How to raise a good egg...

Let's admit it. NYC is one of the most competitive places to live. Being a native New Yorker myself, our parents and teachers pushed us to the limit from after school programs and tutoring  to attending Math camp...well maybe that last one was just my parents...

Regardless, it's even more strenuous for parents looking to raise their children in today's New York, to the point that children are being medicated for "ADD" or "ADHA" so that their kid excels above and beyond his or her peers. As a future nurse, I find this disturbing and as an alternative have investigated ways parents can develop their childs intellectual capabilities while in the womb!

Those close to me know that one of my favorite morning meals are...(drum roll) POACHED EGGS with a side of bacon. In my opinion, of all the roles an egg plays in our life from hardboiled and scrambled to omelets and frittata he is by far the most extraordinary as a poached egg. For starters, the first bite of a poached egg is absolutely stunning; the bright yellow yoke spills over the whole wheat toast. The yolk is cooked to perfection, leaving a soft, buttery taste, and against the sweetness of whole wheat bread...mmm.  Now, despite the fact that eggs are high in cholesterol, it's been determined by a study done at the University of North Carolina that bacon and eggs can actually boost their babies intelligence. The report, published by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, found that the micronutrient called choline is vital in helping babies in the womb develop parts of their brains linked to memory and recall. Imagine that! What other food is so aesthetically pleasing while tasting good and being healthy for your future son or daughter?!

So kids, I leave you with my poached egg recipe, which is simple and easy. Shout out to the mommies in NYC!

Ingredients:
Eggs
White vinegar
Water
Bacon
Whole wheat english muffin (or any other type of bread--just something to soak up all that yolkalicious)


Steps to success:

1. Crack the eggs and separate each one into a small bowl. You can also use a tea cup or mug.
2. Take a deep pan that's relatively wide and fill it about half way with water. You need the space in the pan so that when you drop the egg in, it has room to spread and won't interfere with its other egg buddy. Add 2 tbsps of white vinegar; this is the secret ingredient as it will help the egg coagulate and keep from running all over the pan while in the water. (And no...it does NOT impact the flavor at all)
3. Turn flame on and once the water begins to bubble slightly, slowly drop one tea cup of egg. Then drop the next egg. The vinegar will cause the white of the egg to fold towards the yolk...its pretty cool ;)
4. Cook the eggs for about 3-5 minutes, depending on how runny you want your yolk. Find a large spoon with holes so that when you are ready to transport the egg onto your perfectly toasted bread, you drain the water. 

Need an excuse to nosh? Learn something new!

According to a study completed in the late 1980s, energy consumption in the brain is directly related to learning. Thus, once you've become well versed in something, such as becoming an all star chess master or a world renowned crossword champion like my mom and sis, energy consumption decreases. So, what are your options to bring calorie expenditure up? LEARN SOMETHING NEW!

Who thought that educating yourself would result in a loss of a few lbs? It's comforting to know that as I continue to study in the wee hours of night, the urge to snack on my homemade spicey sausage and broccoli rabe with garlic and roasted pine nuts isn't such a terrible idea after all ;)

                                          

Ingredients:

• 2 hot Italian sausages (or any type you're lil heart desires)
• bunch of broccoli rabe
• 8 garlic cloves diced (garlic is the KEY ingredient--but if you aren't a huge fan remove a few cloves)
• pine nuts; a good handful
• 2 second drizzle of olive oil (we'll add a bit more as we go)
• red pepper flakes
• can of tomato paste (if you don't have a grill pan you can saute the sausages w/ tbsp of paste and some oil)

GO TIME!

RABES FIRST : I like to cook the rabes first so that they have time to absorb all that garlicky, red peppery, and nuttiness!

• In a non stick skillet pan, saute oil and pine nuts. If you haven't toasted the pine nuts, then I'd put those bad boys in the pain first for about a minute, then add oil and garlic. Keep on low so you don't burn the garlic, just brown it.
• Once the air starts to smell heavenly, throw those broccoli rabes in the pan. Make sure the cut the stems off. Now, don't be afraid there will be a loud crackling noise because of the moisture of the rabes mixing with the oil. Just add some red pepper flakes, a little water, and cover the pan. Let the rabes wilt a bit so you can mix up the garlic, oil, and pine nuts at the bottom of the pan
• Add some more oil/water so that the rabes can simmer. Cook for about 15min then remove from heat

SAUSAGE

• Grab a non stick grill pan. This is by far one of the GREATEST inventions. How else can you BBQ during the winter?! It makes cooking easy and fun--all you need to do is throw those sausages on the pan and cook for 20min. Make sure to rotate all sides. You can also throw a whole sausage wheel right on the grill!
• If you do not have a grill pan, don't fret! Simply take another non-stick skillet, coat the pain with some olive oil, 2 tbsp of tomato paste, and cut the sausage in half. Saute for same amount of time and get just as awesome of a dish!