Breakfast at Your Desk: There’s a Major Egg Recall in Process–Is the Carton in Your Fridge Safe?

My dears, do you like eggs for breakfast? I do every now and then–especially smothered in salsa. But, there’s a big egg recall in the works. I wanted to share it with you in case you haven’t heard …

Earlier this month someone I know got a mysterious sickness–vomiting, the works–and looking back on the matter, I wonder if it wasn’t a case of egg-induced salmonella poisoning. After all, my friend loves eggs for breakfast.

It’s possible. The CDC says almost 2,000 people may have been sickened across the U.S. from a wide-scale salmonella outbreak involving eggs, but the actual number of affected people could be triple that, say experts. The outbreak has been traced to eggs coming from Wright County Egg in Galt, Iowa (though the outbreak isn’t limited to Iowa–it’s nationwide). The company has recalled 380 million eggs.

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause fever, abdominal cramps and diarrhea and usually lasts four to seven days. How to tell if the eggs in your fridge are safe?

The recall extends to eggs sold under the following brands: Albertson, Boomsma’s, Dutch Farms, Farm Fresh, Hillandale, Kemps, Lucerne, Lund, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Shoreland, Sunshine and Trafficanda.

The eggs are in cartons from plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946, with dates ranging from 136 to 225. Look for the dates and codes stamped on the end of the egg carton. The plant number begins with P, then the number. The date follows the plant number. For example: P-1946 223.

Have you or anyone you know been sickened by eggs in the last few months?

Can Exercise Break Up A Relationship?

Do you crawl out of bed at the crack of dawn for a big workout, coming home only after your significant other has left for work? Does he? If so, you might want to take a look at the emergence of the “exercise widow”…

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, therapists are seeing more couples come in for counseling due to exercise. Specifically: one-half of the couple is in constant physical training and it’s causing major cracks in the relationship.

Apparently, the non-training half of the couple often feels resentful of the time spent away while training. There’s also an insecurity risk, reports WSJ: “If one partner gets a new, buff appearance and a new circle of buff acquaintances, romantic possibilities can open up-and give the other spouse good reason to feel insecure about his or her own physique.”

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Some couples start training together (which I think sounds awesome), or the non-training partner volunteers at the competing partner’s tournaments and races–for support.

This article is specific to intense exercise, but relationships could certainly feel strained when half of the couple is passionate about something else, too, no? Achieving the perfect bowling score, writing a novel that sells, acing “Plants vs. Zombies” (okay, not acing “Plants vs. Zombies.” Though it is extremely addicting).

Who exercises more–you or your significant other? Does it cause any stress? Do you ever work out together?

Breakfast at Your Desk: The Spice to Add to Your Eggs to Make You a Smart Cookie at Work Today!

Want a little brain boost this morning? As it turns out, one yummy savory herb–that tastes amazing in scrambled eggs–may help you be at the top of your game at the office today. Take a guess…

Shape reports that a study published in Pharmacological Biochemical Behavior found that the yummy, savory herb sage may play a role in boosting brain function.

The researchers found that people who took sage-oil extract (50 micro liters) before taking a test performed better than the subjects who were given a placebo. While sage extract is more concentrated than what you’ll find in your spice jar, it wouldn’t hurt to reap some of these brain-boosting effects.

What’s the magic about sage? The herb, which is awesome on eggs, contains compounds that prevent the breakdown of “acetylcholine,” a neurotransmitter involved in learning and memory, reports Shape.

Sage advice!

Do you do a lot of cooking with sage? (I have a huge, wild bush growing in my herb garden. I think I’ll go clip some to add to breakfast this morning!)

P.S. Going out to eat tonight? A stay-svelte reminder. Plus, newsflash: You are not eating enough fruits and veggies! Why 5-a-day is not enough, say experts.

Breakfast at Your Desk: Remember the Recent Cereal Recall? Guess What Scary Chemical Was to Blame

Remember the Kellogg’s cereal recall last month? The company recalled 28 million boxes of Corn Pops, Honey Smacks, Froot Loops and Apple Jacks, after people complained about a bizarre odor from the boxes that was causing nausea and even intestinal distress. You’ll never believe what the chemical turned out to be–it’s gross!

The culprit? A petroleum-based chemical called methylnaphthalene. It’s a substance found in tar and crude oil, points out AOL News. And while it’s commonly used by manufacturers as an ingredient in food packaging, the amount of the chemical found in the Kellogg’s packages was off the charts.

Is it safe?

“The petrochemical has obviously been approved by the FDA for use in food packaging, but the levels found in the Kellogg’s bags exceeded normal limits–that’s why consumers started complaining of a scent, as well as nausea and diarrhea,” reports AOL. …In studies on animals, it’s been linked to serious lung damage when consumed or inhaled.”

I don’t know about you, but that’s not something I want to ingest. It’s funny, we dwell so much on the foods we put in our bodies, but we think so little about the packaging that the foods come in, and what chemicals may leech into our food.

I guess I’ll always be a little suspicious of a food product that spells fruit, “froot.” 🙂

Interesting to think about, huh?

Breakfast at Your Desk: The New Peach-Apple Sauce I’m Crazy About

I’ve always loved apple sauce–it has a way of being comforting without the fat and calories. And, I can’t wait to tell you about a new variety of one of my favorite apple sauce brands that is so divine: peach + apples. It is delicious with oatmeal!

The Peach Apple Sauce from Santa Cruz Organics is amazing, you guys (sorry, the photo, above, shows the apricot variety, which is equally yummy–I couldn’t find a photo of the peach flavor). I bought some the other day, on a whim, and, well, wow! It has all the sweet fragrance that a fresh, juicy peach has, but with that yummy apple flavor. And, we all know that apples and peaches are both fruits that health experts say are in your best interest to eat organic, so you can feel good about spending a few pennies more for this product (about $3.79 for a pack of 6).

I’m telling you, you will love this flavor. It’s like dessert! I’m thinking about freezing these packs and eating them for a snack when they get a bit slushy. Sounds fun, huh?

Do you embrace your inner kiddo and eat apple sauce now and then?

P.S. Loving this Irish soda bread recipe with lots of dried fruit, plus great idea: make-ahead mini frittatas …

Breakfast at Your Desk: The Amazing, Overnight Pumpkin Oatmeal (So Easy, So Good)

What if you could pile a bunch of ingredients in a bowl, let it sit in the fridge overnight and voila–enjoy pumpkin pie oatmeal the next morning? You can–here’s how …

A FitSugar reader over at EatingBirdFood.com recently shared her divine recipe for Overnight Pumpkin Oatmeal, and it’s similar to something I’ve made before (and I can attest that it’s good!):

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/2 banana, sliced or mashed (it adds sweetness)

2 tablespoons canned pumpkin

1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, mix well, cover, and let sit in the fridge overnight. That’s it! Wake up, top the mixture with you favorite toppings (like the pumpkin butter featured in the photo) and enjoy.

Enjoy!

P.S. Love pumpkin? So do I. Here are some of my favorite pumpkin ideas!

Breakfast At Your Desk: Pumpkin Waffles!

Wouldn’t you just love it if someone came over and made you warm pumpkin waffles (and preferably if they brought them to you in bed)? Here’s something tasty to dream about on a Monday morning…

All I can say is yum! (P.S. Remember gals, pumpkin is a veggie!)

Pumpkin Waffles

Recipe adapted from the beautiful blog Smitten Kitchen

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

4 large eggs, separated

2 cups well-shaken buttermilk

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

Vegetable oil for brushing waffle iron or cooking spray

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 250°F and preheat waffle iron. Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl with buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients just until combined.

In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks (as in, far softer than the over-beaten whites you’ll see in my picture above). Folk them gently into the waffle batter, until just combined.

Brush waffle iron lightly with oil and spoon batter (about 2 cups for four 4-inch Belgian waffles) into waffle iron, spreading quickly. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp. Make more waffles in same manner.

Enjoy!

Breakfast at Your Desk: I’m Loving This Low-Fat Banana Bread

You guys probably saw the piece in Glamour this month about just how horribly over-the-top banana bread can get (hello, 480 calories and 19 grams fat! Crazy!). Make this more sensible–yet still tasty–banana loaf at home, and bring it with you to the office. Better for your hips and your wallet!

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One of my favorite recipes for banana bread calls for buttermilk as an oil substitute (you hardly know the oil isn’t there!). Here are the details:

Ingredients:

(Makes 1 loaf)

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup smashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease 8 1/2×4 1/2×2 1/2-inch pan; dust with flour. Using electric mixer; beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until thick and light, about 5 minutes. Mix in smashed bananas, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt over mixture; beat until just blended. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake bread until golden brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Turn bread out onto rack and cool.

Enjoy!

P.S. Here’s a recipe for chocolate banana bread that I’m loving…