Cooking With Derp

Oh boy, I bet this is going to take a while, trying to get used to blogging is hard, and burns lots of calories.  Calories that need to be replaced, so that brings us to the first installment of Cooking With Derp!

Here I'll present a recipe that's easy, healthy and nutritious.  Until recently I couldn't stand eggs, the smell of them cooking would make me more than a little nauseated, but then I remembered the classic American-Chinese egg drop soup (also slightly inspired by a poster on one of my fave fitness boards talking about how he has it every morning).  I looked it up and it was SO EASY.  I've been making it every morning for the past week and I've had no stomach issues or sensory problems either.  More after a little teaser.

You want to nom me....don't you?  Yes...give in

Many people still believe that eggs are bad for you.  You need fat, and food cholesterol won't really affect your blood cholesterol.  Heck, some eggs are advertised as high in Omega-3 which is prescribed even for reducing bad cholesterol.  If you really want to I'm sure you could use Egg Beaters or whatever but I wouldn't try it.  The only real health thing you might want to worry about is the sodium, but I'll address that later.


So!  What do you need?

2 cups chicken broth (I prefer low sodium to adjust the flavor more)

2 large eggs (large is a grading size)

A saucepan

A bowl (or two if you're a bit paranoid like me)

1-2 tablespoons of corn starch (more = thicker)

Spoon

Salt, pepper, parsley to taste

Pour the broth, reserving a little, into the saucepan and heat.  Add the desired amount of cornstarch to a bowl or the measuring cup you used for the broth and then pour in the reserved broth.  Mix the two until dissolved thoroughly, should look like milk.  Now crack two eggs in a separate bowl and scramble.  when the broth boils, add the corn starch mixture and stir.  Wait for it to boil again then turn off the heat, begin to stir the liquid in the pan quickly but evenly in one direction as you slowly pour the eggs into the hot broth.  The heat of the broth instantly cooks the egg and leaves those distinctive strands of egg floating along (pictured). 

You can now season as you like.  As I said, I use low sodium broth so I can have it the saltiness I like.  I add parsley flakes only because I didn't have any fresh when I took these pictures yesterday. Freshly cracked black pepper is also a must have, depth of flavor my friends.   Whenever you're ready, pour the soup in a fresh bowl, or you can use the one you had the eggs in if you're so inclined.  Nom and enjoy life.

If you're counting calories the meal as I prepared is only ~250 calories and 14g of carbs (about one servings of carbs according to ADA guidelines for my 'beetus bros out there).  Be careful and let it cool off or you'll burn yourself bad because it really is thick and will cling to your mouth.  The best part is that it's that it's hearty and has protein, carbs, and fat so it'll give you energy and keep you full.  It's easy to prepare, and you can make it in huge batches in whatever ratio you want (1:1 eggs/broth  or 1:2).  The 1:2 is more like you'd get at a restaurant but I like it my way because it's thicker and I don't feel uncomfortably full after getting my two daily eggs.  Some might balk at the corn starch, and it's not necessary really but it rounds it out as a meal and makes it much more filling and "traditional."  Experiment with it and find what you like, that's the philosophy behind cooking right?  I'm just a stepping stone.  Now if you'll excuse me, I have a snack to prepare.  See you soon.