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Claudio Silvestrini

Easy Meal #2: Spinach Omelette

Nutritional Breakdown:

320 Calories

  • 7.8g Carbs
  • 26g Protein
  • 20g Fat
  • 2.2g Fibre

Vitamins and Minerals

  • 21% of daily Calcium
  • 22% of daily Vitamin B-12 (Cobalamin)
  • 52% of daily Vitamin A
  • 31% of daily Vitamin C
  • 24% of daily Iron
  • 18% of daily Potassium
  • 21% of daily Vitamin D

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1tablespoon olive oil
  • 100g of raw spinach (1 plate)
  • 100g of cottage cheese

Preparation and Cooking time (12 minutes)

  • Chop up the spinach in smaller pieces if you are not using baby spinach
  • Place 1Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized pan and turn on high heat
  • Once the oil in the pan is hot enough, place the chopped spinach in the pan and cook for 3 minutes
  • Crack 2 large eggs into a large bowl and add 100g of cottage cheese
  • Whisk the eggs and the cottage cheese and then pour into the pan with the cooked spinach
  • Turn the heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes
  • Flip with a spatula and cook the other side for 2 minutes

Breakdown: Why is this is a good meal to help me lose weight?

Importance of Protein

This is a high-protein meal which makes it ideal for weight loss. Protein is the macronutrient that makes us feel full for the longest amount of time and additionally is the one that burns the most calories during digestion. You heard that right, your body will actually use up more energy to digest protein-dense foods due to a process known as the thermic effect of food (TEF).

Additionally our bodies need protein for just about every metabolic activity such as recovery and repair. This is why it is important to have a sufficient protein intake every day, particularly when exercising, so that your body is able to repair your muscles and make them stronger. Even if you are not exercising extensively, having a sufficient intake of protein will help maintain your muscle composition while you are losing weight.

Source of Healthy Fats

This meal is also a great source of essential fats which perform several key functions such as forming our cell membranes, producing and balancing hormones and transporting fat-soluble vitamins. If however you are looking for a lower calorie version of this meal you can reduce some of the overall fat by either using 0% fat cottage cheese, removing one/both of the egg yolks, or using less olive oil.

Key Micronutrients

The spinach present in this meal is extremely dense in vitamins and minerals despite only accounting for 23 of the total calories. It provides over half of our daily Vitamin A needs which contributes to your immune function and red blood cell development. The Vitamin B12 helps form and maintain healthy nerve and blood cells. The egg yolks are also one of the few dietary sources of Vitamin D which is a common nutritional deficiency particularly for people who do not come in contact with direct sunlight. A vitamin D deficiency can result in lower bone density as well as tooth decay which can be avoided by including meals such as this one in your diet.