The not-so-humble egg is the perfect food, and even comes in it’s own packaging for easy transport! It has always been important to boost your immune system to fight infection and disease, and never more so than in these worrying times with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. If there was a single food with most of the nutrients ready-packed in the right proportions to build a strong immune system it is eggs!
Eggs: healthy, versatile and one of your basics
For good immunity, you need proteins, but not just any proteins, the building blocks of protein with all of the essential amino acids – which are found in an egg. With Vitamin D for nerve cells; vitamin A for eye health (as well as Lutein and Zeaxanthin antioxidants); iron, folate and vitamin B12 to prevent anaemia; not to mention vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin E, vitamin K, selenium, phosphorus and zinc.
Eggs even help to prevent heart disease by lowering triglycerides (the really dangerous blood fats) and raising HDL (the heart-protective cholesterol). But it really isn’t surprising that eggs are so healthy when you consider that they need to provide all of the nutrition for a chicken, so it makes sense to have all the essential nutrition in one place and in the right amounts for health!
Even in these difficult times, an independent shop owner reminded me that the hens had not stopped laying.
Bananas and eggs: could these pancakes get any easier?
Eggs can produce an almost infinite variety of quick and nutritious meals, and all from the simplest of cooking methods: boiled, poached, baked or scrambled. And combined with a multitude of other flavours and ingredients simply increases the variety without compromising the nutritional content.
Here are some quick and easy tasty recipes.
Stay at home and enjoy pancakes!
- 2 large ripe bananas
- 3 large eggs
- Pinch of Sea Salt
- Extra virgin oil
- Runny honey and/or blueberries
- Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl
- Beat eggs in a separate bowl.
- Gradually add spoonfuls of the beaten egg to the banana mixture and mix gently. Once beaten egg is all combined then the mixture is ready to be made into pancakes.
- In a large, deep frying pan heat the extra-virgin olive oil until hot. Spoon tablespoons of banana mixture onto the surface, leaving them until they bubble, turn over the pancakes until both sides are golden brown.
- Remove the pancakes from pan in batches and drain on kitchen roll.
- Top with honey and blueberries
Cauliflower fritters
- 1 medium cauliflower
- 4 tbsp porridge oat (fine milled)
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup cold milk
- Sea salt
- Freshly-ground black pepper
- Wash and cut cauliflower into florets.
- Either cook florets in salted hot water or steam until soft. Drain and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the cauliflower florets to a medium mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in porridge oats, spices and chopped garlic cloves, then gently mix until all ingredients are combined.
- Separate the eggs into two bowls, whites in one and yolks in another. Whisk egg whites until they resemble stiff peaks, then beat egg yolks.
- Firstly add the egg whites then the yolks – continue to gently mix all ingredients in the bowl. Lastly add in the cold milk and stir until the mixture resembles a dough-like consistency. Season to taste.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan. Place spoonfuls of cauliflower mixture into frying pan. Cook on each side for a few minutes until light golden brown.
- Drain and serve immediately.
