The Healthiest Food In Your Easter Basket

Is An ‘Egg-cellent’ Choice For Salads

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Munching on too many marshmallow chicks, jellybeans, and chocolate bunnies can add up to weight gain — and the higher cancer risk that comes with it, experts at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) warned this week. But at least one item in the Easter basket — the colorful egg — can play a role in a healthy, cancer-protective diet.

The Easter tradition of dyeing eggs can lead to dozens of beautiful hard-boiled eggs that may never find their way onto a meal or snack plate. AICR says Americans should rethink how to use those leftover eggs.

According to AICR experts, research shows that Americans can cut their cancer risk by eating a diet high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes with small to moderate amounts of animal foods.

“Eggs have a place in the cancer-protective New American Plate way of eating, which fills at least 2/3 of the plate with plant foods, and the remaining 1/3 or less with animal foods,” said Alice Bender, AICR’s registered dietitian. “Eggs fit nicely into that 1/3, as they’re high in protein, moderate in calories, and low in saturated fat.”

Those Easter eggs add a powerful protein punch to any meal or snack at an affordable price — for fewer pennies than an equivalent amount of protein from chicken breast and canned kidney beans. Eggs provide some B vitamins, a few minerals, and at about 70–80 calories each, they don’t break the calorie bank either.

Armed with some food safety knowledge and AICR’s tasty recipes, families, students, and others looking to stretch their food dollar can take advantage of the versatile package of protein.

Follow these food safety tips from the USDA to stay healthy and avoid foodborne illness :

1. Use only food-grade dye for Easter eggs you plan to eat.

2. Refrigerate eggs within two hours of cooking and use them within one week. When shell eggs are hard-cooked, the protective coating is washed away, leaving open pores in the shell where harmful bacteria could enter.

3. Don’t keep raw or cooked eggs out of the refrigerator more than two hours.

4. Egg dishes such as deviled eggs or egg salad should be used within 3 to 4 days.

To make the following egg salad recipes fit on the New American Plate, the AICR has loaded them up with hearty beans and healthy veggies for extra flavor, substance — and health.

Egg Salad with White Beans

4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled

1 cup canned small white beans, rinsed and drained

3 Tbsp chopped Kalamata olives

2 Tbsp minced chives

1 tsp Dijon-style mustard

3 dashes hot pepper sauce, or to taste

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

8 Boston lettuce leaves

8 slices seedless cucumber, cut diagonally

1 large tomato, cut in 8 wedges

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

In a mixing bowl, coarsely chop eggs. Add beans. Spread olives on paper towel, blot well, then add to salad. Add chives, mustard, hot sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper. Using a fork, mix until salad is well combined.

Arrange 2 lettuce leaves on each of 4 salad plates. Mound one-fourth of the egg salad in the center of each plate.

Place cucumber and tomatoes in mixing bowl. In small bowl, whisk lemon juice with 1/4 teaspoon salt until salt dissolves, then whisk in oil. Add pepper to taste. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat. Arrange 2 cucumber slices and 2 tomato wedges on each plate around the salad. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings (2½  cups egg salad mixture).

Per serving: 167 calories, 7 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 14 g carbohydrate, 10 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 266 mg sodium.

Egg and Vegetable Salad Sandwich

4 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled

1/3 cup grated carrot

1/3 cup finely chopped celery

2 Tbsp chopped chives

3 Tbsp finely chopped pitted Sicilian-style green olives

1 Tbsp finely chopped shallots

1 Tbsp plain yogurt

1 Tbsp reduced-fat mayonnaise

1 tsp Dijon-style mustard

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 slices thinly sliced square black or pumpernickel bread

2 cups fresh baby spinach

12 cherry or grape tomatoes, for garnish

Place 3 hard-cooked eggs in mixing bowl. Halve the fourth, discard yolk, and add white to the bowl. Chop eggs. Add carrots, celery, chives, olives, shallots, yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, and pepper and mix with a fork until well combined.

To serve, place a slice of the bread on each of 4 plates. Cover each with one-fourth of the spinach. Mound one-fourth of the egg salad on top of the spinach. Add 3 tomatoes to each plate and serve immediately.

Makes 1¾ cups, (4 servings).

Per serving: 112 calories, 4 g total fat (1 g saturated fat), 13 g carbohydrate, 6 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 300 mg sodium.

For more recipes, tips, and information on cancer prevention through diet, healthy weight and physical activity, visit www.aicr.org.