Review: Egg White Delight McMuffin

      One of the toughest meals to get that's healthy and fast is breakfast.  A lot of fast food chains have it but it usually either greasy or salty.  Recently we have seen a bevy of new products aimed at those who are looking to cut calories /fat/salt which is definitely a positive.  McDonald's has been a leader in a lot of this.  The success of their oatmeal line has encouraged them to experiment a little bit more.  So we now have the Grille Egg White Delight McMuffin.
    If I could describe it in one word, it would be... Meeehhhhhh.  Or how about... decent. 

The Look:
    The grilled McMuffin egg does look like an actual grilled egg and much more natural looking then the other McMuffin.  The Egg was white and the Canadian Bacon is more of a pink color.  The whole grain Muffin looks nice with a nice toasting on it.  The grilled egg does look like less egg then the original McMuffin.  All in all it looks like a breakfast sandwich you would make at home, which is good.

The Taste:
    Again, Meeehhh.  It's OK.  It tastes less heavy and greasy then the original.  The egg whites were nice.  i think the egg whites taste more like an egg I'd cook then the original eggs on the other sandwiches.  I really did not notice the white cheddar flavor at all.  It could have been the original cheese and I would not have even noticed.  The Canadian bacon did taste much saltier, which shows up in the nutritionals below.  The English Muffin was slightly crispy around the edges.  No real complaints.  Tastes like a saltier, lighter version of the original.

The Nutritionals:
    The Egg White McMuffin weighs in at 250 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 5 grams of fiber, and 800 mg sodium (see nutritionals full here).  Compare that to the original at 300 calories, 12 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 260 mg cholesterol, 4 grams fiber, and 780 mg sodium.  So you are saving 2 grams of saturated fat and 200+ mg of cholesterol but gaining 20 mg of sodium.  For heart health, it is recommended to consume 50-70 grams total fat per day, less then 10-15 grams saturated fat per day and less then 200 mg total cholesterol.  It is recommended to keep sodium levels under 2400 mg for most Americans (under 1500 mg for those with or at risk for heart disease) and to get 25-30 grams of fiber per day.

The Verdict:
    The Grilled Egg White McMuffin is an OK alternative to the original Egg McMuffin.  It significantly cuts down saturated fat and cholesterol.  It is only 250 calories and has 5 grams pf fiber.  However, I am disappointed it actually contains more sodium.  This sandwich is a great once in a while alternative to a healthy breakfast.  This is not a good everyday or even once a week sandwich if you are worried about your heart health or blood pressure.  It is nice for those who have good cholesterol and blood pressure and are looking for a low calorie breakfast on the go.

    I still would recommend the Fruit and Maple oatmeal 9with or w/out brown sugar) for 290 calories, 4 grams total fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 5 grams fiber, and 160 mg sodium.  Still the healthiest and good tasting fast food breakfast I have come across.  Enjoy!

Easy Crockpot Carnitas

It's Conco de Mayo so I'm making carnitas. Carnitas are like Mexican pulled pork. They are easy to make in the crock pot and can feed a lot of people for cheap.

What you need

3.5-4.5 lb pork shoulder roast or Boston butt
40 fl oz mojo marinade. I like publix brand but Badia makes a decent one. Look in the Spanish ethnic aisle at you grocer
1/2 lime
1/2 onion
10 baby carrots
3 shots tequila (or one dos Equis)
4 cloves minced garlic (4tsp of crushed bottled kind)
Salt
Mrs Dash Caribbean Citrus seasoning
Pepper
Italian seasoning
Optional: couple sliced jalapeños or other hot pepper for heat

Directions:
1. Rub meat with Mrs Dash, salt and pepper and place in crock pot
2. Pour 1/2 the mojo marinade into pot around pork.
3. Squeeze 1/2 lime over pork, chop onions (large pieces) and place on pork. Add carrots and optional peppers around pork. Add beer or tequila and garlic.
4. Add remaining mojo marinade until it just covers the top of the pork.
5. Cook on high 1 hour then reduce to low and cook 6-8 hours. You really can it overcook it as long as you keep the liquid over the pork. It can be done totally on high for 4-6 hours but make sure you check the temp.

Serve with taco fixings. I use soft tortillas, cheese, salsa or pico, guacamole, Mexican cheese, sour cream and cilantro. Add some beans and rice and a veggie and you've got a cheap and easy meal.

Greensboro, NC trip

I was lucky enough to go to Greensboro in April for work. I had a great time. They have amazing beer, good food and beautiful running trails there. I particularly enjoyed the beers from Natty Greene's. I had a very good pilsner (Springfest) and a good American Pale ( New Moon). I also came across a Gaelic Ale by a highland Brewery that was fantastic. It was and amber/ red ale that had the hippiness if an IPA. I highly recommend it
No trip to NC is complete without some vinegar BBQ. I stopped into Stameys barbecue and had a pulled chicken and a pulled pork sandwich. They were fantastic. And as a bonus they had Cheerwine on tap.
Finally, I cannot get over how beautiful and abundant the trails and paths for walking and running are in Greensboro. They have several parks that offer trail running and paved paths. They have created several greenways that connect different parks and areas. It is a great model for any city to follow.

Back from a hiatus

Had to take a long hiatus due to starting a new job.  Hopefully will get back to posting food, nutrition and beer related nuggets here soon.  Stay tuned!