Green Eggs and Ham

Perhaps one of the more startling effects of moving far far away from your food source is how we have demonized foods that are, in fact, good for us while replacing them in our diet with non-foods (high fructose corn syrup and industrial corn are not actual foods, for example, having been made - or perfected - in a chemistry lab rather than in nature). One such example is the incredible, edible egg (whatever happened to that campaign?).

According to the USDA's nutritional guidelines, one egg has approximately 70 calories, including 7 grams of protein. Said protein has an Amino Acid Score of 136 (the Amino Acid Score measures protein quality, with a score of 100 or more being a complete protein requiring no supplements). Where eggs have been most demonized is in their cholesterol content, but the evidence that eggs in and of themselves cause elevated blood cholesterol is spurious at best. In fact, one study, Balancing and Communicating Risks and Benefits Associated with Egg Consumption: A Relative Risk, "shows that eggs' contribution to coronary heart disease (CHD) is insignificant when compared to other CHD risk factors such as age, male sex, genetics, smoking, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity and overweight, diabetes, alcohol and stress." [Tran N, Barraj L, Mink P, McNamara D. Abstract presented at Experimental Biology 2007.]

Other studies have shown that fetuses thrive when their moms eat eggs during pregnancy; and yet another study shows that elderly people can safely eat three egg a day.

In short, eggs are good for you. What's not so good is buying eggs from commercial hen houses where layers are maltreated and which are basically legendary in the animal rights' community for heinous farming practices.

I have an egg share that comes from the same farm (La Baraja) where I get my vegetables. Whether for breakfast or not, a vegetable frittata is quick, easy and delicious meal, low in calories and high in nutrients. You can put basically any vegetable into a pan, saute in olive oil (I do not like the way butter makes my eggs taste, but if you prefer, butter away!), add a couple of whipped eggs. Flip, and you have a frittata.

Personally, I like using up my greens this way. I take whatever greens I have handy - purslane/verdolaga, collards, chard, herbs - and I end up with green eggs (with or without the ham; in today's recipe, I used duck). Read some Dr. Seuss with your meal, and even your kids will be eating!

Green Eggs and (Ham)
aka Veggie Frittata

• 2 farm eggs
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/4 cup meat of choice (I used Duck Rillettes)
• 2-3 cups of green (leafy) vegetables, chopped into bite-size pieces

Place olive oil in saute pan, lightly grill vegetables until slightly soft. Whip two eggs. Sprinkle meat over vegetable mixture, add eggs making sure they spread to edges of pan. When solid, flip once. Serve hot!