Garden Skillet with Sausage and Eggs

 

½ pound sausage,  bulk or removed from casings

Olive oil

1 medium (about 8 ounces) zucchini or summer squash, thickly grated or julienned

1 small bell pepper, julienned (color of choice or a mix)

1 large (~10-12 ounces) bunch kale, tough stems stripped away and sliced into thin strips or chopped (may mix and match dark leafy greens of choice)

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1-2 eggs per person, according to appetite

Optional for serving: Chopped avocado; cooked quinoa, rice, or grain of choice; freshly grated Parmesan, crumbled feta, or your favorite cheese; chopped nuts and/or seeds; crusty bread or roll

 

In a large, lightly oiled skillet (I use my 12-inch cast iron skillet), sauté the sausage over medium-high heat until beginning to brown, crumbling as you go. (Look for some nice golden color, but it doesn’t have to be cooked through yet.) Drizzle in a T. of olive oil (and a sprinkling of spice, if using – see notes), and add the zucchini and bell pepper. Spread into an even layer along with the sausage, and sear the mixture for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and spreading back out, or until cooked to your liking. (If your skillet becomes dry, add another drizzle of olive oil.) Season with a little salt and pepper, and then add the kale in batches, tossing gently to rotate the top layer down. As the kale wilts, add more until you have added it all to the pan. At this point I drizzle in another T. or so of olive oil and add another sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook, tossing the mixture as you go, until the kale is wilted. Once the kale is tender, make an indentation for each egg, and crack an egg into each one. Cook until the eggs are set to your liking. If you prefer a firmer top, cover the pan for a minute or two or run briefly under the broiler, watching closely to avoid burning. Optionally, you could scramble the eggs into the vegetable mixture, if preferred. Remove the pan from the heat and serve as is or over optional cooked grain of choice. We often serve over quinoa and top with chopped avocado and salted pumpkin seeds. YUM!