Unique Egg Recipe - Green Bean, Mushroom and Tuna Frittata

My father and grandfather grew up on a farm so large that it had two farm houses and two addresses, side by side. It provided a lot of food during Reconstruction years after the Civil War and during The Great Depression in Eastern Ohio.

The family and hired hands raised a variety of crops and many food animals, including chickens. All the kids helped with chores before sun up and collecting eggs was one of these chores. There were probably a lot of chickens on this farm, the eggs feeding a large number of people among family and employees, with remainders going to market to be sold.

My father enjoyed eggs and ate three eggs a day for about six decades, only then wondering if the eggs were causing a niggling itch from time to time. He already knew he was allergic to chicken when he consumed the meat as food - just never connected an itch to an allergy to eggs. He finally decided to start eliminating foods from his diet, hoping to catch the culprit. It was, indeed, eggs; but yellow food coloring can also cause the skin to itch.

If you think you might have an egg allergy, ask your healthcare provider about it.

Consuming three eggs a day is probably unwise for most people; although one of my professors could eat anything he wanted for as long as he wanted without any change at all to his cholesterol readings. His HDL was low, in fact - always 60.

We now know that the whites of eggs are almost 100% protein and this protein is the culprit in egg allergy. My father could have enjoyed egg yolks alone, but he opted to quit eating eggs for a time and to reintroduce just a few per month; and this worked for him. Other people have some pretty harsh symptoms in egg allergies - including anaphylaxis and death -- They likely should not eat eggs or foods containing, but should check with their own doctors for the best advise.

Eggs can be beneficial in the nutrition of people that can eat them safely (see the Harvard study below). At the same time, healthier pasteurized egg whites in liquid form are sold for cooking and for use as a drink for athletes in chocolate and plain flavors. A number of egg substitutes are marketed as well, so consumers have a number of egg options. I think I'll pass on the chocolate option.

• Egg Nutrition and Heart Disease - Harvard Health Publications - Eggs aren't the dietary demons that people have heard about. They are very healthful and nutritious.
• Today, increasing numbers of people are raising chickens at home, with the help of The Chicken Whisperer, his website, and his radio show. See The Chicken Whisperer.
• Below is some nutritional information and one of my egg and vegetable recipes I like very much, so I hope you will enjoy it.

Contents of One Whole Large Egg (reference: US Department of Agriculture)

• Water - 38.08 g
• Food Energy - 72 kcal -- This recipe uses 6 eggs, so egg calories per serving would be 144 or 108 calories.
• Protein - 6.28 g
• Total Fat - 4.76 g

• Saturated Fatty acids 1.563 g
• Monounsaturated Fatty acids 1.829 g
• Polyunsaturated Fatty acids, total 0.956 g

• Cholesterol - 186 mg (Note: A wall of cholesterol surrounds every fat cell in a human or animal body as well.)

• Riboflavin - 0.228 mg
• Vitamin B-6 0.085 mg
• Folate - 24 mcg
• Vitamin B - 12 0.44 µg
• Vitamin A - 270 IU
• Vitamin E - 0.52 mg
• Vitamin D - (D2 + D3) 1.0 µg
• Vitamin D - 41 IU
• Vitamin K - 0.2 µg

• Carbohydrate - 0.36 g
• Sugars - 0.18 g
• Calcium - 28 mg
• Iron - 0.88 mg
• Magnesium - 6 mg
• Phosphorus - 99 mg
• Potassium - 69 mg
• Sodium - 71 mg
• Zinc - 0.64 mg

• Water - 28.90g
• Food Energy – 17 kcal
• Protein - 3.60g
• Total Fat - 0.06g (negligible)
• Cholesterol - 0 (none)
• Carbohydrate - .024g
• Sugars - 0.23g
• Calcium - 2mg
• Magnesium - 4mg
• Phosphorus - 5mg
• Potassium - 54mg
• Sodium - 55mg
• Riboflavin 0.145mg
• Niacin 0.035mg

.

What are French Cut green beans? - In a cooking demonstration I attended in our huge indoor downtown farmers market, we heard this explanation:

The French Cut means to take fresh green beans and cut them in half lengthwise by running a sharp knife blasé down the between the seams of the bean. For long beans, also cut them diagonally to a length of 2 inches. Sometimes, you'll find pre-cut beans that are simply diagonally cut through the center and not halved at the seams. These are fine, too. The diagonal cut exposes more area from which to gain the bean's flavor.

Asparagus can be used in this recipe instead of the green beans. Specifically, use green beans to avoid some fat, but use asparagus for more protein with less carbohydrate and sodium.

NOTES:

• The cholesterol content of this dish made with whole eggs is high, nearly the entire recommended daily intake. Egg whites or egg substitutes can be used instead.
• The milk can be replaced with skim milk to reduce calories and fat.
• To avoid fats other than in the cheese, this dish can be microwaved instead of prepared on the stove top:

In a microwave safe bowl, place the vegetables and cook on high for 2 minutes. Beat eggs in another bowl and pour into the microwave bowl, add the remaining ingredients, stir well, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 3.5 minutes, or until eggs are set (turn bowl 180° half-way through cooking).