Spinach and Feta Shakshuka

Spinach and Feta Shakshuka

Spinach and Feta Shakshuka ready to serve from a shallow braiser.

Spinach and Feta Shakshuka

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Meatless meals can be so darn good! Spinach and Feta Shakshuka is a quick and easy vegetarian meal that has a crazy amount of nutrition packed into it. Eggs on their own are very nutritious, add in spinach, leeks and legumes and you’ve got a healthy dose of vitamins A, C, K and D, not to mention loads of protein and fibre. This lovely dish packs a lot of flavour too, plus it’s prime for serving for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The preparation of ingredients for Spinach and Feta Shakshuka.
Spinach and Feta Shakshuka in a shallow braiser ready to cook the eggs.

There are plenty of green shakshuka variations out there, but I love the classic feta and dill combination of this one. It’s bursting with fresh flavours of dill and lemon, and the spinach is a great pairing with the eggs. I’ve opted to use cannellini beans, however, other legumes such as chickpeas would be great as well. I find the beans round out the dish and make it rustic and very satisfying. I also suggest serving this dish with crusty, toasted bread. You’ll need it to dunk into the perfectly soft eggs and scoop up the saucy greens. Enjoy!

Spinach and Feta Shakshuka ready to serve from a shallow braiser.

Author:  Compelled to Cook

Spinach and Feta Shakshuka ready to serve from a shallow braiser.
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Spinach and Feta Shakshuka

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 3 people

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium leeks, well cleaned
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 7 ounces fresh baby spinach
  • 3/4 cup cooked cannellini beans, see note
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/2 each lemon
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  • 2 each green onions

Instructions

  • Thinly slice the leeks and green onions. Heat oil in a large shallow skillet or braiser. Add leeks and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until starting to soften. Stir in broth, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Simmer for 4-5 until leels are tender and most of the broth has cooked out.
  • Add spinach and toss gently with leeks until wilted. Stir in beans, dill and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon. Make 6 large indentations and crack an egg into each. Sprinkle evenly with feta cheese. Cover and cook on medium heat until egg whites are just set and the centers still jiggle, about 4-5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with sliced green onions and the remaining tbsp of fresh dill. Serve with toasted bread.

Notes

-I used cannellini beans for this recipe and enjoyed them in the dish.   Chickpeas would be another great choice.

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Low Carb Almond Bread

Low Carb Almond Bread

A stack of Low Carb Almond Bread resting on a wire rack with a fresh parsley garnish.

Low Carb Almond Bread

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It is crazy how cheese can be made into something so bread-like!! Low Carb Almond Bread has a spongy texture and a chewy bread-like feel. It’s sturdy enough for your favourite sandwich and warms nicely in the toaster for your fried egg. This low carb, Keto-friendly bread also tastes great!!

A baked slab of Low Carb Almond Bread cooling on a wire rack.

You can use regular cream cheese, but I like to use flavoured for this recipe for something a little different. I like the garden vegetable for regular sandwiches and the herb and garlic for bread to serve with soup or stew. This great recipe is also super quick, being ready in about half an hour. Serve slightly warm right out of the pan, room temperature or lightly toasted in the toaster. You can use Low Carb Almond Bread for sandwiches, croutons, as a dipping bread, or a base for fried eggs and tuna melts. It’s a great way to keep your Keto diet on track with only 2.4 net carbs per slice. Enjoy!

An egg salad sandwich made with Low Carb Almond Bread is cut on the diagonal and speared with a toothpick olive.

Here’s the breakdown per slice when cutting into 12 slices per recipe.

Calories per slice: 202kcal

Net Carbs per slice: 2.4g

Fat per slice: 17.4g

Protein per slice: 9.25g

Want more low carb options?

Broccoli Cheddar Frittata

Beef Roulade

Tarragon Chicken Cutlets

A stack of Low Carb Almond Bread resting on a wire rack with a fresh parsley garnish.

Author:  Compelled to Cook, adapted from Pork Rind Keto Bread

A stack of Low Carb Almond Bread resting on a wire rack with a fresh parsley garnish.
Low Carb Almond Bread
Print Recipe
    Servings Prep Time
    12 slices 15 minutes
    Cook Time
    20 minutes
    Servings Prep Time
    12 slices 15 minutes
    Cook Time
    20 minutes
    A stack of Low Carb Almond Bread resting on a wire rack with a fresh parsley garnish.
    Low Carb Almond Bread
    Print Recipe
      Servings Prep Time
      12 slices 15 minutes
      Cook Time
      20 minutes
      Servings Prep Time
      12 slices 15 minutes
      Cook Time
      20 minutes
      Instructions
      1. Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly spray a 10"x15" baking tray with non-stick spray and line with parchment if desired.
      2. Stir together almond flour and baking powder.
      3. To a large bowl add the cream cheese and mozzarella. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir and return to microwave for another minute. Stir until smoothed out. Add eggs one at a time whisking with a fork to incorporate each fully. Stir in parmesan cheese and dry ingredients. Spread evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 17-20 minutes.
      4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool cut into 12 squares.
      Recipe Notes

      -I like to use garden vegetable or herb and garlic cream cheese.  They add a nice twist to the taste.

      -The cut squares will last up to a month in the freezer in an airtight container or Ziplock bag.

      -Room temperature squares can be warmed in the toaster.

      -This bread holds up well when used for sandwiches, but also great topped with a fried egg or as a tuna melt.

       

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      I may receive compensation for purchases made through this site, at no cost to the purchaser. Compelled to Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
      Garlicky Buttered Beans

      Garlicky Buttered Beans

      Garlicky Buttered Beans served in a shallow, oval dish with a wedge of lemon.

      Garlicky Buttered Beans

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      Some will say it’s all about the turkey or roast, but how many of us scour through recipes looking for the perfect side dishes to serve with the turkey? We search for recipes because we dream of the perfect meal, and the meal generally includes side dishes. I definitely fall into this group of recipe searchers, partly because it’s nice to try something new and because I believe accompanying dishes are equally as important to any meal as the main item. Even though everyone will not agree with this sentiment, it’s hard to resist buttery green beans. Add in a good dose of garlic, Dijon and lemon juice and you’ve got a bright and zesty veggie that is perfect served with roast turkey, beef or ham. These Garlicky Buttered Beans just might steal the show.

      Sauteed garlic, butter and Dijon mustard in a stainless steel pan with blanched green beans in the background prepared for Garlicky Buttered Beans.

      Garlicky Buttered Beans start with simple ingredients and the whole dish comes together quickly with little fuss. To help with a busy day in the kitchen, the beans can be cooked and cooled in advance, leaving only a quick sauté in garlicky butter. The Dijon, lemon juice and chili flakes help to liven up plain old green beans. If it’s weeknight cooking for just a few people, go ahead and use only half the amount of the green beans, they’re just saucier. What’s not to love about that. Enjoy!

      Garlicky Buttered Beans served in a shallow, oval dish with a wedge of lemon.

      Author:  Compelled to Cook

      Garlicky Buttered Beans served in a shallow, oval dish with a wedge of lemon.
      Garlicky Buttered Beans
      Print Recipe
        Servings Prep Time
        6-8 people 10 minutes
        Cook Time
        10 minutes
        Servings Prep Time
        6-8 people 10 minutes
        Cook Time
        10 minutes
        Garlicky Buttered Beans served in a shallow, oval dish with a wedge of lemon.
        Garlicky Buttered Beans
        Print Recipe
          Servings Prep Time
          6-8 people 10 minutes
          Cook Time
          10 minutes
          Servings Prep Time
          6-8 people 10 minutes
          Cook Time
          10 minutes
          Ingredients
          Servings: people
          Instructions
          1. Heat a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook at a gentle simmer until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
          2. Meanwhile, gather remaining ingredients and melt butter in a medium skillet. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute on low heat until fragrant and slightly softened, about 1 minute, being careful not to brown. Whisk in lemon juice, Dijon, salt and pepper.
          3. Add cooked beans and toss until evenly coated with butter sauce. Serve immediately.
          Recipe Notes

          -Green beans can be cooked and cooled in an ice bath up to one day in advance.  They will need more time to warm in the butter sauce if adding from a chilled state.

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          I may receive compensation for purchases made through this site, at no cost to the purchaser. Compelled to Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
          Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie

          Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie

          A slice of Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie on a serving plate garnished with fresh thyme leaves.

          Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie

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          Here is yet another recipe from my favourite magazine Bon Appétit. This gorgeous recipe for Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie is from the August 2020 issue and just in time for your bounty of tomatoes. The magazine barely hit my coffee table before I knew I had to make it.

          A sheet pan of roasted tomatoes in preparation for Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie.

          Truthfully, I found the recipe slightly fussy with its multitude of steps, but my goodness it is delicious. So worth the steps to roast the tomatoes and make toasty garlic butter. It’s plenty cheesy and laced with flavour-packed roasted tomatoes and topped off with roasted garlic butter. The crust is made from crushed Stoned Wheat Thin crackers and makes for a nice crunchy texture to an otherwise soft pie. It is like making a graham cracker crust for a sweet pie, except this one is made from crackers and garlic butter, it’s simply genius. If you are like me, you’re already thinking of all the ways to incorporate this crust into other savoury pies.

          I’m including the recipe as written in the magazine, however, there were a few things that I opted to adapt.  The first being the type of cheese used.  I could not find Taleggio cheese, therefore, I substituted with Fontina cheese with a wonderful result.  Secondly, I found that I needed to add several more tablespoons of garlic butter to get the cracker crumbs to stick together properly.  This was not a big issue as there is plenty of garlic butter to go around and probably not all that necessary brushed on the top of the pie.  I also found that there was a bit too much crumb mixture for a 9″ pan.  Next time I will cut down on the original amount of crumbs by 2 ounces which will make the original amount of butter appropriate. It’s also important to press the crumbs firmly into the pan.  The tomatoes could be cut a little thicker as they are very soft and fussy to move from the baking tray to the pie, however, they don’t have to be perfect as long as they are arranged in a layer.

          Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie served whole on a scalloped silver platter, garnished with fresh thyme.

          You’ll find that this pie takes a little extra effort and time to both cook and cool to serving temperature, however, many steps can be done in advance. I roasted the tomatoes the day before, and you could make the crust and garlic butter in advance as well. I found that I enjoyed the pie served warm and the slices rewarm nicely in the microwave using about 75% power for 40 seconds or so. This delicious pie is worth the extra effort and is great for brunch, lunch or dinner served with a crisp green salad. Enjoy!

          Want more??

          Roasted Tomato Galette

          Rustic Tomato Spinach Bake

          Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie served whole on a scalloped silver platter, garnished with fresh thyme.
          Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie
          Print Recipe
            Servings
            1 9" diameter pie
            Servings
            1 9" diameter pie
            Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie served whole on a scalloped silver platter, garnished with fresh thyme.
            Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie
            Print Recipe
              Servings
              1 9" diameter pie
              Servings
              1 9" diameter pie
              Ingredients
              Servings: 9" diameter pie
              Instructions
              1. Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 475°F. Arrange tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, covering entire surface (it's okay if they overlap). Drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatoes begin to look dry on top, 25-30 minutes. Let cool.
              2. Meanwhile, cook garlic and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling often, until butter foams and milk solids turn golden, 5-7 minutes. Strain garlic butter through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring cup; transfer garlic and toasty bits to a cutting board. Finely chop and set aside.
              3. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Pulse crackers and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor until fine crumbs form (you should have about 2 cups). Add eggs and 6 tbsp garlic butter and pulse until mixture is the consistency of wet sand; set remaining garlic butter aside. Transfer to a springform pan. Using a flat-bottomed measuring cup, press crumbs firmly onto bottom and 1 1/2" up sides of pan. Bake crust until edge is just starting to take on colour, 8-10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let crust cool.
              4. Mix Taleggio, Parmesan, mayonnaise, chopped thyme, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 tsp pepper, and reserved chopped garlic and bits in a medium bowl. Gently dollop half of cheese mixture over bottom of crust, then spread into an even layer with an offset spatula (don't press too hard or you will break the crust). Layer half of tomato slices over and press down to even out layers. Repeat with remaining cheese mixture and tomatoes. Brush remaining garlic butter over tomatoes. Top with shallot and thyme leaves.
              5. Set pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake pie until filling is bubbling vigorously and crust is browned, 60-70 minutes. Transfer to rack and let cool 1 hour before serving.Do ahead: Pie can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely and chill.Special Equipment: A 9" diameter springform pan.
              Recipe Notes

              -You can substitute the Taleggio cheese for Fontina cheese.

              -I found it took more than 6 tbsp of garlic butter to moisten the crumbs enough to stick together, however, there was still plenty of garlic butter left to brush on the top. So use what you need to get the crumbs right.

               

              -

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              I may receive compensation for purchases made through this site, at no cost to the purchaser. Compelled to Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com
              Creamy Lemon Pops

              Creamy Lemon Pops

              Creamy Lemon Pops stacked on a metal serving tray garnished with fresh strawberries and a bowl of lemons in the background.

              CREAMY LEMON POPS

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              It’s still summer, thankfully! So this means there’s still time to enjoy these delicious Creamy Lemon Pops. This week in central Alberta the weather is scheduled to be one of the nicest of the summer, assuming the weatherman gets it right of course!! It’s crazy to think people can predict the weather 30 years from now with global warming but can’t seem to predict two days out. It’s frustrating, to say the least, when trying to plan activities and having a very short summer season. But all my mumbling aside, these Creamy Lemon Pops are packed with lemon flavour from fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. They’re creamy and delicious but not overly sweet, which makes them great in hot weather.

              Creamy Lemon Pops in a popsicle mold with a tray of Creamy Lemon Pops garnished with strawberries and mint in the foreground.

              The recipe is a riff on a Semifreddo, meaning half-frozen and like custard-style ice cream. I’ve gone and added yogurt and lightened up on the sugar to make these lovely treats. They’re super creamy and indulgent, making them great for kids and adults alike. So go ahead and treat yourself while the sun still shines this summer, enjoy!

              Creamy Lemon Pops stacked on a metal serving tray garnished with fresh strawberries and a bowl of lemons in the background.

              Author:  Compelled to Cook

              Creamy Lemon Pops stacked on a metal serving tray garnished with fresh strawberries and a bowl of lemons in the background.
              Creamy Lemon Pops
              Print Recipe
                Servings Prep Time
                8 popsicles 20-25 minutes
                Cook Time
                4-5 minutes
                Servings Prep Time
                8 popsicles 20-25 minutes
                Cook Time
                4-5 minutes
                Creamy Lemon Pops stacked on a metal serving tray garnished with fresh strawberries and a bowl of lemons in the background.
                Creamy Lemon Pops
                Print Recipe
                  Servings Prep Time
                  8 popsicles 20-25 minutes
                  Cook Time
                  4-5 minutes
                  Servings Prep Time
                  8 popsicles 20-25 minutes
                  Cook Time
                  4-5 minutes
                  Ingredients
                  Servings: popsicles
                  Instructions
                  1. In a small bowl whisk together egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Place the bowl over a double boiler, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Heat over medium, whisking constantly until mixture registers 170°F, about 4 minutes.
                  2. Remove from heat and place in the fridge while proceeding.
                  3. Whip heavy cream until firm peaks hold. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
                  4. Using the same beaters, whip the warm egg yolk mixture until creamy, lite, and cool/room temperature to the touch, about 4 minutes. Stir in Greek yogurt until combined.
                  5. Fold whipped cream into egg mixture until combined. Divide evenly into 8-80ml popsicle molds. Freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. Run warm water over the popsicle molds to loosen slightly before pulling the popsicles out. Popsicles will last for a week if kept covered and in the mold.
                  Recipe Notes

                  -If preferred, remove all popsicles at once and store them in an airtight container for up to one week.

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                  Affiliate Disclosure

                  I may receive compensation for purchases made through this site, at no cost to the purchaser. Compelled to Cook is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com