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Style Magazine

Season’s Eatings

Apr 01, 2014 05:01PM ● By Style
PlacerGROWN and Foothill Farmers’ Market

by Julie Peterson

What's In Season: Eggs!

If you’re a foodie, you’ve probably noticed that eggs have become culinary stars. No longer reserved just for breakfast, chefs are now topping your favorite foods with eggs—burgers, stir-fry and even pizza. Eggs are versatile, nutritious and can be worked into several dishes. In fact, local Foothill Farmers’ Market/PlacerGROWN Chef, Courtney McDonald, has a great recipe for stir-fried snow or sugar-snap peas with fried egg.

DID YOU KNOW?

The amount of cholesterol in a single, large egg has decreased by 14 percent, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new nutritional data. Once shunned by health experts, eggs are now gaining praise for their health benefits. Researchers have examined the diets of hundreds of thousands of people, and now suggest that consuming eggs on a daily basis is not associated with cholesterol problems or heart disease. In fact, egg yolks are one of the most nutrient-dense and antioxidant- and vitamin-rich foods. What’s more, they contain 90 percent of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid and vitamin B12 in an egg. In addition, the yolk contains all of the fat-soluble components such as vitamins A, D and E, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

SELECTION AND STORAGE

Look for pasture-raised eggs, as pasturing is the traditional method of raising egg-laying hens and other poultry and is known to produce the tastiest, most nutritious eggs. For a list of local producers and farmers’ markets where you can purchase pasture-raised eggs, visit placergrown.org.

For the recipe to make Stir-Fried Snow or Sugar-Snap Peas with Fried Egg, click here.


For details on where to buy Placer County farm-fresh produce, wine, meat and local products, visit placergrown.org.