I absolutely love eggs. Not only are they cheap, they're supremely tasty, and incredibly quick to cook. Some people seem to struggle with associations that they're a breakfast food only - but more often than not, I eat them for dinner after a long day at work, when I'm starving and desperate to have something nutritious for dinner.
Here's two egg-based recipes that I've made recently. Neither of them took longer than 15 minutes to make (from start to finish), although I have to confess and say that for the second recipe, I did already have roasted squash in the fridge.
Baked egg souffle-type dish. Recipe here (scroll down the page a bit!). I added smoked salmon underneath the egg too.
Nigel Slater's spiced squash and fried egg. As you can probably tell, the picture is not mine! Recipe here. I roasted the squash in advance though and then just reheated in a frying pan with the spices.
The second recipe as well has the benefit of being suitable for the 5:2 diet - use low-cal spray to fry the butternut squash, and add a couple of sprays when roasting too. (or steam as per the recipe and no need for oil). You could serve with a green salad on the side or some steamed broccoli if you're still hungry.
I got back from a weekend in Cambridge this afternoon, and having eaten lots of delicious (but unhealthy) food, I was desperate for something tasty, but quick. Usually I'm happy to spend a while preparing food, but as I'd spent the previous hour making scones - not really in keeping with being healthy! - I couldn't be bothered to slave over my dinner.
This is the concoction I came up with, something that is inspired by various recipes and ideas, but not enough to really attribute it to anyone else. It also has the benefit of being very low calorie.
Grilled field mushrooms with green crush
Ingredients
2 large flat field mushrooms
1 egg
100g frozen peas
50g frozen broad beans
small handful spinach
1 stock cube
1 tablespoon creme fraiche
salt and pepper to taste
1. Turn the grill on high and put the mushrooms on a baking tray. Place under the grill for about 10 minutes.
2. Boil the kettle. Put your peas and broad beans in a pan with the stock cube and add the boiling water. Cook for a few minutes or until cooked.
3. Put the spinach in a sieve / colander and drain the peas and beans in the same colander. This way, the hot stock cooks the spinach.
4. Poach the egg as you like.
5. Add a tablespoon of creme fraiche to the pan you cooked the peas in, and add the drained vegetables. Whizz with the blender to get a green paste, as chunky as you want.
6. Place the cooked mushrooms, flat side up, on a plate. Top each with the green crush and add the poached egg. Season with salt and pepper.
I estimate the calorie count for this to be 238 calories, so ideal for a fast day for those of you on the 5:2 diet.
Mushrooms - 30 calories
Peas - 68 calories
Broad beans - 40 calories
Egg - 65 calories
Creme fraiche (half fat) - 35 calories
