I like Laura Chenel
4 tablespoons creamy avocado dill sauce Salt and pepper to taste

Creamy Vegan Avocado Dill Sauce [makes 1 cup or 16 tablespoons]
1/2 cup avocado (about 1/2 of a large avocado)
1/2 cup organic, unsweetened soy milk
1 small clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt
1/8 teaspoon dried or 1/4 teaspoon fresh dill
2 grinds black pepper
2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Blend the ingredients for the creamy avocado dill sauce in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside. This will make more than you need so refrigerate it and enjoy it as a salad dressing over the next few days.

Steam the spinach and place in a colander, setting aside to let in drain completely.

Lightly toast the English muffins or the thick slices of whole grain bread. When done, spread goat cheese on the muffin halves or bread slices. Cover with tomato and drained spinach.

If you have an egg poacher, cook the eggs to your liking and place them on the spinach, tomato and goat cheese. To make eggs without a poacher, spray Pam (or use a small amount of olive oil) in a 10 inch stick-free frying pan. Carefully break 4 eggs in the pan making sure they are evenly spaced. In a minute or so, after they set a bit, score the eggs into 4 quarters using a spatula. Pour a quarter cup of hot or boiling water around the eggs and cover immediately. It’s best if you have a glass cover so you can see how they are doing. Cook for a few minutes until the eggs are to your liking. I like them pretty soft but some like them more cooked. When done to your liking, score again and carefully remove each egg and place on the spinach, tomato and goat cheese. Top each egg with a tablespoon (or more) of creamy avocado dill dressing and serve immediately. You may garnish with a little more dill if you’d like.

Per 2 egg serving: 392.6 calories, 18.4 g fat, 8.5 g saturated fat, 447 mg cholesterol, 26 g protein, 31.2 g carbohydrates and 6.8 g of fiber.