Celebrate Spring with Eggs: Eggy Omelet Pie
Eggs are inexpensive, available year round, and they’re packed with protein and choline — a B vitamin important for good brain health. Eggs are also versatile. You can scramble them for breakfast, serve our Chirp, Chirp Deviled Eggs for a snack or lunch, or combine them with springtime vegetables for our Eggy Omelet Pie at dinner.
Getting young children to eat their vegetables without a fuss can be a struggle, but if you serve them with familiar foods like eggs and serve them in a pie, some kids may be more willing to take a bite! For this recipe, we combine fresh asparagus with eggs and cheese for a giant omelet that you can cut into playful pie pieces. The best thing about this omelet is that you never have to flip it.
Makes 4 to 6 Servings
- 6 large eggs
- 3/4 cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- A few pinches of pepper
- 8 ounces asparagus spears (8 to 10 spears) (or use 1 cup cooked, chopped broccoli)
- 4 green onions
- 3 teaspoons canola oil, divided
TIP: To determine the size of your skillet, use a ruler to measure across the top.
- Place the eggs in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Whisk in ½ cup of the cheese and the dill and pepper. Set aside.
- Trim the asparagus spears by breaking off the woody root ends. (Hold the end of each asparagus spear between your thumb and forefinger and gently bend until the tough part snaps off). Wash the asparagus well under cold running water to remove any dirt; dry, and then cut into ½-inch pieces. Cut the white and light green parts of the green onions into ¼-inch rounds.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus and green onions and cook, stirring often, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. (If using chopped, cooked broccoli instead of asparagus, cook the green onions for just 2 to 3 minutes.) Transfer the cooked vegetables to the egg mixture and whisk again to combine.
- To make the omelet, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in the skillet over medium-low heat. Pour the egg and vegetable mixture into the skillet and cover with a large baking sheet or the lid of a pot. Cook until the eggs are almost done, 10 minutes. (Check once or twice to make sure the bottom isn’t browning too quickly; lower the heat as needed.)
- Remove the cover (be careful; it may be hot) and sprinkle the remaining ¼-cup cheese evenly over the top. Cover the skillet again and cook until the cheese melts and the eggs are cooked, about 2 more minutes.
Nutrition Information per Serving (1/5th of the pie):
170 calories, 13g fat (4g saturated), 250mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 14g protein, 15% vitamin A, 30% calcium
How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Have you ever seen hard-boiled eggs with a green-gray ring around the yolk? It’s not very pretty; after all, the yolks should be yellow! To avoid an unappetizing ring, it’s important to avoid overcooking your eggs and to chill them as soon as they’re done. For a perfect egg every time, follow these four steps eggs-actly:
- Place eggs in a single layer in a medium to large pot and add enough cold water to cover by an inch. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar. (This results in a softer shell that’s easier to peel.)
- Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a gentle boil. Remove immediately from the heat, cover, and let stand for 14 minutes.
- Drain the water carefully and fill the pot with cold water; change the water several times. Add a few handfuls of ice cubes to the pot, and allow the eggs to cool for 5 minutes.
- To peel, first crack the shells by tapping the eggs on your kitchen counter. Next, roll gently, pressing down just enough to crush the shells all over. Peel under cold running water starting at the air pocket end (the large end).
