Monday, February 8, 2010

Veggie Omelet and Nutrition Tidbit; Chia Seeds

Thanks for all of your fantastic comments about my issue with the "NOT SO HEALTHY" section in the grocery store. You all made such great points and some of you gave me a good laugh :) Ironically I found this article today online, which focused on the same exact issue!!

I've been on a role lately with my recipes for my 2010 cookbook. I'm now on to number 10. This means I'm right on target with my new year's resolution of two new recipes a week!

Quick, Healthy, and Cheap Recipe #10
Veggie Omelet

Ingredients
2 eggs
1/4 cup fat free milk
1/4 cup spinach
1 t oil (for the pan)
2 T plain Greek yogurt

1 T cheddar cheese
Dash of salt and pepper

Possible Modifications

  • Use egg beaters
  • Use any non starchy vegetable, in place of spinach
  • Use 1% milk, soy milk, rice milk or almond milk
  • Add any kind of cheese
  • Use light sour cream
  • Use butter to grease the pan, instead of oil
Directions

Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Add the milk, salt, and pepper. Use a whisk to beat the eggs and milk until blended. Add oil to skillet and turn on heat to low/medium.

Heat the skillet for about 30 seconds. Add the egg and milk mixture to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until eggs are "set but still shiny". Add the spinach on top of the eggs in a single layer, then fold the omelet in half. Cook for another 30-60 seconds.


Take out of pan, place on plate, and add a dollop of Greek yogurt and the cheddar cheese.



Check out those layers of spinach! I served this on top of some quinoa.


Rate: 9.5 out of 10
I love eggs. Period. Nick doesn't like anything in his eggs, other than cheese and Red Hot, so he didn't try this amazing creation.

** I used Omega-3 enriched eggs for extra healthy fats!**

Nutrition Tidbit
Chia Seeds

What are they? Chia seeds come from the Salvia hispanica plant, which happens to be a member of the mint family.

Origin: It is believed that Chia seeds originated in Central America, where the seeds were a staple of the Aztec diet (I actually remember writing a report about the Aztecs when I was in 3rd grade! I don't remember Chia seeds though...haha).

How do you eat them?: You can eat them raw, or add them to a variety of dishes, such as breads, biscuits, other baked goods, oatmeal, oat bran, or smoothies!

Why have they become popular?: Chia seeds have recently gained attention from health enthusiasts due to their high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids (in the form of ALA, a precursor to the EPA and DHA found in fish oils). They also contain protein, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants.


Research: Studies have shown that including chia seeds as part of a healthy diet may help improve heart disease risk factors, such as lowering cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. However, there really aren't many high quality studies that have been done, and most studies have used either animals, or a very small number of participants.

Bottom Line: If you like chia seeds, fantastic! Enjoy them as a part of your healthy diet. Don't go out of your way to "try to like them" or to incorporate them into your diet as much as possible, as there are other foods with similar benefits, and which actually have reliable and valid research to back up their benefits.

Updates
  • Giveaway alert! If you want a chance to win a yogurt maker, baking pans, or a steamer, click the link here.


  • Don't forget my own "Random Giveaway", which ends on Friday. Check it out here.

Coming Up
Tomorrow I'll be sharing my new "must have foods". No, they will not all revolve around the FODMAPS diet, these will be foods that everyone can enjoy.

Thanks for reading, and have a great night/day!

33 comments :

  1. i hope your must have foods post tomorrow includes popcorn..

    ..is that selfish of me?

    i also love that you put a dollop of greek yogs on your omlette. such a fine touch

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your veggie omelet looks fabulous! I eat eggs for dinner at least once a week. Great info on chia seeds. Oh, and I'm with you about the "healthy living section" at the store.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I LOVE breakfast for dinner. I have an omelet planned for my hubby for dinner this week. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks so much for the chia seed info- of course I've been seeing them everywhere in the blog world :) I do want to try them at some point. Another yummy looking recipe- I love omelettes, with no cheese for me though :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love chia seeds. Unlike flax, you can get the omega 3's without having to ground them. They're great in granola mixes!

    ReplyDelete
  6. great looking omelet! I never thought about combining that with quinoa! Thanks also for the info about chia seeds - I've never tried them and this helps make me feel okay about that! :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have to admit that I've jumped on the chia bandwagon. I actually love making them into a pudding. My questions would be do they really contain the amounts of omega 3's they claim? Its the main reason I've been eating them.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I LOVE omelets! They're one of the easiest foods to make! And you can add anything to them :)

    Thanks for the Chia Seed review! I have yet to try them.

    ReplyDelete
  9. You just can't go wrong with a nice veggie omelete. I love eggs and I love veggies, so this is perfect. You are so right about this being cheap. Eggs are a fantastic source of nutrients. Thanks for the chia seed info. Heard alot about them, but I do not think I can get them here.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Gosh, your omelette looks like it should be in my mouth right now. Mmm....

    I have a question about the Eggbeaters. Is it actually "healthy", compared to real, whole eggs?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yum!!! I love a good omelet :-)

    I eat Chia seeds on a regular basis...but really only because I like them and they sell them at my g. store! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Gina!! You're a bloody legend!! I read that article you wrote on saturated fat, and I'm so glad!!!
    Making my diet high in these fats has really helped me heal and maintain stability. There's so many lies out there about why people get high cholesterol and saturated fat is totally not the reason. I hope your readers will read that article. It's carbs that make us fat, not fat!
    Natalia

    ReplyDelete
  13. I absolutely adore eggs! And they are probably the least expensive food ever. Your veggie omelet sounds great!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for the chia seeds info! I have yet to try them...

    Your veggie omelet looks sooooooo good!

    ReplyDelete
  15. yes, there was a high suddenly in the blog world about chia seeds.. for no funded reason except that someone was receiving free samples. i did my own research and I agree with you, it's not settled about its benefit. It's good, but in order to get the benefit it suggests, we'll have consume a big amount of it, and that's hard given its funny smell!
    thanks for posting about this and clarify some misinformation out there! :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. mmmm looks so good! I love the idea of greek yog ontop of eggs! i bet this is so creamy and delicious!! thanks for the info on chia seeds. I haev learned to not MAKE myself like certain things. I mean I love chia but tempeh?? blehh not for me. I have tried and then i was thinking who am I trying to like this for> its just not necessary!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Omelets are one of my favorite dinners. I've never made quinoa on the side...great idea!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Mmmm, I adore spinach omlelets... I never thought of putting Greek yogurt on top, though - SUCH a Great Idea!!!

    Thank you for the info on Chia seeds! I've been quite curious about them - now I'm looking forward to trying them! I always learn so much from your posts, Gina... Thank you!! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  19. girl i cannot believe that you dont like OIAJ!!! thats okay tho-i dont like avacados and sooo many bloggers love those!
    love your nutrition tidbits!! and i LOVE OMELETS!! the more cheese..the better!

    ReplyDelete
  20. girl i cannot believe that you dont like OIAJ!!! thats okay tho-i dont like avacados and sooo many bloggers love those!
    love your nutrition tidbits!! and i LOVE OMELETS!! the more cheese..the better!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Your omelet looks great! I need to try some yogurt on mine next time! Thanks for the chia seeds info! I've been meaning to try them.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I agree with C'est la vie...I'm really glad you wrote that saturated fat article! I wish more RD's would recognize studies like that.

    Also, you should read Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. Despite the fact that the "saturated fat causes heart disease" hypothesis has been touted as dietary dogma for the past 50 years, there are actually no good studies that conclusively prove this. The campaign to convince Americans to reduce their intake of saturated fat was more based on politics than good science. Its a very enlightening read!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I like adding chia or flax seeds to my oatmeal.
    That omelet looks soo good!

    ReplyDelete
  24. I like adding chia or flax seeds to my oatmeal.
    That omelet looks soo good!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Veggie omelettes are my favorite brunch food and even dinner food!
    Thanks for the info on chia seeds. I've been seeing them all over blogland and it's go to know I don't necessarily "need" to try them.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Would you believe that I have never made an omelette? I love eating them but for some reason think they are really hard to make (I am a terrible cook, lol).

    Interesting stuff about the chia seeds- I think they are a little bit overrated to be honest. Was it you that tweeted a while ago about the superfoods that aren't as super as everyone is led to believe?

    Looking forward to your new food favorites!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Great looking omelet. This is one of my favorite fast go to meals. Veggies and eggs. Cant beat it!

    Really great info on chia seeds. I like them because they add such a huge crunch to my foods but I wasn't exactly sure why they were good for you. Just kind of like them. (Make great puddings too!) So thanks for all the awesome nutritional info!

    Oh btw Thanks so much too for posting my giveaway link!! You rock!
    I hope you have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  28. i have never heard of chia seeds - i will have to check them out - great info - love to learn something new

    ReplyDelete
  29. Yums those eggs look so good! now I am craving a frittata lol

    ReplyDelete
  30. I love scrambled eggs made with chia seed gel!! Try it! For more information about chia seeds, and some recipe ideas, check out my website: www.chiativity.org

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thanks for the info on chia seeds, Gina! I've never tried them... but I do include ground flax seeds in my diet- looks like they're pretty similar! :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. You recognize, people always enact comments when anything is predicted to come to pass in 2012, like “fairly that is if the faction is hush here.” You do understand that the Mayans prognosticate the humanity will finish on Dec. 21 (or 23rd)? So in all distinct possibility if anything is affluent to turn up in 2012 there is only the slimmest feasibility that the everybody hand down take ended already it happens.
    [url=http://2012earth.net
    ]Apocalypse 2012
    [/url] - some truth about 2012

    ReplyDelete