By Amanda Laird of Mise En Place

The days of thinking of eggs exclusively as breakfast food are long over.  In addition to being low in saturated fat, one large egg has just 70 calories, six grams of fat and a whole host of good for you vitamins and minerals.  As long as you have a carton of eggs in your refrigerator, a delicious, healthy meal is never far away.

Hardboiled – Don’t let the name fool you – hardboiled eggs aren’t actually boiled at.  Throw a couple in a pot and just cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil and then cover, remove from heat and let sit for 14 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and peel.

Chop hardboiled eggs to top a salad, make a delicious sandwich filling or enjoy them on their own with a sprinkle of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Frittata – Scour your fridge for leftovers or odds and ends to make a quick and easy frittata.  Any combo that sounds good to you will probably taste good!  Here are some ideas to get you started:

Broccoli + bacon + cheddar

Fresh or sun dried tomato + spinach + goat cheese

Italian sausage + sweet peppers + mozzarella

Throw meat and/or veggies into an oven-safe skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté until just cooked.  If using pre-cooked, sauté until heated through.  Depending on the size of your skillet, beat 6-9 eggs with a splash of milk, pour over filling and top with cheese.  When egg mixture is just set, pop in an oven preheated to 400F for 10-12 minutes until cooked through and top is browned. 

Poached – A perfectly poached egg takes skill and artistry.  If you have yet to master the art, the best way to learn the technique is to have someone show you or to watch an online video. Epicurious.com has a wide selection of videos demonstrating cooking techniques.  

Once you have the poached egg down pat the possibilities are endless: top green salads, spears of steamed asparagus or a fresh biscuit!

Any way you like it –Scrambled, sunny-side up, over easy or folded into an omelet, the eggs you’re used to ordering at brunch also make a great dinner at the end of the day.  With a side of mixed greens and whole grain bread and you have a complete meal.