EGGS and AVOCADO (toast), oh My!

I go through a lot of eggs. Dozens. *wink* Eggs are cheap, easy to make, and delicious. All three check the tick boxes… starving artist, remember? (Plus, you all might have caught on by now that I love runny egg yolk.) I do my workouts before work and need something to fuel me through, but also won’t take forever. Mama has no time for waiting around. We gotta get crackin’, people. (Get it? Eggs? Crackin? Hello? Is this thing on?)

Anywhoooo… I often rely on the humble egg for that early morning protein boost. (They are also a great option for quick dinners, if you’re on the go and got hungry mouths to feed. Ideas for that in another post.)

Food nerd alert! Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. They contain important brain nutrients and they’re high in lutein and zeaxanthin - antioxidants that reduce your risk of eye diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts. They’re also very high in choline, a nutrient needed for cell function. Studies show that eggs also increase feelings of fullness, helping with controlling cravings. And, my favorite fact about them: Eggs are also one of the highest quality animal proteins, beneficial for increased muscle mass and better bone health. Wanna get swole? Eat some Eggs!

But… Eggs are sometimes a little controversial for some as the yolks have the scary “c” word.... Cholesterol. Healthline states the following: This is because some studies have linked high levels of cholesterol with heart disease and early death. However, the evidence is mixed. The truth is that cholesterol plays a very important function in your body. It’s a structural molecule that is essential to every cell membrane. It is also used to make steroid hormones like testosterone, estrogen and cortisol. Given how important cholesterol is, your body has evolved elaborate ways to ensure that it always has enough available.

Basically, the hype about cholesterol in eggs is overblown for most individuals. There’s no need to regale yourself to just egg whites all the time. Eggs do raise your HDL (good) cholesterol levels but, as long as you don’t overdo it (eating two dozen a day is definitely overdoing it…looking at you, Gaston), there’s no reason you have to avoid egg yolks all the time.

I love to pair them with avocados as they are also easy (no cooking required!), inexpensive, and are also loaded with some of the most amazing nutrients on the planet. Avocados do not contain any cholesterol or sodium, and have more potassium than a banana which is linked to reduced blood pressure. They are, however, a high FAT food (there’s that bad “F” word… no, not that one), but the majority of the fat in avocado is oleic acid — a monounsaturated fatty acid. Oleic acid has been associated with reduced inflammation, and has been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer. Basically, it’s the “good” type of fat. But you know the frustrating rule with avocados - hurry up and wait, and wait, and wait...crap, too late. They have a limited shelf life so try to use them as SOON as they are ripe. The skin should be dark green and have a little give to it when you squeeze it.

Add a nice vessel of carbs (yes. Carbs.), and you’ve got the perfect pre or post workout recovery foods. But, I get it… do you really just want to eat plain ol’ avocado toast all the time? Probably not. I mean, I have some ideas on how to liven up your avocado toast (because how very hipster of me, right?) but I also got some ideas for you to mix it up. I’m putting some of those recipes in here for easy access.

The best part? ALL of these take 15 minutes or less, and use ingredients you probably already have. Hence, why you’ll see some of the same ingredients repeated…NO food goes to waste and you get multiple ways to use the same ingredients.

You’re welcome.

Baked Turmeric Avocado with Tempeh "Bacon" and feta (you can link the full recipe here)

This one is absolutely YUM and filling AF. AND, it has that extra anti-inflammatory boost of turmeric. I use tempeh bacon because I am not a huge pork fan, but you’re welcome to use real bacon, if that’s your thing. This recipe is keto-friendly, carb-conscious, and almost completely paleo, if you skip the cheese. You can follow the link to the full recipe above, but simply put:

Scoop out enough of the avocado so that you can put your egg in there. Sprinkle on some turmeric, parsley, and bake at 400° for approx. 10 min, while cooking up your crumbled tempeh or bacon in a separate pan. Once the avocado is cooked, sprinkle that bacon and cheese on there and dig in. Serve with whatever you like on the side or by itself.

Avocado Toast with Cream cheese, Tomatoes and Poached egg

This one is pretty simple and takes no time at all. I like the addition of the cream cheese (I use Kite Hill vegan cream cheese) because it adds an extra layer of tartness to counter the sweetness of the avocado and tomatoes.

How to: Spread approx. 1 tbsp cream cheese on your toast (I use sprouted grain or Dave’s Killer Bread), then smear a smashed avocado on top of that. Layer on sliced Roma tomatoes and top with your poached or sunny side up egg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (I like to sprinkle on some turmeric too!) Put. In. face.

Tip: Slice the tomatoes first and sprinkle a bit of salt on them. Let them sit while you toast your bread and prepare your avocado. They will get super juicy and sweet as the salt draws out the moisture.

Avocado and Egg Scramble

This is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. I usually use one whole egg and 3 egg whites for the same protein content but less calories. This is also a great way to make it look like you get “more” as whites whisk up fluffier than the yolk does. I was inspired to make this from a recipe I saw on thekitchn.com. Link to her recipe below or use my my Sabbyfied and summarized version.

https://www.thekitchn.com/yes-adding-avocado-to-scramble-149075

Basically: Whisk the eggs and whites (with vigor, people. Whisk those eggs like they owe you money - Think of it as a pre-workout warmup) until a little bubbly and light, with some milk or milk substitute, salt and pepper. Cook, while stirring constantly, on med heat. Sprinkle the diced avocado in when the eggs are just short of soft scrambled and give a good stir to combine and warm through. Throw in some spices if you like or leave it as is. It's gonna look a little green but it'll be so so creamy you won't care. Dig in, folks.

Egg-in-a-Hole with Turmeric and Paprika (link to full recipe here)

This is probably the most step-oriented of the recipes, but still extremely easy. This one can be served with sliced tomatoes and avocado on the side for maximum nutrition! You can follow the link to the full recipe above, but here’s a simple “How to”:

Cut a hole in the bread with a round cookie cutter - enough to have a good solid base for the egg to cook in, and still have some bread left for a border. Heat pan to med-high. Place butter or ghee in pan and swirl to coat. Add the bread, and toast in the pan for approx. 2 min. Flip the bread, gently pour the egg into the hole (get it? Egg in a hole?), and sprinkle with spices (salt and pepper to taste). Cover, and let cook until egg whites are set. Remove from heat, and carefully spatula out of the pan. Serve with avocado or salted sliced tomatoes on the side. Sprinkle your egg in a hole with green onions and feta (or goat cheese), if using.

Avocado Toast with Sunny-Side Up Egg and Goat Cheese

This one is also pretty simple and SUPER tasty. The goat cheese really makes it pop. You can totally use feta too, if that’s what you got.

How to: Spread smashed avocado on your toast, top with a sunny-side up egg. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and crumbled goat cheese. Eat hearty.

Tip: If you prep your avocado first and still need to cook your egg, squeeze a little lime juice on it to keep it from going brown too quickly.

Egg-in-a-Pepper

Similar to the egg-in-a-hole, this cooks the egg in the middle of a vessel which, in this case, is sliced bell pepper. This is a great way to use peppers that are starting to go soft, or if you happen to have an overflow of them. (Click for full recipe here) Carb free, keto and paleo friendly, and gluten free.

It cooks very similarly, too.

Simply - carefully slice the pepper into about quarter-inch, or thinner, rounds. Heat your pan to med. Add ghee or oil. Cover, and cook the pepper with the egg inside the center, sprinkle with chosen spice, until the pepper starts to get soft and the whites are set (approx. 5 min). Salt and pepper to taste, and serve with your favorite breakfast sides like *drumroll please* more avocado toast! (pictured here sprinkled with paprika, served on avocado toast with watercress and an apple on the side)

There ya go…. easy peasy, “egg-cellent” egg recipes that are sure to get your day started right. I hope they are all they're cracked up to be! Comment below with YOUR favorite way to use eggs.