Eggs are an important part of the Military Diet and lots of people want to know the best way to prepare eggs on the Military Diet.
Eggs are a powerhouse food, low calorie but packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Eggs are versatile, delicious and can be cooked in a variety of ways to enjoy. When on the Military Diet, choose the most nutritious eggs you can afford to buy. Pasture raised and organic eggs are more nutritious than caged eggs.
Hard Boiled Eggs
Overcooking eggs is the biggest problem with boiling eggs. You can tell if you’ve overcooked a boiled egg when there is a dark green color around the yolk and a slight sulphur taste. We’re talking about hard boiled eggs here, but obviously cook the eggs for a shorter period of time if you prefer a soft boiled egg on a piece of toast.
Directions: Put your eggs in a saucepan with tap water so that all the eggs are covered by an inch or two of water. Put the burner on high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and keep it on the hot burner for 10-12 minutes. Then strain the water from the pan and run cold water over the eggs to prevent them from cooking further. You can store hard boiled eggs in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Poached Eggs
Poached eggs are another great zero calorie added option for cooking eggs on the Military Diet. Poached eggs offer creamy yolks and firm whites.
Directions: Fill a sauce pan with a few inches of water and then heat the water until it reaches a boil. Now lower the heat until the water is barely simmering with just a few bubbles coming up now and then. With fewer bubbles, the eggs are less agitated and the egg white is more likely to stay together. When you’re ready, crack the egg into a cup and gently slide the egg into the barely simmering water. Turn off the heat and cover the pan for 4 minutes. If the egg looks ready after 4 minutes, gently lift it out of the pan with a spoon.
Fried Eggs
Unless you’re using a flawless non stick pan, you might have to add a minuscule amount of cooking fat to your fried eggs. Fried eggs can be cooked sunny side up or flipped over easy, meaning the egg is fried on both sides.
Directions: Break an egg into a small boil. Once your frying pan is heated up over medium heat, carefully pour in the egg and let it cook until the whites are set but the yolk is still soft. If you like your eggs over easy, flip the egg at this point and cook for an additional 20 seconds. Cook for 40 seconds more if you like over medium style eggs and up to 2 minutes for over hard cooked eggs.
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are an easy to prepare comfort food. When scrambled eggs are cooked properly, as directed below, they’re even better. And a scrambled egg is easy to put on a piece of toast on the Military Diet.
Directions: Break your egg(s) into a bowl with a teaspoon of water and some salt and pepper. Use a fork to whisk the eggs briskly for 60 seconds, making sure the eggs are mixed in well with the water and seasonings. With scrambled eggs, the more you whisk them, they better they turn out so if you have time for a little extra elbow grease, go for it. Pour the egg(s) into a hot skillet on medium or medium low temperature. You can’t rush scrambled eggs or they turn out rubbery. Using a spatula, begin pushing the cooked outer edges of the eggs back toward the center. Repeat each time the eggs flood the outer edge of the pan until the eggs stop flowing to the outer edges. Break up the scramble and flip the uncooked eggs. Turn off the heat when the eggs are about 90% cooked. Serve immediately when the eggs are fully cooked.
Baked Eggs
Baked eggs are a less conventional way of cooking eggs in a muffin tin in the oven. The eggs end up with the texture of a hard boiled egg but save the mess of peeling the hard shell off once they’re cooked. This is probably the most ‘hands off’ method for cooking eggs.
Directions:
Preheat your over to 350F and lightly grease your muffin tin with a non stick cooking spray. Crack the eggs into the tin. You can flavor the eggs before cooking with salt, pepper or any other no calorie seasonings. Bake the eggs for about 10-15 minutes depending on if you like your yolk soft or harder. Baked eggs also keep in the fridge for a few days if you want to prepare them ahead of time.
Microwaved Eggs
For people in a hurry, microwaved eggs are the way to go!
Directions:
Use a small microwave proof dessert bowl, ramekin or custard cup sprayed with cooking spray. Don’t forget to sprinkle a few grains of salt into the bottom of the container so the eggs cook evenly. Break your egg into the container and pierce the yolk and whites a few times so it won’t explode while cooking. Cover the container with some plastic wrap but leave a small area open to vent. For a soft cooked egg, microwave on high for 30 seconds, but let the egg stand for 30 seconds before removing the plastic wrap. For a hard cooked egg, do the same for 40 seconds.
Omelettes
Omelettes are quick and easy to make and it is possible to make a small one egg omelette and sneak in a few no calorie items like onion, chives or seasonings to spice things up on the Military Diet. Just use a very small skillet!
Directions: Beat the egg(s) the same way as for scrambled eggs, with a fork or whisk for 60 seconds or more, making sure a teaspoon of water, the eggs and seasonings are all blended together. Keep the temperature of your skillet low to medium so the bottom doesn’t overcook. After you pour in the egg mixture, let it sit for a minute. Then use a spatula to gently lift the cooked egg from the edges of the pan. If you’re adding any no calorie fixings, add them now. When the eggs begin to set, fold the omelette gently in half, flip and let cook for another minute or so.
