Who doesn’t wake up wishing they could get a delicious, satisfying, and healthy breakfast in minutes? The grocery’s freezer section is bursting with heat-and-eat options, but few are actually delicious, nevermind nutritious. The ALL NATURAL Cedarlane Spinach and Mushroom Egg White Omelette is as the packages suggest:  Gluten Free, Low Glycemic, High Protein and Low Cholesterol.  Pop it into your microwave oven, grab a fork and indulge. Does this product live up to its healthy promises? Let’s see if it really is Too Good To Be Food.

What’s in it:

Egg Whites, Mozzarella Cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), Milk (milk, skim milk, non-fat milk solid, Vitamin A and D), Mushrooms, Spinach, Onions, Feta Cheese (cultured cow milk, salt and enzymes), Rice Flour, Corn Starch, Canola Oil, Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Annatto, White Pepper, Nutmeg. Contains: Eggs and Milk.

• Egg Whites exclude the yellow center known as the yolk.  When removing the yolk we lose key nutrients but along with that we also lose cholesterol and calories.

• Mozzarella Cheese is a semi-soft cheese that is mild, fresh, creamy and rich tasting.  It is a whole milk cheese. Gold star here for real food!

• Milk provides calcium and gives the eggs a fluffy texture. Kudos to Cedarlane for using skim milk, which cuts back on saturated fat.

• Mushrooms, spinach and onions are the next three ingredients. Love the use of veggies in a breakfast treat.  ‘Shrooms are chock full of nutrients such as selenium and riboflavin, which protect the immune system, as well as important macronutrients such as vitamin d and calcium. Spinach is a powerhouse green leafy vegetable that provides fiber, folate and a wide variety of antioxidants. Onions are also packed with antioxidants, including allicin, which works as an antibiotic and reduces stomach and colon cancer risk.

• Feta Cheese is a semi-hard cheese made from sheep’s milk. It adds to the calcium content and has a tangy taste.

• Rice Flour comes from milling and grinding rice kernels and grains.  It is a staple for those on a gluten free diet.  It is a whole grain flour and great source of insoluble fiber, which keeps your digestive system healthy.

• Corn Starch is an ingredient used to control texture and acts as a thickening agent; it’s a highly processed ingredient with few health benefits.

• Canola oil helps to give that yummy, rich flavor without the saturated fat found in butter. This oil has the highest levels of heart healthy monounsaturated fat of any cooking oil – score!

• Salt acts as a natural preservative and is often added for flavor.

• Up next we have a list of spices, most of which may already appear in your spice rack.

• Garlic Powder is made from dehydrated garlic and retains the health benefits of fresh garlic, including antibiotic powers and cancer prevention.

• Onion Powder is a spice made from dehydrated onions.  This spice is a source of antioxidants and boasts anti-inflammatory properties as well.

• Annatto is a natural food colorant derived from the achiote shrub.  It has a yellow hue and is often used in cheeses and butters.

• White Pepper is the seed of the pepper plant with the dark outer skin removed.  It has a milder flavor than black pepper and is sometimes used in lightly colored dishes where black pepper would stand out.

• Finally, nutmeg is a delicious and comforting spice.  Studies have demonstrated that it may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

Nutrition Info:

(1 package)

Calories: 270

Fat: 12g

Saturated Fat: 6g

Cholesterol: 30mg

Sodium: 670mg

Total Carbohydrate: 18g

Dietary Fiber: 2g

Sugar: 5g

Protein: 23g

INGREDIENTS

• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup spinach, chopped
• 1/2 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger
• 1/4 avocado, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup mixed raspberries, blackberries, & blueberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Place a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and coat with canola oil cooking spray.
2. Crack egg whites in a small bowl and stir with a fork to combine.
3. For 3 minutes, sauté broccoli, spinach and ginger while stirring occasionally.
4. Move veggies to one side of the skillet.
5. Pour eggs over veggies so that the entire bottom of the pan is coated with egg.
6. After 5 minutes, or once the edges begin to bubble, place avocado slices over broccoli, spinach and ginger.
7. Fold into an omelet.
8. Serve with berries and enjoy!

Makes 1 serving.

Why we love this recipe:

When our mornings need a little zing, we can count on the flavor of fresh ginger! Ginger, which has anti-inflammatory properties, pairs nicely with broccoli and spinach which are antioxidant-packed fuel. Egg whites provide lean protein to help you stay satisfied through the a.m. If you need the yellow in there, feel free to add one yolk which will provide you with some additional nutrients including choline, important for brain health. Avocado is a fantastic fat swap for cheese more commonly found in an omelet as it helps your body block intestinal absorption of certain fats that can otherwise cause oxidative damage. Go on, enjoy and don’t be afraid to add any extra green here!

Laura Smith is an intern at Nutritious Life and a senior at New York University studying nutrition and communications. When she’s not in class or working, she is most likely running to a yoga class!

St. Patty’s Day and healthy eating don’t traditionally go hand in hand as this day is all about indulging – overindulging – for most. But, many of these traditional St. Patrick’s Day foods are actually loaded with antioxidants and can be very beneficial to your health. As we discuss, often, antioxidants combat free radical damage that contributes to heart disease, cancer and premature aging. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale was developed to determine which foods are the richest in antioxidants and we encourage our clients to eat about 30,000 ORAC points per day. You can even rack up ORAC points on the 17th by consuming these Shamrock foods that boost antioxidant intake and battle those nasty free radicals.

• Most traditional corned beef and cabbage recipes call for 12 oz of beer to add flavor to the meat and vegetables. Use Guinness Extra Stout, which provides powerful flavonoid antioxidants as well as a rich, nutty flavor. Antioxidant wise – the darker the beer, the better!

• Potatoes and carrots often accompany a St. Patty’s Day meal. Potatoes (ORAC: 1,600 per ½ potato with skin) and carrots (ORAC: 200 per ½ cup cooked) – on their own are a good start! Try roasting the potatoes with skin, and add spinach (ORAC: 1,300 per ½ cup cooked) or better yet, broccoli rabe (ORAC: 6,800 per 1 bunch) to the vegetable side dish to boost the ORAC value.

• If you grew up on meat and potatoes on the 17th, they probably feel incomplete without cabbage. Cooked cabbage has an ORAC value of 600 per ½ cup, but its more colorful and flavorful brother red cabbage trumps it with an ORAC value of 2,400. Try boiling a mix of these cabbages as a pairing to the main dish, or prepare a raw cabbage slaw by mixing with Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar (ORAC: 100 per Tbsp.).

• Craving dessert? Try traditional apple barley pudding, a hot dessert similar to applesauce made with fiber-rich barley and lemon juice (ORAC: 400 per 1 oz). Use granny smith apples which provide an ORAC value of 7,100, and save calories by swapping out the heavy cream topping with 1 tsp. of ground cinnamon and you’ll add 7,000 ORAC points to your total.

Sláinte!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup dried green lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 sprigs oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 8 grape tomatoes

Makes 2 servings

Directions

1. Combine lentils, vegetable broth, garlic, oregano, sea salt and black pepper in a medium saucepan over high heat until liquid comes to a boil, approximately 5 minutes.
2. Reduce to medium heat and simmer, covered, 25 minutes or until lentils are cooked through. Drain and set aside.
3. Steam oyster mushrooms in a small steamer. Remove and toss with vinegar. Set aside.
4. Divide spinach and grape tomatoes among serving bowls. Place half of the reserved mushrooms in each bowl and divide lentils on top. Toss gently and serve immediately.

Why we love this recipe:
Fill up on this Lentil and Spinach Salad that isn’t just nutritious- it’s super easy to prepare!

If you’re trying to lose weight, lentils are real superheroes.  They provide lean protein–which gives your metabolism a boost as soon as you eat–helping you burn more calories throughout the day.  They also contain a lot of fiber, which makes you feel full, and they have tons of energizing vitamins and immune-boosting minerals.

Next up are those bone-strengthening oyster mushrooms. That’s right, mushrooms are great for building and maintaining strong bones! They’re the only naturally occurring source of both calcium AND vitamin D–and without vitamin D, your body can’t use the calcium that you eat (which is why dairy products are required to be fortified with vitamin D). Mushrooms also contain selenium, which acts as an antioxidant that may protect us from certain cancers. Turns out these little guys boast BIG benefits!

Last–but definitely not least–is spinach, which also may fight cancer by slowing the growth of some breast, skin, lung and stomach cancer cells. The carotenoids in spinach act as antioxidants, neutralizing disease-causing and immune system-weakening free radicals. Plus, spinach is a great veggie to add to your diet when you’re feeling stressed; it’s packed with two nutrients that will help you stay calm: magnesium and folic acid. Magnesium helps prevent stress, headaches, and fatigue; while folic acid will help maintain normal levels of serotonin in the brain (serotonin is the hormone that makes you feel happy and relaxed). In my antioxidant-rich eating plan, The O2 Diet , I often suggest eating spinach as your veggie serving with meals. Enjoy!