I have recently started making quick, easy and nutritious alternatives the night before and just grab them as I run out the door. This week I will share with you a tasty, nutritious alternative to sugary cereals and drive thru food.
I have talked about the egg many times in previous blogs. It is one of the most nutritious and easiest foods to prepare while being generally inexpensive! I have been making egg and cheese wraps for years. I make them up the night before and put them in the fridge. The next morning, toss a couple in the microwave and BAM! a quick and nutritious breakfast as I drive to the gym. They are also great to take to work and heat up for a snack, pre or post workout meal as well.
Your wrap can be as simple as a couple egg and some grated cheese or as elaborate as you like. I like to think of it as an omelet wrapped in a handy edible carrying case! My typical egg wrap has the following ingredients;
1 whole egg (I use one yolk for the unsaturated fats and fat soluble vitamins)
2 egg whites (all the fat and cholesterol is found in the yolk)
spinach (Great source of iron used for producing energy and strengthening the immune system)
onions
green or red peppers
mushrooms
crushed black pepper
Simply add all the ingredients in a hot frying pan that is non-stick or sprayed with Pam and cook. I'm also told you can cook the ingredients in the microwave to save even more time... I'm not too confident I won't destroy the inside of the microwave tho ha ha!
Once the eggs and veggies are cooked, warm some whole wheat wraps in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to make them soft. Add the eggs and veggies and some low fat graded cheese to the center of the wrap. Fold the edges or roll the wrap and you're all set! I don't melt the cheese with the ingredients in the pan because it will melt when I re-heat the wrap when I'm ready to eat it.
Below is a breakdown of the nutrient content of a whole egg. The nutrient values of the veggies will vary depending on which ones you add to your wrap.
Nutrient (unit) Whole Egg Egg White Egg Yolk
Calories (kcal) 72 17 55
Protein (g) 6.3 3.6 2.7
Carbohydrate (g) 0.36 0.24 0.61
Total fat (g) 4.8 0.06 4.5
Monounsaturated fat (g) 1.8 0 2
Polyunsaturated fat (g) 1 0 0.72
Saturated fat (g) 1.6 0 1.6
Trans fat (g) 0.02 0 0.02
Cholesterol (mg) 186 0 184
Choline (mg) 126 0.4 116
Riboflavin (mg) 0.2 0.15 0.09
Vitamin B12 (mcg) 0.45 0.03 0.33
Folate (mcg) 24 1 25
Vitamin D (IU) 41 0 37
Vitamin A (IU) 270 0 245
Vitamin B 6 (mg) 0.09 0 0.06
Thiamin (mg) 0.02 0 0.03
Vitamin E (mg) 0.5 0 0.44
Selenium (mcg) 15.4 6.6 9.5
Phosphorous (mg) 99 5 66
Iron (mg) 0.88 0.03 0.46
Zinc (mg) 0.65 0.01 0.39
Calcium (mg) 28 2 22
Sodium (mg) 71 55 8
Potassium (mg) 69 54 19
Magnesium (mg) 6 4 1
* Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2010. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.