“When life gives you lemons, ask for something with more protein”
I don’t always enjoy trying new things. I’m a creature of habit and routine. I don’t do fads and if something works well for me, I tend to stick with it.
Protein in a jug
There are exceptions to this rule. A few weeks ago, I stopped by the local nutrition shop, H&I Nutrition (North Dakota friends, there’s also one in Bismarck – good stuff and the owner really knows his shit. Go there.) to pick up something new Chris and I wanted to try: Muscle Egg.
Muscle Egg is pure egg whites with a little extra protein. As a vegetarian, my curiosity is always piqued by anything protein. That, my friends, is one example of when I very much enjoy trying new things.
Chris and I have since gone thru an entire jug and are on our second one. In that time, I’ve had a chance to try Muscle Egg in several recipes and compare it to regular eggs and Egg Beaters (an egg substitute, similar concept). My findings:
Positives
The Ratio
One large egg has 70 calories and 6 grams of protein. Remove the yolk, you’re looking at 15 calories and about 3 grams of protein.
A cup of Egg Beaters is approximately 140 calories with about 26 grams of protein.
Muscle Egg comes in at 130 calories and 26 grams of protein for one cup. Nearly identical to Egg Beaters.
Versatility
Muscle Egg wins in this category. I used it multiple ways – traditional scrambled eggs, in cilantro-lime burritos, spinach omelets, veggie wraps – and the versatility can’t be beat. It’s also safe to drink as-is.
I think part of the reason it’s so versatile is the near non-existent taste of Muscle Egg. It’s not overpowering and lets the other ingredients really shine. Another part is the light, very fluffy texture of Muscle Egg. Finally, it’s really easy to cook.
Negatives
Taste
As mentioned above, there’s not much taste to Muscle Egg – great when using it as a simple protein boost in other recipes, not so great to eat as “just” eggs.
That being said, Muscle Egg is offered in different flavors – chocolate, pumpkin spice, strawberry, that sort of thing. I can’t imagine eating flavored egg whites but, as I say, different strokes for different folks.
After a few tries, I finally got decent omelets.
Omelet Test
I love a good omelet. Typically I stuff mine full of spinach and a little cheese, sometimes more. Naturally, I had to put Muscle Egg to my omelet test. The result? Good but not great.
Muscle egg doesn’t cook up as thick as Egg Beaters, nor does it hold its form well. It kinda fell apart and became more of a veggie scramble. The second time I tried, it was a little better but still resembled more of a veggie crepe than an omelet.
Still, it was workable in omelet form and tasted good packed with spinach, mozzarella and topped with avocado.
Conclusion: Just as there will always be coffee, something chocolatey and a shitload of chicken in our kitchen, there will always be a carton of Muscle Egg in the fridge.
Those of you who have tried Muscle Egg too, any recipes to share? If so, please leave me a comment!
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