Shakshuka

Happy Hump Day! Wednesday at our house is breakfast for dinner night. I love this tradition for several reasons. First, I don’t have to think about it too much when I’m meal planning. It’s set. Second, most of the time we use staples I already buy or leftovers to supplement our meal here, so I don’t have to allot grocery budget for it. Third, breakfast is fast to cook and quick to clean up. What’s not to love?

Setting aside nights as a specific meal or type of cuisine is a great idea for meal planning. Some people go further than I do, with each night of the week assigned. I’ve even recently seen someone who has the same seven meals every week. That isn’t my cup of tea, but I understand the appeal of routine and simplicity at dinnertime.

To continue our African Heritage Week and Black History Month theme from yesterday, I’m reposting an older recipe today – Shakshuka. It fits with breakfast for dinner at my house. It’s a surprisingly easy dish that is different enough to make breakfast for dinner night feel special. The dish is of North African or Middle Eastern origin.

Shakshuka (Serves 3-4)

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bell peppers, thinly sliced (preferably 2 different colors)
1 jalapeño chile, sliced into thin strips
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon paprika
1 (14-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes, crushed through your fingers a bit
6-8 eggs (depending on how many eggs each person wants)
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
6 small or 4 large whole-wheat pitas or flatbreads (optional)

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook until beginning to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook one minute more. Add all the peppers; sauté until they soften, about 5 minutes more. Add cumin, oregano, marjoram, and paprika. Cook one minute more.

2. Pour in the tomatoes plus half a can of water. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionaly.

3. Warm pitas or flatbreads, if using.

4. Make indentations in the sauce for each egg. Crack an egg into each indentation. Put lid on the pot. Cook the eggs to your desired level of firmness, keeping sauce at a simmer. Scoop eggs and sauce into pitas or onto flatbreads, if using, or just onto a plate. Garnish with feta. Eat immediately.

Nutritional Information (Amount per Serving):

Calories: 443
Protein: 23 g
Fat: 19 g
Saturated Fat: 7 g
Cholesterol: 389 mg
Carbohydrates: 44 g
Fiber: 7 g
Sodium: 606 mg

Source: adapted very slightly from Smitten Kitchen

Low iodine adjustment: Skip the feta and pita.