Foodie Files

Most of us eat them almost everyday, be it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Have you ever wondered what are the health benefits offered by these small round things? In the recent times, eggs have often received a bad name and accusations of increasing cholesterol levels. Well, yes it is true that one of those round thing contains sufficient cholesterol that you would need for your entire day, but it is also true that eggs are one of the best sources of protein.

All the cholesterol that can be found in an egg is contained in the yolk. If you have health problems but would still like to attain the essential protein that eggs offer, you can cook it by removing the egg yolk and only using the egg white. However, if you have no health issues, you should eat no more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. One large egg can contain as much as 213 mg of cholesterol so be careful if you are planning to consume more than one egg a day. As I recommended earlier, you could remove the egg yolk and eat only the egg white for the subsequent eggs you consume in a day after you have consumed the first one.

The protein that eggs provide can match up to those in meat, poultry and fist. Most of the protein that is found in them also comes from the egg white with a mere small percentage coming from the yolk, thus a more better reason for you to emit that detrimental egg yolk out of your diet. So when you are cooking the egg, be careful as not to use butter or oil to fry it as it would defeat the purpose of removing the egg yolk and still give you all that extra fats and cholesterol. Another fact about the protein contained in eggs is that it is one of the purest forms of proteins found in whole-foods.

The calories contained in an egg are not that great as compared to other foods. With 55 of the 71 calories in eggs coming from the egg yolk, it gives you another reason as to remove the egg yolk and eat only the egg white. You could take egg whites from two eggs and make an omelet out of it and there you have it, a delicious and nutritious meal.

And if these health benefits are not enough, let me tell you more. Eggs contain several vitamins such as vitamin A which is good for skin and growth, B2 which helps to release energy from protein and fat, B6 which promotes metabolism of protein and B12 which is an essential vitamin in the formation of nerve fibers and blood cells. Apart from these vitamins, eggs also contain essential minerals such as iron which is essential in the creation of red blood cells, calcium which is the most important mineral in strengthening of bones and teeth, and zinc which is good for enzyme stability and essential in sexual maturation.

It is not just essential to choose the right cut, but more importantly selecting the right meat gives a different impression in your recipe. Grass fed organic beef is the best choice if you want to cook meal that is guilt-free when it comes to the health of you family. Compared to the regular beef sold in supermarkets, grass fed beef have no chemicals, antibiotics, and hormones, that can peril the health of your family. It is more flavorful, with deep aroma that entices every taste-bud and experience the joy of eating.

Steak is an all-time favorite beef recipe because it makes the best out of beef. With a dry-method of cooking, it compresses all the flavor, making every-bite a promise of delightful meal. Though grass fed beef is not as tender as the regular ones, grass fed beef is unbeatable when it comes to health and quality of taste. Tenderness can be remedied with proper tenderizing techniques by the use of marinades, rubs, and meat pounders.

What will you need to know in cooking delicious steaks?

The Grade: There are three grades in cooking steak which according to quality are the Prime, Select, and Choice. Prime grades have plenty of marbling that makes the meat tender when cooked. If you are cooking on a budget, Choice and Select are not a poor choice though, grass fed meats are naturally delicious so choice and select cuts can be cooked well by the use of marinades and rubs.

Beef Cuts: Different beef cuts vary in price, marbling, and tenderness. Steaks from cuts of the loin and rib like Filet Mignon, New York Strip, T-bone, Porterhouse, and Rib-eye are more expensive than chuck and round roasts. If you want to purchase beef steak cuts that will not give you a hard time tenderizing, ask the butcher for the loin and rib. The rule in tenderness is choosing the cuts less exercised by the cattle.

Doneness: Before you put the meat on the grill, decide on how you would like your steak to be cooked. There are three types of steak doneness: Rare - 120 degrees F, Medium Rare - 125 degrees F, Well-Done - 130 degrees F. When cooking steak it is suggested to be at least 1 inch thick to avoid the meat from drying out quickly.

However, do you know that fried chicken can actually be a healthy dish if you know how to cook it? Oven frying the chicken is the trick to make it a healthier recipe. By baking the chicken, you will still get the crisp and crunch of fried chicken without the oil that comes from deep-frying. You are also able to do other work while the chicken is baking. So now, check out the detailed process of oven frying a chicken:

1. First of all, pick your favorite cut of chicken. For oven frying, you can use any cut of chicken such as breasts, wings, drumsticks or thighs. You had best split your chicken into smaller cuts for a tastier result. However, make sure that your cuts are not too small since they will be cooked at high heat. Cutting the chicken into very small pieces will make them dry before the breading is crispy. It is also not recommended to cut them into large pieces since it will make the coating burn before they are done inside. Then, should you include the bone in or not? Well, it depends on your personal preference. Naturally, boneless breasts and thighs are a great choice since you can eat them with less hassle. If you leave the bone intact, you should remember that the cooking time would be increase.

2. The second thing to do is to coat your chicken. There are some coating methods you can choose to make oven-fried chicken. The first is what is called the 1-2-3 method. It includes three steps: dredge your chicken in seasoned flour, sip it into an egg wash or buttermilk and the last is to dredge it in the seasoned breading. The second method is almost the same as the first one. You only need to soak your chicken into the egg wash or buttermilk then dredge it in the breading.

3. After coating your chicken, then you can cook it. If you are committed to healthy eating habits, you will be glad to find out that you don't need to pan fry it using much oil. First of all, you need to preheat your oven to 400 F. Prepare a baking dish and grease it lightly. Choose a large baking dish that can accommodate all of your chicken pieces. If your chicken pieces are too crowded, it's hard to make them brown evenly. Bake the chicken for 45 or 50 minutes and then turn it over for another 20 to 30 minutes.

4. Once your chicken has been baked, now it's time to enjoy it. Making healthy fried chicken is very easy to do. Plus, you can use the baking time to clean up your cabinet or prepare mashed potatoes.