The Incredible, Edible Egg

Scrambled eggs

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

For 41 years I despised scrambled eggs, or at least I thought I did.  I tried them when I was a kid and didn't like them.  But I've read that our taste buds change every seven years, so it's important to try new things.  But it wasn't until a recent visit to a radio station that my perspective on eggs changed.

Until now, I only ate hard boiled eggs chopped up on a salad.  Or I'd eat French Toast, with the bread dipped in the egg mixture. But I never, ever ate eggs by themselves.  But after promoting the Southern Illinois Men's Health Conference on WGGH 1150 AM radio, my opinion changed.  

Dr. Jerry Felts
WGGH.net

I was driving home from the station that Saturday morning tuned in to Dr. Jerry Felts' show, Health and Fitness.  I've interviewed Dr. Felts before, but his show on that particular day opened my eyes to something new.  He explained why he eats eggs and bacon for breakfast everyday.  You can read more here, but the bottom line is the extra protein in the morning helps curb cravings throughout the day.  

I was reluctant to try it, because for the last eight years, I've had blueberries, a banana, and some chocolate protein whey powder for breakfast.  It's a delicious trio, but admittedly, I was usually hungry before the end of the newscast each morning.  

Green eggs, no ham

A few weeks ago, I decided to scramble an egg.  Some mornings I add a piece of bacon, shredded chicken, or raw veggies.  I couldn't believe I actually liked this.  Now it's become a habit.  One twist I've really enjoyed is adding a whole avocado.  I scramble it all together.  Avocados are high in vitamins and good kinds of fat.  

I usually have breakfast around 2:30 a.m.  That one egg keeps me full until 7:30 or so, when I have my morning snack.  I think starting the day off with the egg helps to establish a pattern of healthier eating throughout the day (except for this week, as I've added some Reese's Eggs to the menu too).  I'm hoping this new egg habit pays off in the 2014 Operation Find My Abs that I've struggled with so far.  

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents

I have declared 2014 "Operation Find My Abs", and learned  a long time ago that just working out isn't going to get the job done.  News flash: the Ab Roller did not work for me.  One thing I have discovered though is the first place to start if you want to show off your abs is in the kitchen.

So far this year (I know it's only 10 days into the New Year) I have drastically cut back on my sugar intake.  I no longer add it to my morning coffee, and I've cut back to only having soda on Friday and Saturday.  I know I need to cut it completely, but I am drinking diet.  Yes, that's just as bad I know, but I am addicted to it.

My wife and I are eating healthier and cleaner too.  It requires some extra prep and patience, but I think it's going to be worth it not just to look better, but to feel better too.  So I wanted to share with you a recipe we had the other night.  Despite the title, it was really good.  My kids, who do not know I used cauliflower for the crust, even liked it.  Oh, and this is not my own creation.  I found it on the website RecipeGirl.  Her recipe is for Hawaiian pizza, but we just opted for tomatoes and onions.

Grating the cauliflower

This recipe should give you enough crust to make two small pizzas.  It was enough for the five of us to eat, but keep in mind none of us planned to pig out.  We each had a couple of pieces.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Then use a cheese grater or food processor to reduce your cauliflower into tiny pieces.  Once that's finished microwave it for 12 minutes.  The original recipe called for 8 minutes, but I increased the time because I made two crusts.  You want the cauliflower to get soft.  Once it's finished in the microwave allow it to cool.  I stuck the bowl in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

Flatten the "dough"

Add the eggs, cheese, oregano, and garlic to the cauliflower and mix well.  Then place on a cookie sheet or pizza pan. We have stoneware and don't spray it, but you may want to do that first.  Flatten the "dough" into the thickness you prefer for a pizza crust.  I did this by hand as it stuck to the rolling pin we have.

Bake the crust for 15 minutes.  Remove it from the oven and add the toppings you like.  Turn on the broiler in the meantime.  Return it for about 3 or 4 minutes or until the added cheese melts and bubbles.  

Our toppings before the broiler 

Remove from the oven and cut into slices.  I did notice this is better to eat with a fork, as the crust isn't as strong or dry as a traditional pizza crust.  But like I said, it was really good and the kids had no idea it was made with cauliflower.  I just hope they don't read this.  

CRUST:
1 large head of cauliflower
2 large eggs
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
2 garlic cloves (or 1 teaspoon of dried, minced garlic)
1 teaspoon of onion salt (I did not use this, I don't add salt to recipes usually)

For the toppings, my wife and I used Lucini Rustic Tomato Basil Sauce.  It's a healthier option with fewer calories and no added sugar. Because we were almost out of it, we just used a can of Chef Boyardee Pizza sauce on the kids version.

Veggie Pizza Recipe

Veggie Pizza!

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

This is by no means an original recipe on my part, but I made it myself for the first time recently. After posting a pic of the Veggie Pizza on social media, I got several requests for the recipe.  My wife first made Veggie Pizza years ago, but you can find recipes for it all over the Internet now.  So, here's how I  made mine.

Ingredients:
2 cans of crescent rolls
1 package of cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 package of dry Ranch salad dressing mix
Vegetables of your choice
Shredded cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375.

Unroll your crescent rolls onto a baking sheet.  Roll them flat so you've created one giant crust.  Bake for the instructed time on the label.  (It was 13 minutes for the rolls I bought)

While the crust is baking, start chopping your vegetables.  I used carrots, broccoli, red peppers, yellow peppers, and orange peppers.  I went with what my kids like.  I've had it with mushrooms and onions before too, but remember, dark green veggies are really beneficial.

We didn't have any dry Ranch salad dressing mix, so I used some Pampered Chef Parmesan-Garlic Oil Dipping Seasoning instead.  I didn't measure it out, just poured some of it on top of the brick of cream cheese.  Mix the two together, and if you've got it to room temperature it should be pretty easy to mix (I used a wooden spoon)

Once the crust is finished baking, spread the cream cheese mixture on top.  Add your veggies and top with some shredded cheese.  I actually forgot that step when I made it, but I don't think it took anything away from the pizza.

If you're looking for an easy way to add a variety of vegetables to you diet, this is the way to go.  Like I mentioned, the key is adding the veggies that you and your family will eat.  You could also make mini pizzas and let your kids top them with what they enjoy.