Low-carb Savory Zucchini Bread

 We usually go for the "normal" zucchini bread, dark and spicy with raisins, etc., almost like my mom's old "fishing trip cake."  But I've been exploring other options for low carb bread--Joseph is big on that--and I love any way to get additional vegetables into us, so I was pleased to find a recipe that I could adapt, from Kelley Herring's Keto Breads cookbook.  This one uses coconut flour, too, rather than almond flour--I'm allergic to the latter and usually have to substitute something or other...

We're not doing Keto, per se, but we're okay with saving carbs and using them where they count--like chocolate!

This recipe is also pretty easy and fast, unlike some rather complex Keto breads.

Grate about 1 1/2 cups of zucchini, skin on...dump into a clean cloth and squeeze to get excess liquid out...or you can just drain for a few hours in a colander, but squeezing's quicker and oddly satisfying!

Ingredients:

1 C. coconut flour (though I'll admit next time I plan to use 3/4 C. and 1/4 C. of cassava flour...coconut flour is WEIRD.  It'll have a few more carbs but maybe be less...odd.  Tastes fine, but funny texture.)

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. sea salt

1-1/2 C. grated zucchini, drained

6 eggs  (Yes, 6.  That's what I thought!)

1/2 C. coconut oil, melted, olive or other oil.  Or like I did use bacon grease because we have a LOT.

1 T. apple cider vinegar

1 t. lemon juice 

(No, I don't know why those last two.  But what the heck...)

I'm betting it would be good with herbs or a half cup of grated cheddar, too...next time...

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a bread pan well with coconut oil, butter, whatever, then make a sling of parchment paper for the bottom and sides.  

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl

 Mix eggs, oil, zucchini, etc. in a larger one, then combine well.

At this point I had to taste the batter. Yum.  Probably the bacon grease!

Plop the batter into the prepared pan, and level the top somewhat

Bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes, check for doneness with the point of a knife--it should come out clean.  Let the bread cool before slicing (if you can!) (okay, mostly cool...) and enjoy.  

Because of the coconut flour, it has a kind of coarse texture, almost like cornbread...as I said, next time a bit of cassava flour, or if you're not allergic, you could try almond flour.  

I liked it with butter and honey (so much for low carb, right?  Hush!) and it makes wonderful skillet toast.  It's a bit tender, so I'm not sure how it would work for sandwiches.

DO store in an airtight container, for only a few days.  If you can't eat it all up within 3-4 days, slice and freeze for later...it tends to get moldy fairly fast, especially in warm damp weather.

Baked Zucchini "Fries"

Baked zucchini "fries" for dinner last night...tasty!

It's zucchini season, and we're all delighted with a new way to prepare this lovely vegetable (especially if you find yourself inundated with 'em!) 

We discovered this recipe last year at this time, and we loved it!  (Okay, what's not to like?  Fried crispiness!)

Ingredients

Fresh zucchini*

1 egg, beaten

1/3 c. cassava or coconut flour**

1/3 C. arrowroot flour***

salt

pepper

herbs to taste--I ofte use garlic and Italian mix, but it would be good with curry or Mexican spices, too

How-to

Mix flours, salt, pepper, and herbs or spices.  Cut Zucchini in spears.  Dip in egg wash then roll in flour mixture.

Heat oven to 410 degrees, oil the cookie sheet generously and put fries on it in a single layer, bake for 15 minutes, turn, bake for another 15, and that's that! 

Bet you won't have leftovers...

*Note...this would be fine with yellow summer squash as well.  Or with carrots, or...

** Note #2...Cassava flour is more like normal wheat flour to work with.  Coconut flour is odd stuff, and sometimes soaks up too much liquid. 

This is a gluten free recipe...if you don't have a problem, wheat flour is acceptable

Lentil and Spinach Curry--AIP or not!

This is a delicious, inexpensive dish that goes a long way!  Add chicken, shrimp, lamb or nothing at all--we've done it both ways, and love it.

It's also a great way to get lots of vegetables...last time I made it I added cauliflower and zucchini...this time, leftover broccoli, green onions and carrots in addition to the spinach, onions, and garlic that are part of the original recipe.

And yes I DID eat more than that, it was just so good I forgot to take a picture before tucking into it!

1 15 oz. can of lentils or 1 cup (or more) of lentils, soaked in water to cover (soak 2 to 4 hours)
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
butter, ghee, or oil to saute' them
2 C. frozen chopped spinach or 1 pkg.
1 C. coconut milk
1 C. vegetable broth or soup stock
1 t. salt
1 t. curry powder or to taste (I mostly used AIP nightshade free curry powder this time, in this post: http://starvingartistscook.blogspot.com/2018/12/aip-curry-powder.html)
Black pepper to taste
1/2 t. dried thyme, which I forgot...

Whatever other vegetables you want to throw in...

Saute' onions and garlic till translucent--I did the carrots then, too.  Add coconut milk and broth, then other ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally.  If you need more liquid, add it. 

Serve with naan, rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, whatever you like.

SO GOOD.  And enough leftovers for another couple of meals...

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Legumes get a bad rap for a number of reasons...the lectins in them can cause gut permeability (isn't that appetizing?!) and other problems (Beano, anyone?).  But for whatever reason, lentils are the least likely of this family to give you problems, and they have a host of nutrients!  The Paleo Mom gave them a thumbs up recently, so I jumped on it for an occasional meal.

If you use canned lentils or soak them first, you reduce the lectins even further, and so I do.

AIP Moroccan-style Vegetables* (with reintroductions)

Whatever we had in the crisper, along with a few new purchases from today's grocery run...and YES there will be leftovers!

I've been making stir-fry vegetables but decided I was hungry for Moroccan-style again!  I had to make some adjustments to my original recipe to make it mostly AIP compliant, and used more and different vegetables since we just got back from our weekly grocery shopping and needed to get stuff out of the fridge, but YUM.

You can pretty much use whatever vegetables you have on hand, I did! These were in tonight's dish...

Cut up half an onion
2-3 radishes if you have them, sliced
2-3 large carrots
Several broccoli florets, cut bite size
Several cauliflower florets, ditto
1/2 zucchini cut in bite sizes
1 C. Cabbage, cut thin (not quite as thin as for slaw)
½ C. Mushrooms, if you have them.  (Or however many you want.)
2-3 cloves of garlic or a generous sprinkle of garlic powder
handful of raisins (that's the reintroduction, dried fruit is out, at first)

Saute' in olive oil till beginning to get tender, then add spices:

I used:

garlic powder

turmeric

cinnamon

ginger

powdered clove, just a bit for a kick

salt

cumin (whoops, another reintry--seeds) 

pepper  (ditto, one more)

(This is very much like my AIP curry powder, recipe here.)

Tonight we had the vegetables with Joseph's wonderful encrusted salmon filets...delicious!

Keep tasting till it has a nice complex taste with a bit of heat from the ginger and vegetables are tender, serve with a protein or whatever suits your fancy...and dig in!

* No nightshades for me on the autoimmune protocol, so no cayenne, oh well...the ginger gave it enough heat!

Old-fashioned Oxtail Soup!

I grew up on this hearty winter soup--or stew, if you prefer!--and I love it.  Remember the old saying "it sticks to your ribs?"  Well, it does.  It's wonderful, rich, simple peasant food and you really don't even need a recipe. 

Soup-making is sacred, to me.  Whatever combination of ingredients, I feel deeply connected to my ancestors stretching all the way back to the first pots that would hold a bubbling liquid, some meat, and some vegetables. (Tightly-woven baskets with hot stones dropped in, anyone?)

But I digress...

What do you have on hand?  Throw it in there!  We try hard to use organic vegetables and if that's not possible, fresh locally grown, and from the "clean 15" list of those least affected by chemicals.

All you really need are a variety of vegetables (think variety, color, and nutrient-dense!) and good quality oxtails, not always easy to find in today's hurry-up, ready made "cuisine."  A good butcher should be able to fix you up, even if you have to call ahead, and of course we look for locally sourced, pastured, hormone-free, grass-fed beef if at all possible.

I had a couple of pounds on hand--we buy the good stuff from Moink,  The Local Pig in the City Market in Kansas City, or Barham Family Farm in Kearney (MO), but I know there are plenty of other sources out there.

I lightly brown the meat in an iron skillet to bring out the rich flavor, then put it in the crock pot with bone broth, beef broth (home made or commercial) or water, and add whatever vegetables I have on hand.

This time it was onions (always), garlic, carrots, turnips, celery, zucchini, and radishes (yes, radishes!  They are wonderful cooked), and a few greens (baby spinach?  Chard?)  Sometimes I have celeriac or parsnips, but above you see the basics. 

Cut in bite-size pieces and add to the pot. Make sure the liquid covers most of the ingredients, but not to worry, they will squish up (the zucchini sure did!) and cook down into the broth.

Add what herbs you like (we make an Italian seasoning mix), season to taste, and put the lid on the pot.  Set to high and come back later to a wonderful dinner!  (If you use an instant pot, that's good too, I just don't have one.)

 
Oxtails are so rich in collagen and protein that the broth will partly solidify or gel when cool.  This is GOOD.

This was soooo good I even had a bowl for breakfast the next morning AND dinner the next night.  And had leftovers to freeze for later.

Bone Broth!

We've all read enough about how good bone broth is for us--for our ow strong bones, for skin, nails, hair, even arthritic or injured joints.  Lately, it's popped up in my reading about autoimmune syndromes...so yes, good stuff!

I've made it off and on for years, from whatever bones we have on hand--leftover turkey carcass, bones from a roast chicken, beef bones, you name it.  I've used it as is, as well as for the basis for some incredibly good soups and stews, even as an addition to sauces and gravies.

Let me tell you, the stuff you buy can't TOUCH home made.  It's thin and tasteless and not at all tempting, and yes, I've tried a lot of diffeent brands.  I add it to soup stock if I have it, but if you plan to drink it you pretty much need to add something to give it a bit of savor.

Enter home made.  Of course grandma used to keep a pot simmering on the back of her old woodstove, but these days the crock pot does a wonderful job!  (I'm sure an Instant Pot would too, but I don't have one.)

It really IS easy...all you need are bones (duh, right?) and whatever vegetables need to be used up in your crisper or garden, and a little salt and herbs for savor.

Get hold of the best bones you can...from grass-fed or free range critters is best.  I brown them or roast them before putting them in the crock pot.  (The last batch of beef bones I got, from Barham Cattle Company and Family Farms had SO much meat on them I ended up with a luscious beef stew instead of broth!  And of course they were marked soup bones!  I'm going to see if they'll save some bone broth bones for me...)

Cut up whatever vegetables you have on hand...I used enough to fill the crock pot.  Here are carrots, celery, onion, radishes, garlic and spinach, with a bit of chard and cabbage as well.  If you have other faves, add 'em.  If they're getting a bit long in the tooth, add 'em anyway.)

Add the bones....

Cover with water (or leftover broth), add salt and herbs, and you're done.  Turn on the crock pot, put on the lid, and walk away.  We do ours for at least 24 hours or more...a couple of days extracts more minerals.  (Sometimes I add a splash of apple cider vinegar to help liberate those minerals...but not enough to make the broth taste sour.)

That's a rich, delightful broth.  I love beef bone marrow, so I scoop it out and eat it when I discard the bones--it's full of nutrients!  Then you can enjoy this as is or strain out the vegetables, which is what we did.  That gave us two big quarts of luscious bone broth I'm enjoying a mug at a time, plus a container of vegetables to eat later or add to other dishes.  (They became part of a mixed vegetable side dish last night, and Lady enjoys the bones with our veterinarian's blessings...we don't waste much.)

As you can see, the hardest part of this is cutting up all those vegetables  A good cutting board and a good sharp knife makes that a pleasure, for me...I Zen out...

Auto-immune Style Stir Fry!

We are both pretty fond of stir fry, but we LOVE this version.  No soy, no wheat, no gluten, no nightshades, no legumes and all just delicious!  I did another version of this dish in THIS post, July 9, but I've branched out a bit.  The seasoning mixture is heavenly...so try them both!

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken breasts or thighs or the meat of your choice--beef or pork would be wonderful too, or you could even use tofu (not on the AIP diet, of course, because of the soy.)

A nice variety of vegetables--I like to use up what's on hand.  Here, that's carrots, celery, onions, garlic, cauliflower, zucchini, cabbage, spinach, chard, and even radishes that were getting a bit pithy.  Another time I might have broccoli, Brussels sprouts, squash or who knows what!  If I have those thick broccoli stems saved, I'll peel them to get all the stringy, tough part off and chop up the crispy center.  Mushrooms would be good, as well.  AND when I'm no longer on the introduction phase, I'll be adding snow peas.

Use what you like...and what you have on hand.

Coconut aminos
Olive or avocado oil
Red palm oil (optional, and make sure you get a brand that's harvested sustainably)
Apple cider or red wine vinegar
Red Boat sauce (adds that bit of umami, whatever that is...trust me, it's good!)
AIP "curry powder"  (recipe below)



PREPARATION  (From here the recipe is almost same, so to save typing that much I'm just editing to add the changes!)

Cut the meat into bite size pieces, and marinate in coconut aminos, oil, and vinegar (more aminos than vinegar) for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.  Overnight is fine, if you want.  I put the pieces in a bag or container and turn it this way and that to thoroughly coat everything.

Cut up the vegetables into bite size bits--I like to get fancier with the cutting, making carrots as diagonal slices and celery into decorative half moons, but they taste the same however you want to do it.  I like to keep all the vegetables separate and add them one at a time, slower cooking ones first--especially since J. likes carrots DONE.  No al dente for him, thank you!  I use whole baby spinach, but I cut or tear chard or similar greens into bite size pieces.

Add oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet and dump in the chicken and marinade; I just ued a bit of the red palm oil for rich color, but don't get carried away--it's ORANGE.  This will need to cook off and the marinade gets lovely and thick and browned a bit.

This time, I got the chicken just browned but not necessarily done through, and removed it so I could cook the vegetables in the same skillet--as noted, spinach or other greens last.  When they're close to done (we like ours softer than some traditional stir fries, and browned a bit), then splash with more coconut aminos and if you like, more vinegar, a few drops of Red Boat sauce (find it in an Asian market or online), salt and garlic powder.  (Coconut aminos aren't salty like soy or tamari sauce.)  Add a half teaspoon or more of the "curry powder"* for flavor...it really tastes more like Joseph's wonderful Chinese Five Spice mix, so it's perfect for stir fry!)


I had a LOT of juice left over this time, so I removed everything else from the pan and reduced the animos sauce till it was thickened, then added everything back to serve.  (If I'd cooked the chicken that much longer it would have been tough.)

As always, we look for organic, free range, antibiotic-free meats and organic vegetables if we can get them.  Farmers-market fresh is good, too!

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*AIP "Curry Powder" Recipe  (no seeds or nightshades, in the early phases of the protocol)

Ingredients

1 T. garlic powder

1 T. onion powder

1 T. turmeric

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. powdered ginger (or more for a bit more kick)

½ t. ground clove (again, I added a bit more)

Real Food & Love blog adds powdered lemongrass, but I was fresh out...

If you're past the introduction phase (or AIP isn't an issue), you can add powdered mustard, cumin, and black pepper to taste, as well.

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together and use in any recipe calling for curry powder. Use this in place of traditional curry powder, which usually has coriander seed, cumin seed, cayenne, mustard seed, chili peppers and black pepper, all of which are off the plate for the introduction phase.  

Chicken Stir-fry, AIP style!

I made this for dinner last night, just altering my usual approach a bit for the new protocol, and it was so good J. has requested I make it again tonight!

Stir fry's been a favorite of mine since I first visited San Francisco when I was 18 (dinosaurs roamed the earth then, so you can tell it's been a while!)--I'm delighted to say my husband shares my enthusiam, with this version.  It's not only autoimmune-protocol, but fits our Primal Blueprint/Paleo habit perfectly.

I'm not big on measurements so it varies a bit each time, and we use whatever vegetables we have on hand.

So...here we go!

INCREDIENTS

Chicken--breasts or thighs

Vegetables--usually I use onion, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach or other greens, 2-4 garlic cloves, sliced, maybe celery--and in this case a few snow peas.  Experts don't entirely agree on those, since technically they ARE legumes and those can cause problems, but if you use the ones that are young and haven't developed the peas--crisp pods only--some sources say acceptable. (Same for green beans.)

Coconut aminos instead of soy-based products
Red wine vinegar
If you don't have garlic cloves, garlic powder will do
Olive oil

PREPARATION

Cut the chicken into bite size peices, and marinate in coconut aminos, oil, and vinegar (more aminos than vinegar) for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.  Overnight is fine, if you want.  I put the pieces in a bag or container and turn it this way and that to thoroughly coat everything.

Cut up the vegetables into bite size bits.  We thin-slice the carrots...and I like to keep all the vegetables separate and add them one at a time, slower cooking ones first.

Add oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet and dump in the chicken and marinade.  It will need to cook off and the marinade gets lovely and thick and browned a bit.

In a separate skillet, also oiled, add the vegetables in whatever order you want--spinach or other greens last.  When they're close to done (we like ours softer than some traditional stir fries, and browned a bit), then splash with more coconut aminos and if you like, salt and garlic powder.  (Coconut aminos aren't salty like soy or tamari sauce.)

Enjoy!  Just had cold stir-fry for breakfast again...

Autoimmune-style Broccoli Salad for Summer!

We've loved our friend Lola's broccoli salad and offered the recipe here: http://starvingartistscook.blogspot.com/2015/05/sort-of-lolas-broccoli-salad.html

But since starting autoimmune protocol*, for now dried fruits, sugar, and mayonnaise are off the plate until reintroduction, over 2 months from now.  I like to have a summer picnic-safe version anyway, and mayo-dressed salads aren't great for that!

So I decided to experiment to see if at least SOME of the ingredients would make the transition...and boy was it a success!  Here it is served with grilled tenderloin kabobs, grilled zucchini, sauteed onions and mushrooms...what a meal.



1 head of organic broccoli chopped bite size
1 C. cauliflower florets, chopped
1/2 to 1 onion
1 large shredded carrot
1 pkg. of nitrite and nitrate-free bacon (that's 12 oz., these days)  (Or however much bacon you have...)



Dress with:
splash of extra virgin olive oil to moisten
2 T. liquid coconut aminos for a touch of sweetness and a hint of Asian flavor
1 T. red wine vinegar or apple cider
sea salt to taste

(I'm not using pepper or Pepperman for now, but I didn't seem to miss it...add it if it's not a problem!)

Add other vegetables if you like...or some home made herb salt...

Mix it all up and let it chill so the flavors mellow into eachother...we loved it!

If you'd like to know more about the autoimmune protocol, here's a good place to start: The Paleo Mom's basic starter guide.  https://www.thepaleomom.com/start-here/the-autoimmune-protocol/  
It's all over the 'net, though, just Google it and the literally thousands of amazing recipes...

Best Paleo Chicken Satay EVER--with Moroccan vegetables of course!

Mmmmm...Chicken Satay on the grill, spicy sunflower seed sauce (rather than peanut sauce), and Moroccan vegetables.  If you're feeling at all adventurous, you will LOVE this.  (Joseph did the hard part, I did the side dish...)

Best Paleo Chicken Satay EVER

Ingredients:

    3/4 c unsweetened coconut milk
    1 T fish sauce
    1 T tamari
    1 T raw honey
    1 T curry powder
    2 t Sriracha   
    1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
    4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Also needed:
    4 long wooden skewers soaked in water for at least an hour
    Satay Dipping Sauce - recipe below
   
Instructions:

    Place all ingredients except the chicken in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

    Cut the chicken thighs in half lengthwise and add to the marinade. Stir to coat the chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.

Thread two chicken thighs lengthwise onto each skewer. Place the skewers on the grill, close the cover, and cook about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the chicken, and close the grill. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes more. (Note: I hate to waste any of the marinade, so I tend to baste the chicken with any that’s leftover while it’s cooking.)

Transfer the skewers to a clean serving platter and serve with dipping sauce.

Satay Dipping Sauce

    3/4 c unsweetened coconut milk
    1/4 c sunflower seed butter*
    1 T fish sauce
    1 T organic raw honey
    1 T curry powder
    1 T tamari
    1 t Sriracha
    1 T freshly squeezed lime juice

    Place everything but the lime juice in a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients are evenly combined, about 3 minutes total. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the lime juice, and transfer the sauce to a small bowl to cool. (Note: I just mixed it all together without cooking. It was fine.)   

*Peanut butter is traditional, but sunflower seed butter is every bit as good and more in keeping with Paleo/Primal.

Kate’s Part...Moroccan Vegetables

Cut up half an onion
2-3 radishes if you have them
2 large carrots
2 stalks celery
1 C. Cabbage, cut thin (not quite as thin as for slaw)
½ C. Mushrooms, if you have them.  (Or however many you want.)
2-3 cloves of garlic
handful of raisins
handful of dried apricots, cut up

1/4 C. Olive oil or toasted sesame oil.

Cut into bite sizes as shown.  And of course you can use whatever you have, add or omit whatever.  This is a delicious way to use of vegetables...I just used what I had, though squash would have been nice, too!

Saute everything in oil till tender...I start with the carrots because they take longer.

Just this sauteed is about perfect..slightly browned...

Then add either commercial Moroccan or Turkish seasoning, or add turmeric, ginger, cumin, a bit of cayenne, salt, and pepper–try a half teaspoon of everything but the cayenne and ginger, I go lighter with those because I am a wussy-girl.  If that’s not flavorful enough, add more!  More cumin, for sure...

Put a lid on it, turn down and let simmer 10 minutes or so.

Delicious!

And especially wonderful if it's warm enough to eat outdoors...

Almost Paleo Chicken Satay

I finally ran out of Trader Joe’s Satay Sauce so I broke down and made my own. I used cashews instead of peanuts to make it more Paleo/Primal and in retrospect I rather wish I’d left out the sugar to make it completely so.  But I originally intended it as a grilling sauce rather than a dipping sauce, not realizing that the sauce for satay is SUPPOSED to be a dipping sauce though of course you can brush some on when you grill. So in the future I’ll mix it up sans sugar – neither of us thinks it really needs it.

Sauce Ingredients:

1 cup salted cashew halves & pieces

1/3 cup water

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T organic cane sugar

1 T Tamari (soy sauce will work)

½ T lime juice

2 t sesame oil

1 t Sriracha

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. None of the ingredients require refrigeration so I don't believe this does either.

This time I used breasts rather than thighs. Slice however many chicken breasts you’re going to cook (I used three) into one inch strips and marinate in soy sauce and a dash of garlic powder and another of turmeric for a couple of hours.

Skewer chicken strips, brush with sauce and grill until just done. It looks burnt but that's just the sauce on top - the meat was tender and juicy!

Kate stirred up some mixed veggies - summer squash, zucchini, cabbage, red bell pepper, broccoli stems, carrots, onions and garlic - with some soy sauce and Chinese Five Spice seasoning to go with it.

Italian Egg Brunch

OK, as I mentioned, I finally realized one reason I haven't been doing this as much is because I don't always take time to do art first!  So, since I JUST finished a lovely Italian Egg Brunch and it's a lovely, lazy Sunday morning, I'm going to share it with you anyway!  (Hey, cooking itself is an art!)

We like Victoria Marinara Sauce, but haven't been able to find it locally.  Happily, Bertolli Organic with Olive Oil, Basil and Garlic certainly takes its place with style, AND it's organic! 

I aim for that whenever I can, even though much commercial organic isn't like buying from the farm or growing your own...according to a lot I've read, you just get more from the food you eat if you go organic.  More vitamins, more minerals, more LIFE.  Maybe even fewer doctor visits!

Seems like a good use of our food dollars, to me...


So.  Let me know what you think?

ITALIAN EGG BRUNCH

1 cup of the Italian sauce of your choice--home made and organic is marvelous, of course!

2-4 eggs (we get the most wonderful orange-yolked, farm-raised, organic eggs through my best friend's food coop, or from the organic section of our grocer's.  They stand up and salute in the pan!)

1 T. extra virgin olive oil OR butter

1-2 T. grated cheese (if we buy the commercial stuff, we like the Parmesan, Romano, Asiago mix)

or (and?) 1 slice of Provolone cheese, diced

1/2 sweet Vidalia onion, if possible (any sweet yellow onion will do, of course), sliced like this and sautee'd till golden:




Add squash, mushrooms, green pepper, whatever, if you have it, and saute till soft.

I went for butter to grease the pan--luscious, though...





Put the tomato sauce into the same skillet and bring it to a simmer, then drop in the eggs.  Sprinkle with cheese and herbs, if you like (we got some fantastic Tuscan Herb mix from Penzey's Spices.  Oh, yum...)





You can sprinkle on some bread crumbs if you like--I'm avoiding gluten, so I didn't! n

Cover the pan, turn the heat to low, and let the eggs poach till the whites are, well, white instead of transparent.  Check it occasionally, I like this with the yolks still soft...if you want, spoon some of the hot tomato sauce up over the eggs to speed their cooking.

This is SERIOUSLY good, and just filling enough...great brunch for a chilling winter morning!