Everyday Egg Wrap

Protein can be tough to get in the morning, especially when the breakfast meals we commonly think of are carb-dominating. Even more difficult is eating vegetables at breakfast! But, as my Guide to Serving Sizes states, our plates should contain all 5 food groups at each meal, so this includes breakfast! A wholesome breakfast kick starts your metabolism and helps reduce the tendency to overeat later in the day. Personally, if I am not exercising first thing in the morning, I need to eat breakfast before doing much else! However, listen to your body and eat breakfast at a time that works best for you just as long as you never skip a meal.

Eggs are probably the most common way to eat your protein for breakfast, but this recipe is not your typical scrambled eggs. You will soon find out that I like to spice up my meals – I like “elaborate” sandwiches, seasoned veggies, pizza with tons of wholesome toppings, pastas with various proteins and sauces, just to name a few. My Everyday Egg Wrap will have you excited to eat eggs for breakfast again! Eggs are our source of animal-based protein. You have carbs coming from the whole grain wrap. Avocado contains much-needed healthy fats. Low-fat cheese can be subbed for vegan cheese and spinach or kale can be your bed of leafy greens! For an added kick, I heaped mild salsa overtop my egg. I call this the “Everyday Egg Wrap” because all of these ingredients are those I have in my fridge all the time. You can customize the toppings to your liking by swapping spinach for spring mix, avocado for hemp seeds, mushrooms in place of salsa, or top with hot sauce if you are feeling extra spicy that day.

I cook my eggs in ghee over medium heat until they are over-medium to over-hard. Ghee is clarified butter which lacks lactose (milk sugar) and is an alternative cooking source for those who are dairy free. I do not have a dairy intolerance, but I honestly just really like the taste of ghee and enjoy switching up my cooking methods! If not using ghee, I use an olive oil spray or drizzle avocado oil in my pan.

There has been controversy over eggs and their health benefits. Many people fear the egg yolk contains high levels of cholesterol, but this should not be concerning. Our bodies make cholesterol in the liver, so when we consume cholesterol in the diet, our liver knows to stop synthesizing it on its own. In fact, one study showed that eggs increase HDL levels in our body, which is the good cholesterol! Eggs also contain an essential nutrient called choline which is used by many of the B vitamins to support formation of cell membranes. Lutein and Zeaxanthin are carotenoids that are found in egg yolks. They are antioxidants that accumulate in the macula of the eye and help protect against UV rays and reduce the risk of macular degeneration.

Adding in salsa and spinach to this egg wrap is how you can get your veggies in at breakfast. Fresh salsa can contain a variety of veggies like tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Just this one topping is providing you with lycopene (a cancer-fighting antioxidant), prebiotics, and vitamin C! Spinach is my favorite leafy green and I find it bodes well in basically any meal. It is high in vitamin A, C, and K as well as iron, therefore spinach provides you with more antioxidants, an immune boost, blood clotting benefits, and assists oxygen delivery.

Here’s a fun tip: if you own a gas stove, heat your whole wheat tortilla over an open flame for about 5 seconds on each side, just until it browns and small bubbles appear. This gives the tortilla a slightly burnt taste with an added crispiness. I also feel way fancier eating it this way!

I know we do not always have the extra time in the morning to prepare a meal, but my everyday egg wrap takes no more than 15 minutes to throw together, hence its name! You can easily include this meal into your weekly breakfasts and know you are starting your day with a plate full of nutrients.