Eggs are such an incredible food.  Full of protein, vitamin A, folate, Omega-3’s, and other high-quality nutrients.  And nutrient density increases dramatically with pastured eggs.  Remember when we thought eggs (and butter) were bad because of their cholesterol (and saturated fat)?  And in response, replaced them with processed substitutes that were thought to be healthier, like margarine?  I think the tide has turned on the fad of those beliefs.  Generations and generations before us knew the richness and value of these foods.  We just hit a blip in our history following the heavy manufacturing of food-like products when we got our heads jumbled with myths that favored the pockets of food processers.

Aside from the nutritional quality of eggs, they’re also a very inexpensive source of nutrition.  If you’re trying to cut costs in your budget, eating healthier and more nutritiously, think about incorporating egg dishes not only into your breakfast menu, but also for dinner.

In this series, you’ll see a post for this and the next three Mondays covering recipes where eggs are the star.  Most of them can be interchangeable for breakfast and dinner too.  We’ll be covering:

Egg Bites:  We can thank Starbucks for this one, at least in my experience.  Egg bites are a custardy egg muffin with many variations of ingredients inside (meat, veggies, cheese, and aromatics).  In this week’s post, I’ll share a couple of my favorites.

Omelets:  These need no introduction.  They are widely a part of our American breakfast culture, and in the culinary world, an omelet is often thought of as the proving ground of a good chef.

Frittatas:  Essentially a crustless quiche, frittatas are a great healthy and inexpensive way to put a meal on the table and simultaneously use up leftover items in your refrigerator.

Quiches:  Basically, an egg pie.  A frittata with a crust underneath.  Could there be anything more satisfying for breakfast?

Egg Bites

We’re kicking off this 4-week series with egg bites.  Egg white and roasted red pepper or bacon and gruyere?  I’m guessing most know this reference to Starbucks menu and have an opinion on which they’d choose.  Aside from influencing culture, companies can bring a little known food item into wild popularity.  I think it’s safe to say that’s the case with this one.  I will admit, my first egg bite was a Starbucks egg bite and that I hadn’t heard of them until that day.

I love them because they are:

• Delicious and filling
• Low carb, high nutrition, and protein heavy breakfast
• Easy to reheat

Yield: 24 egg bites

egg bites

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Ingredients

EGG CUSTARD

• 12 large eggs
• 2.5 cups 4% fat cottage cheese
• 2.5 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Dubliner, Gruyere, etc.)
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground pepper

GARNISH/FILLING

• 2 roasted bell peppers diced & fresh basil leaves
• OR
• ½ lb diced ham browned & 3 fresh leeks sliced and browned in butter (with gruyere)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300F.  Place a pan of water ½ inch deep on the lower rack to create steam.  If using a stoneware muffin pan, put this in oven now for an additional 20 minutes after the oven has reached temp.  Place the eggs, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, salt, and pepper in a blender until silky smooth.  Using muffin liners, fill the liners to about ¾ full.  Add garnish of choice on top.  Place the muffin pan on the middle rack above the pan of water. Bake until the egg bites are completely set – usually 25-30 minutes.  Remove pan from the oven and egg bites from the pan, letting them cool completely on a rack.  These will keep at least 4 days in the fridge and can be reheated nicely in a toaster oven.

Notes

Inspired by:

Starbucks Coffee Company

Once Upon a Chef

Feasting At Home