Easy Sunny-Side-Up Eggs in Chili Garlic Yogurt (Meet the Methane Digester)
Pastured bone broth: I finally found a shelf-stable brand that is made from grass-fed cows! If you don’t have time to spend hours making your own bone broth, Kettle & Fire makes a game-changing broth from organic bones, slow-cooked to draw out the nutrients and collagen hidden deep inside. Get it HERE.
I’ve been thinking about food choices, lately. Ingredient choices, more specifically. Although it’s just one part of the lives, the ingredients we buy and the meals we eat day after day, month after month, year after year… do have an impact on our world, either for better or worse, beyond the short-term considerations of our wallets. That’s one of the central ideas that drives Fresh Planet Flavor: that our food choices matter, and that every dollar we spend at the grocery store, at farmers markets, and at restaurants can be harmful, or neutral, or regenerative for our bodies and our environment.
Which is why I want to highlight a detail in this favorite easy weeknight meal: the chili garlic sauce is made with yogurt from Straus Family Creamery (the first certified organic dairy and creamery west of the Mississippi). I’ll explain a bit more about the innovations in particular, but first! Since Fresh Planet Flavor readers are based all over the world, there’s a high likelihood that Straus products aren’t available in your area. But, the bigger principle applies: as you’re selecting ingredients to make meals to feed yourself and loved ones, take a moment to ask yourself whether you can support sustainability and innovation at the same time. Chances are, there’s a product, like Straus yogurt, that is the result of pushing the boundaries of our food system in a positive direction. Contemplate that while you enjoy this picture of Straus Creamery cows:
That being said, what’s the “methane digester” in the title? It’s actually just one of the ways in which Straus Creamery is innovating to keep our planet fresh. Straus makes 100% organic dairy products that are 100% GMO-free, minimally processed and contain no additives. Albert Straus–who runs the operation–says they’re committed to sustainable production at every level, from the way they cultivate their pastures to feed their cows, to the methane digester they use to produce their energy, to the reusable glass bottles they use to package the milk.
The methane digester makes electricity from the manure of Straus Creamery cows. It creates enough renewable energy to power the entire dairy, to charge Albert Straus’ electric car and to feed some electricity back into the grid.
Innovation in our food system: methane digesters make electricity from cow manure. Click To Tweet
How does the methane digester work?
Barn slurry, sileage runoff, and creamery waste flow into the slurry pitThis mixture is pumped into a device which separates the manure’s solids and liquids (ten cubic yards of manure solids are produced each day, which are hauled to another location, composted, then spread on fields as fertilizer)The liquid flows by gravity into the digester pondAnaerobic digestion = bacteria digest the waste and give off methane gasThe methane gas fuels a generator that offsets the farm’s energy use by 90%Heat captured from the engine makes hot water used to wash equipment in the milking barn
Here’s a diagram from a recent Civil Eats article on the true climate impact of dairy farming in California that illustrates the concept.
How does the methane digester make a difference (in 30-40 days)?
Saves money by generating 300,000 kilowatt hours of energy per yearEliminates a greenhouse gas 23 times more damaging than CO2Converts nitrogen into a more usable form for plants
I’ll make every effort to select Straus Creamery yogurt whenever I am making this easy, tasty, healthy meal (which can be enjoyed as dinner or a hearty breakfast). The days are getting shorter (even here in San Francisco, where there is just one season) and the nights chillier, so variations on this tasty meal have been my go-to because it’s Q-U-I-C-K and delicious, not to mention tasty broth-boiled carbs to accompany the gorgeous pastured eggs. By the way, the broth I’ve been using is made with carrots, so that is responsible for the wonderful color we’ve got going on with the rice.
Speaking of the eggs, I wouldn’t say no to eggs with every meal, I love them that much. I’m also a huge fan of the widely-available Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce, which the yogurt takes to the next level with its tart creaminess. Finish it off with whatever fresh herbs that you have on hand, and more chili flakes if you want to up the spicy quotient (and I always do). Enjoy!
Easy Sunny-Side-Up Eggs in Chili Garlic Yogurt (Meet the Methane Digester) Recipe Type: EntreeAuthor: Fresh Planet FlavorPrep time: 10 minsCook time: 20 minsTotal time: 30 minsServes: 2Ingredients2 eggs, sunny-side up*1 cup rice2 cups broth1 1/2 cup green beans, fresh or frozen1/3 cup Straus Creamery yogurt1 tbsp chili garlic sauceSalt and pepper, to tasteFresh herbs and chili flakes (optional)InstructionsRinse the rice in a colander until the water runs clear. Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the rice, and bring back to a gentle simmer.Cover the pot and turn the heat down to low, cook for 20 minutes or until tender.While the rice cooks, blanch the green beans (if fresh) or heat them (if using frozen). Fry the eggs according to your preferred method.When the rice is tender, turn off the heat and let stand a few minutes–covered–then remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.Mix the chili garlic sauce with the yogurt, then divide the rice into serving bowls, and top with the eggs, yogurt, and fresh herbs and chili flakes (if using). Serve warm. Notes*I used the Pioneer Woman’s [url href=”http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/perfect-sunny-side-up-eggs/” target=”_blank”]hot oil method[/url], to get the whites fully-cooked on top.3.5.3208
The Comments
Ariana
Super interesting read about turning methane into fuel! The eggs looks so delicious too, of course!
Fresh Planet Flavor
ArianaThanks! Wish there were more methane digesters in use…
Meghan
Oh my god this looks amazing. I wish I had this for breakfast instead!
Paige
This looks amazing! I need this in my life asap!
Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons
That egg…swoon! And chili garlic sauce? YUM!!!
Fresh Planet Flavor
Lane & Holly @ With Two SpoonsChili garlic sauce is where it’s at! 🙂
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife
Really interesting info — thank you for sharing! The dish looks gorgeous as well.
Fresh Planet Flavor
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLifeUrban Bliss Life? I’ll be sure to check out your blog… this urban life could use more bliss. 🙂
Rachel
OMG I am literally salivating. These look beyond delicious!
Karen -Sarcastic parent
Spicy and over easy eggs sounds so yummy. I can pretty much love any meal that has eggs!
Fresh Planet Flavor
Karen -Sarcastic parentMe too, for sure!
Jeanette
I get so hungry right now 🙂 Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe.
Jenni
This is really cool! What a great company and an awesome recipe!
Fresh Planet Flavor
JenniStraus is doing interesting things in the dairy industry, for sure.
Toast.to.glam
This looks so amazing! And such an easy recipe too!
linda
Rachel this bowl is gorgeous! Pinned and shared!
Fresh Planet Flavor
lindaThank you, means a lot coming from you! :-*
candy
I make our own yogurt and we have chickens so we always have eggs. Will be adding this to the recipe box.
Belle
Oh my! This looks really good! I bet my kids will love this!
Mary
This looks so delicious, what a perfect breakfast!
Samantha @ Momma Wants Java
I love my eggs to be spicy, so I’ll definitely be trying this recipe! Thank you!
Fresh Planet Flavor
Samantha @ Momma Wants JavaSpicy eggs = best eggs. 🙂
Sarah Jean Althouse
I’m trying to imagine what chilli garlic yogurt would taste like but I feel like you can’t go wrong!
Fresh Planet Flavor
Sarah Jean AlthouseRich, spicy, creamy, flavorful. You should try it!
Joanie @ ZagLeft
This looks absolutely delicious! So many great flavors here.
Leah
This sounds like such an interesting dish! Such interesting flavors!
Nicole
Some perfect looking eggs right there! I love the info graph on the methane digester, the more you know!
xx nicole
Ruthie
This meal is right up my alley!! I can’t wait to try it!! YUM
Cathy @ Our Mini Family
Yum!! This looks so delicious–pinning for later!
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Easy Sunny-Side-Up Eggs in Chili Garlic Yogurt
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