Our Employee Recipe Series

My name is Samia and I have been a social media manager for Vitoli for a few months now. When we had the idea to start a series with the recipes of our employees, I immediately thought of this brunch-style recipe that I am currently loving!

Having traveled to India and being a yoga enthusiast, I love Indian food and miss it greatly. Today I offer you a revisited and slightly healthier version of Kejriwal eggs.

Kejriwal eggs were named in honor of Devi Prasad Kejriwal who specifically requested this dish every day from his Sports Club in Mumbai. The dish began to be coveted by other customers who in turn requested it. The club has therefore added Kejriwal eggs to their menu. They have now become popular all over Mumbai and even elsewhere in the world!

Traditionally, it is simply a sunny-side-up egg on a gratin bread with mustard, coriander, and hot peppers. I added Indian roasted vegetables to my version for a different and decadent Sunday brunch!

Note from Éric Simard, Doctor in Biology, Researcher in the Field of Aging and Longevity

It is worth pointing out that spinach is a good source of iron, a large number of minerals, and vitamins including vitamin K and group B vitamins. They also contain lutein and a good concentration of polyphenols. This makes it a great food for everyone, but even more specifically for endurance athletes.

We should also mention that eggs do not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease for normal consumption (one to two eggs per day) and they even seem to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease when compared to people who do not consume eggs at all.

In our area of expertise in healthy longevity, eggs are an excellent source of protein, as well as nutrients such as dietary melatonin, lutein, vitamin B12, and choline. In addition to protein intake, which helps maintain muscle mass, other nutrients are very important for a healthy brain and the prevention of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Eggs are a food of choice for your cognitive health. Here is a recipe that highlights these two healthy ingredients.

 

Ingredients:
(For 2 servings)

2 slices of thick, bakery-quality multigrain household bread
1 cup of shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
A handful of finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons of store-bought yellow mustard
2 eggs
1 tablespoon of finely chopped red onions
Hot pepper flakes (optional, to taste)

 

Indian Roasted Vegetables:

1 small butternut squash or 2 sweet potatoes, cut into small cubes
Olive oil
A pinch of garam masala
5ml of curry powder (adjust the amount to taste)
2 cups of fresh spinach

 

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 425oF
  2. In a bowl, mix the squash (or sweet potatoes), olive oil, and spices well.
  3. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and reserve your bowl for later.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender (When ready, a knife should easily penetrate the flesh).
  5. Meanwhile, combine cheese, cilantro (save some for garnish), onion and pepper flakes in a separate bowl.
  6. As soon as the vegetables are well cooked, immediately put them back in the same bowl used when mixing and add the spinach.
  7. These should soften a bit on contact with the hot squash and will also be coated in the remaining oil and spices from the bowl.
  8. Toast the bread in the toaster until it is sufficiently toasted. (N.B. The bread should be toasted enough to prevent it from going soggy when we add the items on top).
  9. In a large nonstick skillet, over medium-high heat, heat a little vegetable oil or butter (your choice). When the pan is hot, crack the eggs into the pan. Reduce the heat and cook them on one side only for 2 to 3 minutes or until the white is cooked.
  10. Spread the mustard on the bread and add the vegetable mixture to the toast (the desired amount).
  11. Add the cheese mixture to the pieces of bread and vegetables and put everything on the “grill” for 2-3 minutes.
  12. Remove your bread when the cheese is toasted enough and add the egg on top.

For presentation: garnish with a pinch of curry and a few coriander leaves. Or, if you like it spicy, with a little Sriracha and coriander leaves.

*Leftover squash or roasted sweet potatoes will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge and can be a great addition to a salad

Enjoy!

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References:

  • d’Unienville et al, 2021. Effect of food sources of nitrate, polyphenols, L-arginine and L-citrulline on endurance exercise performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021 Dec 29;18(1):76.
  • Godos et al, 2021. Egg consumption and cardiovascular risk: a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Eur J Nutr. 2021 Jun;60(4):1833-1862.
  • Obeid et al, 2019. Vitamin B12 Intake From Animal Foods, Biomarkers, and Health Aspects. Front Nutr. 2019 Jun 28;6:93.
  • Velazquez et al, 2019. Lifelong choline supplementation ameliorates Alzheimer’s disease pathology and associated cognitive deficits by attenuating microglia activation. Aging Cell. 2019 Dec;18(6):e13037.