Basic Poached Eggs

Dominic Perri for TOPS Club, Inc.

Nothing in the house for dinner? If you’ve got eggs in the fridge, you’ll never go hungry. Poached eggs are a fantastic source of protein and the ideal topper for a vegetable saute, on whole-grain toast alongside a green salad, or on some beans sauteed with garlic and herbs.

Prep and cook time: 10 min. Servings: 2 

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• pinch of salt
• 1 T. distilled or white wine vinegar, optional*

*If you are using very fresh eggs, you may omit the vinegar. The vinegar helps to thicken the protein in an egg white, which can help a not-so-fresh egg hold together better.

Directions

1. Pour water into a saucepan to a depth of 3 in. Add the salt and vinegar to the water. Bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat so that the water just barely bubbles. Crack the eggs, one at a time, into the water. If you’re anxious about doing that, you may crack each egg into its own cup, and then pour the eggs into the water from the cups instead.
2. Raise the heat a little, if necessary, so that the water trembles just a bit. Let the eggs poach (about 4 min. for runny yolks or 6 min. for firmer yolks). Use a slotted spoon to lift the eggs out of the water, and then serve.

Nutrition Information

Per serving: 72 calories (45 from fat), 5 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 211 mg cholesterol, 167 mg sodium, 0 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 6 g protein.
Exchanges: 1 protein, 1 fat.

VEGETARIAN (MEAT FREE) recipes are prepared without any meat, poultry or seafood. Check the label on each ingredient to make sure the brand you are using does not contain these items. TOPS vegetarian recipes may contain animal products, including foods with animal fats, milk or eggs.

All exchange values are approximate. When an optional or additional ingredient is offered, exchange values may change.

For simplicity’s sake, count other carbohydrates (other carbs) as starches.