Eggs are one of the most versatile ingredients in the kitchen: used in everything from breakfast to dessert and delicious as a main, side or topping. They are a cheap but incredibly nutritious food.
They contain relatively few calories, but they’re packed with:
proteins
vitamins
minerals
healthy fats
various trace nutrients
Here are 7 basic ways to cook eggs. These master methods will get you from 0 to breakfast in minutes.
1. Baked
Baking is an easy way to get the most from your eggs with minimal effort. Just whisk whole eggs or egg whites in a bowl, pour into muffin pans and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Add bread for a quick sandwich or sprinkle in some cheese or veggies for added nutrition and flavor.
2. Fried
Fried eggs are an American classic. You can add home fries, breakfast meats and fresh fruit or pour them into a skillet with veggies and leftover rice for a quick fried-rice that cleans out the fridge.
3. Scrambled
Break eggs into a bowl, whisk and add salt and pepper. Pour the mixture to a hot pan and cook until they reach your desired consistency.
4. Over easy eggs
Over easy eggs are cooked on both sides, but the yolk remains runny. Melt butter in a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium low heat. Add the egg and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the whites are firm. Flip and cook 20 to 30 more seconds.
5. Over medium eggs
Over medium eggs are cooked on both sides until the yolk is jammy and slightly runny, like the yolk of a soft boiled egg. Melt butter in a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium low heat. Add the egg and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the whites are firm. Flip and cook 1 more minute.
6. Over hard eggs
Over hard eggs are cooked on both sides until the yolk is fully cooked. Melt butter in a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium low heat. Add the egg and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the whites are firm. Flip and cook about 2 more minutes until the yolk is fully cooked, gently pressing the yolk with a spatula to make sure it’s broken.
7. Omelets
Crack a few eggs, chop some ingredients and fire up the pan. Omelets are quick and easy, plus you can add just about anything to keep flavors new and exciting.
If you want to make your eggs even healthier. Here are five tips to cook super healthy eggs:
1.Choose a low-calorie cooking method
If you’re trying to cut back on calories, choose poached or boiled eggs.These cooking methods don’t add any extra fat calories, so the meal will be lower in calories than fried or scrambled eggs or an omelet.
2. Combine them with vegetables
Eggs go really well with vegetables. This means that eating eggs is a great opportunity to boost your vegetable intake and add extra fiber and vitamins to your meal. Some simple ideas include adding the vegetables of your choice into an omelet or scrambled eggs. Or simply cook the eggs whichever way you want and have vegetables on the side.
3. Fry them in an oil that’s stable at high temperatures
The best oils for cooking at high heat, like when pan-frying, are those that remain stable at high temperatures and don’t oxidize easily to form harmful free radicals. Examples of good choices include avocado oil and sunflower oil. If using extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil, it’s best to cook at temperatures lower than 410°F (210°C) and 350°F (177°C), respectively.
4. Choose the most nutritious eggs you can afford
A number of factors, including the farming method and chicken’s diet, can influence the nutritional quality of eggs. In general, pasture-raised and organic eggs are thought to be nutritionally superior to caged and conventionally produced eggs.
5. Don’t overcook them
The longer and hotter you cook your eggs, the more nutrients you may lose. Using higher heat for longer may also increase the amount of oxidized cholesterol they contain, which is particularly true of pan-frying.
