any vegetarians eating eggs out there?

[nald1]

I rarely did before- occasionally in a baked good recipe- since last pregnancy (gave birth 8/29/11) I have been eating about 3-4 eggs a week from our local organic farm.  They so hit the spot but sometimes i feel like a hypocrite since I call myself a veg :)

[SundayCrepes]

We have our own chickens and eat their eggs. I've been lacto-ovo vegetarian since 1984. Recently my daughter had to go dairy free and this is forcing me to do so as well (which I am glad of.) I've often felt bad that the male chicks are killed upon hatching. I recently realized that since I get no more than (and also less than) 2 to 4 new female chicks a year, that means 4 or less male chicks are killed for our egg production each year. That does not make me happy. When I put it in the perspective of...what if we were tribal or hunter gatherers? In other words, what if we ate the way nature intended us to eat? Given that humans are omnivores by design, I would eat more than 4 chicks a year. It is an eat or be eaten world. I hate that, but it is. So, even though I'm not happy about it, I've resigned myself to those 4 little chicks dying each year. I think about them and send them my gratitude.

Others may think I'm not being generous enough towards those 4 chicks. Maybe they're right. This is just where I am right now.

Ideally, I'd live in a place where chickens could do their thing. I'd eat as many eggs (from hens kept away from roosters) as I wanted and the chicks that hatched would be free to grow up without regard to their gender. I don't have that kind of property.

[nald1]

any good recipe ideas with eggs? I make frittata after frittata around here!!!

[neptunemama]

I'm not veg since I eat fish, but my girls are, so we eat mostly veggie at home.  One of my fave ways to use eggs currently is this recipe.

1 cup or so arugula or other salad green

several (6-10)  shitake mushrooms sliced thin

2 eggs hardboiled but still warm

1 clove garlic-slive 1/2 clove thin, mince the other half

For dressing: 

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

dried thyme

pepper

Wash the arugula and let dry. Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, pepper and minced garlic together.  Mix this w/the arugula.  

Saute the mushrooms for 3-5 min or until almost done.  Toss in the slices of garlic for the last minute.  Add mushroom/garlic mix to top of arugula.  Slice the eggs in 1/4's and place on top of salad.  

Makes a perfect lunch or light dinner.

[nald1]

Originally Posted by neptunemama 

I'm not veg since I eat fish, but my girls are, so we eat mostly veggie at home.  One of my fave ways to use eggs currently is this recipe.

1 cup or so arugula or other salad green

several (6-10)  shitake mushrooms sliced thin

2 eggs hardboiled but still warm

1 clove garlic-slive 1/2 clove thin, mince the other half

For dressing: 

olive oil

balsamic vinegar

dried thyme

pepper

Wash the arugula and let dry. Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, pepper and minced garlic together.  Mix this w/the arugula.  

Saute the mushrooms for 3-5 min or until almost done.  Toss in the slices of garlic for the last minute.  Add mushroom/garlic mix to top of arugula.  Slice the eggs in 1/4's and place on top of salad.  

Makes a perfect lunch or light dinner.

that sounds delicious- thank you!!!

[sidandspencersmom]

does anyone have trouble peeling fresh free ranger eggs?  By the time I am done peeling the shell, there isn't much left, since it sticks to the shells so bad.

[nald1]

Originally Posted by sidandspencersmom 

does anyone have trouble peeling fresh free ranger eggs?  By the time I am done peeling the shell, there isn't much left, since it sticks to the shells so bad.

I do- I try running them under cold water but it's still a little tricky

[ollyoxenfree]

Originally Posted by sidandspencersmom 

does anyone have trouble peeling fresh free ranger eggs?  By the time I am done peeling the shell, there isn't much left, since it sticks to the shells so bad.

Try using older eggs, rather than your freshest eggs. Very fresh eggs are harder to peel since less air has seeped into the egg. Keep a few for about 7 days and then boil them. 

[Katarianna]

But some baking soda in the water when you are boiling the eggs, then submerge in an ice bath as soon as they are done cooking.

[MadameFancyPants]

Originally Posted by SundayCrepes 

We have our own chickens and eat their eggs. I've been lacto-ovo vegetarian since 1984. Recently my daughter had to go dairy free and this is forcing me to do so as well (which I am glad of.) I've often felt bad that the male chicks are killed upon hatching. I recently realized that since I get no more than (and also less than) 2 to 4 new female chicks a year, that means 4 or less male chicks are killed for our egg production each year. That does not make me happy. When I put it in the perspective of...what if we were tribal or hunter gatherers? In other words, what if we ate the way nature intended us to eat? Given that humans are omnivores by design, I would eat more than 4 chicks a year. It is an eat or be eaten world. I hate that, but it is. So, even though I'm not happy about it, I've resigned myself to those 4 little chicks dying each year. I think about them and send them my gratitude.

Others may think I'm not being generous enough towards those 4 chicks. Maybe they're right. This is just where I am right now.

Ideally, I'd live in a place where chickens could do their thing. I'd eat as many eggs (from hens kept away from roosters) as I wanted and the chicks that hatched would be free to grow up without regard to their gender. I don't have that kind of property.

Totally curious and OT but, why are you letting any of the eggs hatch?  To increase your flock?  If they are collected the day the are laid then you wouldn't have to worry about killing any babies.  Growing up we had chickens and a rooster to protect them.  I doubt any of our eggs were ever fertilized because he was a wimp and the hens always beat him up.  I don't remember ever having a chick hatch. 

Ok, back the the topic LOL!