Thursday, June 19, 2008

Egg Fu Yung

Family gatherings are a great challenge to my clean eating regime. On one side, I have a Dutch family who loves 'hearty' meals, and on the other, I have a Chinese background whose food I tend to enjoy more. No matter where you came from, there is still the attitude that you show how much you love each other by cooking and eating together. Grandma's care packages are always stuffed with sweet buns, cookies and home-made nuts&bolts. And truly, we clean-eaters must be careful about how we handle these situations; rejecting (even politely and humbly) these offers of food is often equated with rejecting their kindness and efforts to make you happy. Sometimes it's the only way they know how to express their love and fondness of you. So take care, and take the care packages. Plan your treat meal to be with members of your family who equate food with love to show them that you understand their efforts if a family bbq is planned. Freeze the goodies given to you by thoughtful members and enjoy them over a long period of time (an indulgence a week in a treat meal).
So, thinking of these fun, family get togethers always made my stomach ache for good, authentic Chinese food. No, not take-out. No, not 'sweet and sour chicken balls'- think about it- have you ever seen a Chinese person eating a deep-fried chicken ball with bright red sauce smothered on it? Noooooooooooooooooo.................
A dish I especially enjoyed was Egg Fu Yung, with a nice gravy-type sauce on it. This was served with lots of veggies and seafood for a supper- not to mention garlic ribs (mmmm...). I had some bean sprouts in my fridge I had to use up, as well as some pre-chopped red cabbage and celery. So for this morning's breakfast I whipped up a quick, clean Fu-Yung-style omlette. Veggies and eggs- a great way to start the day.
Egg Fu Yung Omlette (Clean)
6 egg whites, wisked to frothy
1 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup red cabbage
1/4 cup chopped fine celery
salt&pepper
dash of soy sauce
Saute bean sprouts, cabbage and celery in olive oil and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan, add to egg whites and pour back into pan. Cook until eggs are solid on top, flip to brown the other side.
Instead of the traditional, high sodium, high calorie gravy-sauce that usually accompanies egg fu yung (which would be a littel strange for breakfast) I spread 1tsp of plum suce on the top of my omlette. I enjoyed this with 1/2c creamy rice cereal with 1Tbsp chia, 1Tbsp flax and 2Tbsp of cranberries and a cup of black coffee for breakfast today.
One day, I'll make traditional Egg Fu Yung for a supper entree, as it usual and include the full recipe, including mushrooms, shrimp and the gravy sauce.
Happy Sunny Day!

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