I have been on a reading rampage so far this year as I work towards my goal of reading 25 books in 2017.  So far I’ve read 11. Commuting used to be an anxiety producing part of my day filled with honking horns and unexpected construction.  (Have I mentioned I live in Boston?)  Now, however, my drives are a welcome transition in my day with a familiar voice picking back up where the action paused.

When selecting what to read I typically go for the current fiction, with some of my favorites from the last few months being The Underground Railroad (which just won the Pulitzer), Room, The Art of Fielding, and The Nightingale. I’ve also read Unbroken, The Marriage Plot, and My Name is Lucy Barton, all which I enjoyed, but didn’t have the same level of impact as the previous books.  Has anyone read these?  

A recent conversation with my Aunt reminded me of how much I enjoy talking about the books I’ve read and the importance of cultivating connections with others who have similar interests.  So I am actively looking for a book club where I can engage in a nerdy book chat with others!

As we head into the weekend I think it’s perfect timing to post this delicious breakfast.  I am not eating carbs this month which has given me the exciting challenge of using food in some new ways. Breakfast is probably the easiest meal to make without carbs because of egg bakes and  shakshuka! Looking for variations (as always) I decided to try this green version in which the baked eggs sit in a base of kale, spinach, onions and garlic all simmered in a tomatillo sauce.

Tomatillos are still a new-ish ingredient for me and at first they were somewhat overpowering and pretty tangy. But, after a quick trip to the pantry I decided to add chipotle hot sauce which did an amazing job of balancing the flavor.  After adding the hot sauce the veggies and egg combination was the hearty breakfast I had hoped for.

Happy almost Friday and almost school vacation to my fellow teachers out there!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion – chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic – minced
• 1 jalapeno – diced
• 6 cups of kale
• 4 cups of spinach
• 3-5 small sweet peppers – cut into rings
• 1/3 cup of chicken broth
• 12 oz of tomatillo
• 4 eggs
• Chipotle hot sauce

Steps and Notes:

1. Preheat the oven to 375
2. In a cast iron skillet, saute the onions in olive oil until soft.   Add garlic and diced jalapeno cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Then, add the kale and mix well. Add chicken broth and mix well so all leaves are covered in liquid.  Cover and reduce heat to medium.
4. Season with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, and cumin
5. Occasionally stir until kale begins to soften.
6. Add the spinach and peppers again stir until the spinach softens.
7. Add the tomatillos and let simmer for 5-6 minutes for flavors to meld
8. Add a hearty amount of chipotle hot sauce (about 8-10 drops)
   • Note: This was key to cut the tang of the tomatillos
9. Then, create small ‘wells’ in the mixture with a wooden spoon and break eggs into each well.
10. Cook on the stovetop until eggs begin to set. Then, place in the oven for 12-15 minutes
    • Note: cook time varies depending on your preference of eggs

Thoughts for Next Time:

• Serve with a hearty-seedy-crunchy bread
• Add other green veggies such as zucchini, leeks, or green peppers
• Add cotija cheese! (red shakshuka is great with feta – I think this would be such a great variation)