Open-Faced Egg Salad Sandwiches
Nothing fancy here, just classic egg salad made with mayo, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, celery and red onion. Served on a lightly toasted slice of whole-grain bread, it’s the perfect light lunch.
It used to be that shopping for eggs was pretty simple. Deciding between small, medium, large, extra-large, and jumbo eggs was about the only choice to be made. Today, the options can be a bit overwhelming. Cage free, certified organic, and pasture raised are just a few terms featured on egg cartons.
If you’re looking for clarification when purchasing eggs for today’s egg salad recipe, the Egg Nutrition Center created a buyer’s guide to help consumers understand what it all means.
Conventional eggs
The most economical and readily available choice, conventional eggs are laid by hens housed in enclosures that also serve as nesting spaces.
Cage free eggs
These eggs are laid by hens that roam in a building, room, or open area that includes nest space and perches. While these hens are not caged, roaming space may be limited.
Free range eggs
Free range eggs come from hens not housed in enclosures. They are free to roam outside. In addition to eating grains, these hens may forage for plants and insects.
Brown eggs
Unless otherwise noted on the carton, these are conventional eggs with a brown shell. The color of the shell does not influence the eggs nutritional value, quality, or flavor. Hens with reddish-brown feathers and red ear lobes lay brown eggs. Hens with white feathers and white ear lobes typically lay white eggs.
Certified organic eggs
These eggs are laid by cage free or free range hens raised on certified organic feed. The hens must be given outdoor access year round.
Pasture raised eggs
Pasture raised eggs are from hens that roam and forage on a maintained pasture area. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not recognize this labeling term and therefore, no standards exist.
Omega-3 enriched eggs
These eggs are laid by hens fed a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Commonly available brands typically contain 160 to 250 milligrams of omega-3s per egg. A conventional egg has about 50 milligrams of omega-3s.
Pasteurized eggs
Pasteurized eggs are heated to a temperature that kills pathogens without cooking the egg.
With the exception of omega-3 enriched eggs, there are no real significant nutrient differences in eggs based on the color of the shell or farming method, but you will notice a difference in price. More involved production practices mean greater cost. I found quite a price range when shopping for eggs recently – anywhere from $3.19 for one dozen, large conventional eggs to $9.99 for a dozen organic, pasture raised eggs.
To your health,
Darlene
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OPEN-FACED EGG SALAD SANDWICHES
Yield: 5 servings
Serving Size: 1 slice bread topped with leaf lettuce, tomato slice and 1/3 cup egg salad
Prep: 10 minutes
Ready: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
5 lettuce leaves
5 tomato slices
5 slices whole grain bread, lightly toasted
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives (optional garnish)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional garnish)
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add chopped eggs, celery, and onion and stir to combine.
To assemble one open-faced sandwich, place a lettuce leaf and tomato slice on a lightly toasted slice of bread. Top with a 1/3 cup of egg salad. Sprinkle top of sandwich with fresh chives and freshly ground black pepper and serve.
Nutrition Information per Serving
203 Calories, 11 g Total fat, 2 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 178 mg Cholesterol, 346 mg Sodium, 14 g Total carbohydrate, 2 g Dietary fiber, 3 g Total sugars, 2 g Added sugars, 10 g Protein, 2 mcg (10%) Vitamin D, 22 mg (2%) Calcium, 1 mg (6%) Iron, 140 mg (2%) Potassium
© 2024 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
Love how you describe all the different eggs. Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks Darlene!
Absolutely love the egg education Darlene! Thank you so much. Pasture raised is my choice but I will often select cage free to save $. I will usually look for organic cage free but I’ve purchased pasture raised. They are a little pricey but I’m ok with it. My husband on the other hand wants to buy a dozen eggs for .99! lol ! I love egg salad & plan yo try your recipe soon.