EASY Deviled Eggs Florentine

Being that it's one week after Easter, I suspect I'm not the only one whose been eating a lot of boiled eggs lately. So I decided to make my first official recipe post a tribute to eggs!

I LOVE eggs! My husband teases me because I, by myself (he's allergic, poor guy), go through about 5 dozen eggs each month. Eggs are soooo good for you! They are a quick and easy source of protein, B vitamins, iron, and all 9 essential amino acids. They have large amounts of choline which regulate brain, nervous system, and heart function. The lutein and zeaxanthin are said to improve eyesight (incidentally, at my eye appointment last week I found my perscription had improved since my last checkup--coincidence?) They are also said to be the only food in existence with naturally occurring Vitamin D. Most importantly, the cholesterol content in the egg yolks that gave eggs a bad rap for so many years has finally been proven to have zero connection to heart disease! No more egg whites only people! The yolks are where the good stuff is.

(Check out a couple cool pages with other great info on eggs:
 http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-eggs.html
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/benefits-of-eggs)

My favorite thing about eggs is how easy they are to prepare! I try to always have some hard boiled eggs ready in the fridge, and with that plus the extra simple (some might call it cheating) prep method I'm going to show you, gourmet deviled eggs can be yours in a matter of minutes!

Deviled Eggs Florentine

So here it is, my magical deviled eggs secret: make them in a plastic bag! Ingredients mix easily, you can use the bag to fill up the egg white shells, and there is virtually NO cleanup! Dishes are my least favorite part of cooking--who's with me? Anything I can do to save time with cleanup is a big YES in my book!

Start by adding a handful of chopped spinach to a quart sized plastic bag.

Another trick: I used frozen full spinach leaves, but when frozen you can smash them into small pieces inside the same little plastic bag! Effective and, let's face it, kinda fun. :-) The frozen spinach will defrost sufficiently by the time you finish making the dish. The warmth from your hands does most of the work.

Cut boiled eggs in half lengthwise.

Use a spoon or just hold gently and squeeze to remove yolks from white shell and add yolks to the plastic bag. (You can see I overcooked my eggs a little from the grey ring of oxidized iron around the yolk. Oops!)

Mash up the yolks with your fingers to break them apart until there are no large lumps.

 Add mayo and mustard. I don't really measure, but it's probably about a 1/4 c mayo and 1 tsp mustard for 4 eggs. Salt and pepper to taste.

 For an extra authentic flavor, add some shredded cheese. I used Munster but any soft white cheese would be excellent. Even some cheddar would work in a pinch. (Eggs florentine used to be made with Mornay sauce--a white sauce with cheese.)

Close up the bag and shake and smoosh it until ingredients are well blended. 

(This can be a fun activity with kids too!)

 Once the mixture is smooth, smash it down towards one corner of the bag and snip off the corner to make a poor-man's pastry bag.

Squeeze the yolk mixture into the egg white shells. (If you are more talented than me, you can make pretty designs in the eggs. :-) If you have a pastry bag tip you could use that for added flair)

Add a side of fresh fruit and/or veggies and you've got a delicious and healthy lunch (or snack!) with very little effort! Top with salt and fresh ground pepper for that gourmet look.
 This dish has great flavor and texture!

 Deviled Eggs Florentine

4 hard boiled eggs

1/2 c chopped spinach (frozen or fresh)

1/4 c mayonnaise

1 tsp mustard

1/4 c shredded cheese

Salt

Pepper

How to Know What's Healthy (and What's Not!)

Since this blog is dedicated to providing easy, delicious and healthy ideas and recipes, I'd like to add a note about what I mean by "healthy." It seems like in today's world it is almost impossible to get a straight answer on what is actually good for you. Low fat. Low carb. Sugar free. Gluten free. Organic. Raw. Everyone seems to have their own idea of what their bodies need--and each idea can differ radically!

Personally, I think the ancient Greeks had the right idea: everything in moderation. I have a hard time believing that in a world where everyone loves dessert we should assume sugar is the devil. It only causes problems when too much is consumed. Truth is, ALL food groups are good for you in the right amounts. (Remember, we're talking legitimate foods... not chemical concoctions with fake nutrients added!) The biggest problem with the food we eat today though is not the quantity, it is the quality. The highly processed and chemical-filled "foods" that fill the shelves are slowly killing us. And when cases of obesity, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and countless other conditions are skyrocketing, this is certainly not the time to adopt a laissez-faire attitude towards our diets.

You will hear me use the word "diet" a lot I suspect, particularly referring to the "diet" I am currently on. I want to be clear, I use this term in a loose sense, not as in "short term weight loss program" but as in "long term eating habits." Due to my health condition (Chronic Lyme Disease), my doctor/nutritionist recommended a low-glycemic, or rather glycemically balanced, diet to help combat the high amount of toxins and fungi released during treatment. It is not designed for weight loss; however so far I have found that to be a pleasant side-effect! Without radically changing anything else in my lifestyle (which includes almost zero exercise simply because of my incredible fatigue due to the CLD), I lost almost 10 pounds in the first 10 weeks! I think most people will find that weight problems, with other health problems, tend to improve when you simply start eating right.

Which brings us right back to, what does "healthy" look like? Here are the top 5 principles I would recommend for maintaining a truly healthy lifestyle:

1. Avoid processed foods
   This includes meats (including things like hot dogs, pepperoni, sausage and most pre-packaged deli meat), grains (have you ever read the ingredients on store bought bread? Yikes!), dairy, even fruits and veggies (i.e. many canned veggies, fruit jellies, etc). You know all those hard to pronounce names in the ingredients list? There's a reason they keep printing the scientific names for those foods--they are usually all bad for you in one way or another. Forget fat content or protein levels completely for now and consider the fact that the sheer number of chemicals and toxins we consume through the additives in our food alone would account for HUGE rises in not only weight problems but a host of other issues, including things like depression or infertility. These additives cause hormonal imbalances, create cravings for other "bad" foods, and often directly release toxins that slowly poison your organs when consumed in large enough quantities.
2. NO artificial sweeteners!
   This really should fall under #1 but it deserves to be emphasized on its own. Yes, too much sugar (especially refined sugar) is not good for you. However, too much artificial sugar is significantly worse. This pretty much rules out anything store bought that is marked "diet" or "sugar-free." Even ignoring the claims people make about these sweeteners causing cancer (because I don't know if they are substantiated), I know it has been proven that they directly contribute to depression, weight gain (ironic right?), insomnia, liver damage, nervous system dysfunction, and immune system dysfunction. These fall in the category of additives that literally poison your body over time. Whenever possible, substitute sweeteners like honey, agave, maple syrup, or stevia (I pretty much stick to stevia because of the glycemic factor, but for most people honey etc will be a great substitute for sugars/sweetners!)
3. Up with VEGGIES
   I know, I know, it's what you're mothers and grandmothers have been telling you all for centuries--eat your greens! Unfortunately it's true. I love vegetables and I still struggle to make my veggie quota every day! My current diet plan calls for more than twice as many servings of veggies than anything else I eat! It's just an adjustment you have to learn to make. Salad=good. Repeat it to yourself. And then go eat it. :-) I intend to highlight LOTS of great veggie-based recipes to help with this, but there's really nothing better than snacking on some raw bell pepper or cucumber slices. Also remember, not all vegetables are created equal--starchy veggies like carrots and potatoes can be good for you, but should be consumed in smaller quantities. It's the watery veggies like lettuce and cucumber or cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower that you really want!
4. Minimize Starches and Carbs
   This is the one that really gets me. I'm a bread and pasta girl. I'm all for protein and vegetables but my philosophy was always to serve them on a slice of bread, bowl of pasta, or pile of rice. Apparently this is not so good. HOWEVER, this does NOT mean cut them out altogether. There are very important nutrients in grains--especially if you go for the good grains, like oats, brown rice, or quinoa instead of refined, bleached flour. Just don't make it the focal point of the meal, and please feel free to have some meals that don't include a starchy item. I am limited to 1 serving of grain per day, and I am completely convinced that this limitation has been the primary catalyst for my own weight loss.
5. Don't be afraid of "fats"
   This one will be really hard for many people to swallow. Low-fat has been such a predominating idea for so many years now that many people can't conceive of the idea of a good fat--despite overwhelming scientific research to the contrary. It turns out the heart problems (which started the fear of fatty foods) are NOT caused by high fat and cholesterol but rather by the lack of essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Unfortunately, the low-fat foods that are marketed tend to make this condition worse rather than better (which explains why we are still seeing a rise in heart conditions despite over 20 years of low-fat propaganda; likewise, obesity has nearly doubled since low-fat foods became popular). The only significant way fats become a problem is when they are paired with very high carbohydrate levels also. Sorry, pasta with butter=not so good. However, butter on low carb veggies, or with a protein (like eggs!) can be excellent and even help repair some of the damage caused by the low-fat craze. Just stick to healthy oils, like coconut oil, nut oils, avocados, or, in moderation, butter and extra virgin olive oil. DO NOT USE PROCESSED OIL SUBSTITUTES like margarine or hydrogenated vegetable oils!

Most importantly, try not to get overwhelmed. If eating right becomes stressful, you won't keep doing it. Start integrating these rules a little at a time. Don't throw out all the contents of your pantry and try to radically change your habits overnight! Maybe try one new healthy recipe a week, and then work up to one really good meal a day and little by little habits will form and eating healthy will become a way of life!