Omega-3 Eggs: Healthy and Taste Great

Omega-3 Eggs: Healthy and Taste Great

Omega-3 Eggs for Hypothyroidism

With hypothyroidism I am always looking for high quality foods that give me energy and help me maintain weight. Chickens that are fed healthier feeds with seeds containing omega-3 fatty acids actually lay eggs with healthier fats in the yolks. In fact, eating these enriched eggs may improve your cholesterol and blood lipids.

For a long time people have been scared away from eggs due to the high cholesterol.  According to Mary J. Shomon, The Thyroid Diet, if you eat Omega-3 eggs you don’t have to limit your egg consumption. Eggs with Omega-3 are considered a near-perfect protein.  In studies, eating 2 eggs a day did not raise the LDL “Bad” Cholesterol, and did raise the HDL “Good” Cholesterol.   Omega-3 eggs are more expensive than regular eggs, but the health benefits and better flavor justify the cost.

Egg Nutrition

Eggs contain several important nutrients:

  • Choline is necessary for healthy cell membranes in all of your body, and will help your body keep homocysteine levels down. Choline is also good for your mental function and memory.
  • Selenium is a mineral that your body needs for a strong immune system and it is a powerful antioxidant, its also really good for people with Hypothyroid and Adrenal issues.
  • B vitamins folate and riboflavin are necessary for your body to convert the foods you eat into energy.
  • Vitamin A is important for good night vision, general cell growth and for healthy skin.
  • Vitamin E is an antioxidant that works well with vitamin C and selenium to prevent damage to your body from free radicals.
  • Lutein and zeaxanthin are related to vitamin A and are found in the yellow pigment of the egg yolk. Lutein and zeaxanthin are concentrated in the retina of your eye and will help prevent macular degeneration.

Why Omega-3?

It’s been proven time and again that Omega-3 fats are essential for your health. The following is a partial list of diseases that may be prevented or ameliorated with omega-3 fatty acids, in descending order of the strength of the available evidence as perceived by this reviewer:

  • Coronary heart disease and stroke
  • Essential fatty acid deficiency in infancy (retinal and brain development)
  • Autoimmune disorders (e.g., lupus and nephropathy)
  • Crohn disease
  • Cancers of the breast, colon, and prostate
  • Mild hypertension
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (also related to Hypothyroidism)

Other Sources of Omega-3

Eggs are just one source of Omega-3s, and there are other good sources such as Krill Oil.  Whenever possible, I prefer to get as much nutrition through foods rather than adding more supplements.

Sources:

About.com

Dr. Mercola

Image source: http://www.hephzibahfarms.com/farm-fresh-eggs/

Miss LizzyOmega-3 Eggs: Healthy and Taste Great
Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie

This is a variation on Gordon Ramsey’s Shepherd’s Pie recipe. It’s a great winter or rainy day meal. It has potato which is a carb treat sometimes. And I increase the carrots for flavor and to get more vegetables in the base. The recipe takes time but makes plenty for leftovers.

Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins partly unattended

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 lbs ground lamb, or combo of lamb and buffalo (only if its good tasting)
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 cups onions, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 carrots shredded or finely chopped
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 ounce butter
  • 2 tablespoons tomato puree
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 7 ounces red wine
  • 2 1/2 ounces Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 lbs boiled potatoes
  • 2 ounces butter
  • 5 ounces milk
  • 1/2 cup parmesan (more or less as desired)
  • fresh ground pepper
  • salt

Directions

  1. In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat oil until hot. Add half the meat, season with pepper and fry until well browned. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the pan and place in a metal colander to allow the excess fat to drain. Drain excess fat from pan.
  2. Add butter wait until it foams, then add the onion and carrots. Cook until soft and translucent. Add the thyme and garlic cook for 203 minutes more. Add the meat and tomato purée and stir.
  3. Add the red wine and Worcestershire sauce and cook until the liquid has reduced to half the original volume. Add the chicken stock, bring back to the boil, then simmer for 20-30 minutes (less time if the mix is thick, more time if it needs to boil down). The mixture should be thick and glossy. While the meat mix is simmering prepare the potatoes.
  4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  5. Peel potatoes, cut into quarters and boil in a larger pot.  When potatoes split easily with a fork, drain. Mash potatoes to break apart or pass through a Mouli or potato-ricer. Put into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Warm milk and butter in microwave until its hot to the touch. Pour over the potatoes and beat well, season with salt and white pepper.
  6. Put the meat mixture into a large baking dish, then top with the creamed potato. Use a fork to rough up the top. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan.
  7. Cook in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown in color.

Image source: http://chefgordonramsayrecipe.com/shepherds-pie/

Miss LizzyShepherd’s Pie
Sauteed Apples, Pears or Peaches

Sauteed Apples, Pears or Peaches

For a fast, delicious dessert try sautéing pears, apples, or peaches in butter to curb the sweet tooth.

  • Cook time: 10 minutes
  • Serves: 1

Ingredients

  • 1 Pear, Apple, or Peach
  • 1 TBS Salted Butter
  • Dash of Cinnamon, Nutmeg or Chili Powder
  • Truvia
  • Sour Cream or Yogurt (Full fat variety)

Directions

Heat butter in pan on medium heat until foam subsides.  Cut fruit into cubes or slices. Sauté in butter about 5-7 minutes until fruit softens to desired tenderness and starts to caramelize. Add spices, stir and removed from heat.  Add sweeter, stir.  Top with Sour Cream or Yogurt.

Image source: http://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/sauteed-apples/

Miss LizzySauteed Apples, Pears or Peaches
Cheese Souffle

Cheese Souffle

(Adapated from Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything”)

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 cup Spelt Flour (or White Flour if that’s what you have).
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt (Ideally Celtic or Real Salt brands)
  • Pepper to Taste
  • 1 1/2 cups milk (Warm to the touch)
  • 6 Eggs Divided (Fresh eggs or Omega 3 Eggs taste great)
  • 1/2 tsp Mustard Powder, and/or a pinch of Cayenne
  • 1/2 cup Cheese (Parmesan, Cheddar, Havarti, but choose good cheese)
  • Pinch of Cream of Tartar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Use 1 tsp. butter to grease an eight-inch soufflé dish (like Corningware).

In a small saucepan, heat remaining butter over medium heat until it foams.  Whisk in flour, cook for a few minutes until the color darkens just a bit.  Add warm milk, whisking to avoid lumps. Cook a few minutes longer until the mixture is thick.  Remove from heat. Add egg yolks, mustard and/or cayenne, salt, pepper and cheese.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites gently into the cheese/egg mixture, then pour into the soufflé dish.

Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.

Image source: http://www.phaidon.com/agenda/food/articles/2010/april/23/cheese-souffle/

Miss LizzyCheese Souffle
Fried Egg and Avocado Salad

Fried Egg and Avocado Salad

This simple salad works for any meal.  Like all my recipes, natural salt such as Real Salt, makes a huge difference in taste. And natural salts are especially beneficial for those of us with Adrenal Fatigue.

SERVES 1

COOK TIME: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 to 1/2 Avocado, sliced
  • 3-4 Leaves Romaine Lettuce or Spring Mix Lettuce (I prefer pre-washed lettuce in the box because it keeps longer)
  • 2 Eggs (Omega 3, or Free Range)
  • Sliced Almonds (or any nut you prefer)
  • Dried Cranberries
  • Chives or Scallions (optional)
  • Butter (use the real stuff)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter over medium high heat until foam subsidees.  Add eggs and fry to desired doneness. To cook the top of the egg without flipping egg cover the pan. This gives the egg yolk better texture.

While the egg is cooking, on a plate add lettuce, top with avocado, dried cranberries, almonds, then the fried eggs. Garnish with chopped chives or scallions.  Season with salt and pepper.

Image source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/136445063680780154/

Miss LizzyFried Egg and Avocado Salad
Tomato Soup with Onion, Carrot, Sour Cream and Chives

Tomato Soup with Onion, Carrot, Sour Cream and Chives

Serves 2-4
Time: 20 minutes including prep
This is a really simple soup recipe that’s also pretty.

  • 1-2 Tbs Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion (diced)
  • 2 Carrots (diced)
  • 1 Can Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1 Cup Chicken Stock
  • 1/2 Tsp Ground Thyme
  • Sour Cream (full fat, it tastes better and adds protein)
  • Chives or Scallions
  • Parmesan (Shredded or Grated)
  • Salt and Pepper

tomato_soup

In a 3-4 quart pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  While oil is heating dice onion and carrot. When oil is hot add carrots and onions pot.  Saute for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and carrots are soft.  Add chicken stock, stir to get the good stuff off the bottom of the pan.  Add crushed tomatoes and thyme.  Cook for another 5 minutes or so until tomatoes are bubbling. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Serve and individually top with parmesan, sour cream and chives (or scallions).

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge or frozen.

 

Miss LizzyTomato Soup with Onion, Carrot, Sour Cream and Chives
The Secret Message Behind Chocolate Cravings

The Secret Message Behind Chocolate Cravings

Did you know craving chocolate, especially during PMS, can actually be sign of low magnesium?  According to James L. Wilson, Ph.D., author of Adrenal Fatigue , magnesium helps mediate the symptoms of PMS because it is is directly involved with the production of progesterone. Since chocolate contains high levels of magnesium, craving chocolate is the body’s way of getting the supplements it needs.  Its incredible how smart our bodies are!

The down side of course is caffeine which, if you have Adrenal Fatigue, overstimulates an already exhausted system.  The solution, according to Wilson, is to let the chocolate cravings be a reminder to take more magnesium. He recommends 400 MG of magnesium a day, either all month long for severe PMS suffers, or for milder cases of PMS from Day 12 or 14 of your cycle (until the first day of the next cycle).

Within two weeks of starting magnesium supplementation, Wilson says cravings for chocolate should disappear (or be negligible). If you are still craving chocolate this likely means more magnesium is needed.

Magnesium can be found in foods such as almonds, cashews, other nuts and peas.  And if you are following the HypoT Girl’s Diet with me, then you should be getting lots of magnesium from eating nuts all day. I rarely crave chocolate anymore, so there must be something to this stuff!

xxoo

Lizzy

Miss LizzyThe Secret Message Behind Chocolate Cravings

Could Salt Cravings be an Indicator of Stress?

41torQRdadL._SY355_

Remember all the talk about how salt is so bad for our health? And the low-sodium, flavor-less diets that ensued?  For years I ate bland, tasteless meals thinking I was doing the healthy thing.

But get this: For people with Adrenal Fatigue salt is actually good for us! According to EIR, Sodium is an essential nutrient for fluid balance which in turn affects Cortisol and Aldosterone. Low sodium contributes to a range of related Adrenal Fatigue conditions including low-pressure and fatigue (which I totally have).

According to James L. Wilson, Adrenal Fatigue The 21st Century Stress Syndrome, some people are able to assess their adrenal function simply by their desire for salt, as in salt cravings. See, our bodies are pretty smart.

Boosting Energy

Wilson suggests to boost energy in the morning and before the mid-afternoon crash, drink salted water (1/8 – 1/4 tsp., more or less to taste).

If the salted water tastes bad, or makes you nauseated its a good indicator you don’t need it or need less salt. But if the salted water tastes good that’s how you know you need the salt.

Salt Quality

The quality and taste of the salt is a really important detail  Table salt is wretched stuff, even Kosher Salt tastes a little yucky to me now.  Instead, I use the brands Real Sea Salt and Celtic Sea Salt which can be purchased online, at Whole Foods, or many health food stores.

These brands cost more than table salt so be prepared for sticker shock. But the best way to understand the difference is doing a taste-test against regular old table salt (the caveat: be forewarned, you will never go back to Morton’s). For the taste and nutritional value, I think good salt is worth the expense.

So next time you have a craving for salt, grab that shaker with confidence! Your body could be telling you something.

Miss LizzyCould Salt Cravings be an Indicator of Stress?