For example, a typical American may grab a McDonald's Egg McMuffin for breakfast on the way to work, and why not? It's fast, convenient, and fairly tasty. I should know: for almost a decade, it was how I started my morning. But what's in one? An English Muffin, an egg, a slice of American cheese, a smear of margarine, and a slice of Canadian Bacon (or ham). Moreover, what are the Nutritional Statistics for said item? Well, while the protein and carbohydrates are in reasonable balance, there's a lot of fat for one meal -- almost 20% of the daily total, based on a healthy person with a 2,000 calorie diet -- and the cholesterol is almost 90% of the daily total. But how to drop the unhealthy elements without sacrificing taste?
I start with extra-crisp sourdough English Muffins, and the Incredible Egg brand of egg substitute. I also use fat-free American cheese and lean ham. Cook the egg substitute while the muffin's toasting, then lay a slice of cheese on one side of the muffin, and place the egg substitute on top to start it melting. Sear the ham for a few seconds on both sides in the egg pan, and lay it on top of the eggs, then top with the other half of the muffin. If you choose, you can use a smear of fat-free margarine on the side of the muffin with the ham.
A McDonald's Egg McMuffin contains 300 calories, 12g of fat, 5g of saturated fat, 260mg of cholesterol, 820mg of sodium, 30g of carbohydrates, 2g of dietary fiber, and 18g protein.
My version contains 205 calories, 2g of fat, 0g of saturated fat, 6mg cholesterol, 735mg sodium, 29g of carbohydrates, 1g of dietary fiber, and 16g protein.
So yes, you're giving up 1g of carbohydrates and 2g of protein by using my recipe, but you're also giving up 95 calories, 10g of fat, 5g of saturated fat, 254mg of cholesterol, and 85mg of sodium; and, if you add back in one cup of fat-free milk (90 calories, 0 fat, less than 5mg of cholesterol, 13g of carbohydrates, 9g of protein), you're more than making up the carbohydrates and protein, and you're still coming in 5 calories shy of the Egg McMuffin on its own.
Here's the big question, though: how does it taste? While I'm admittedly biased -- it is, after all, my own cooking -- it's safe to say that I'm quite reasonably pleased with the substitutions. The taste is nearly identical, with the main difference in the muffin: the extra-crisp sourdough is a bit tangier and less bready than the muffins McDonald's uses. As well, if you want to brighten the flavor of the eggs, you can always use herbs to enhance them, and fat-free Swiss is an excellent change of pace from the fat-free American.
Experiment with your food: I cannot stress that enough. Have fun, play, and learn what you can do to make your favorite meals remain tasty while becoming healthier. You might be surprised at what you can accomplish.
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