I rely on eggs a lot for a quick and nutrient-dense protein source. They’re one of my all-time favorite foods: delicious, packed with tons of high-quality vitamins and fats, and limitless versatility. Plus, I can whisk up a couple eggs, pour them in a hot, buttered pan, and literally be sitting down to eat in five minutes when I’m short on time or just need a healthy, sustainable snack.

While it’s rare that I’ll ever turn down a plate of simple, creamy scrambled eggs—-and I do appreciate their straightforward, no-nonsense simplicity and speed—when I’m not in quite as much of a hurry, I love to make one-pan, egg-focused dishes that offer a hearty, well-rounded, complete meal, and come adorned with a mess of yummy veggies, meats, and cheeses.

I call recipes like this workout fuel, and it truly works wonders, providing sustainable, slow-release carbohydrate energy, a tasty assortment of protein, and a healthy dose of leafy greens to assist in powering through any exercise or workday. It’s loaded with vitamins and packed with flavor, and it keeps me satisfied for hours, without ever feeling heavy or excessively filling.

Plus, it’s got the unparalleled, absolute greatest feature that eggs ever gave to the world: runny yolk.

If you’re familiar with my writings, you might already know how much I love a good runny yolk, knapping my food with luscious, silken, golden “sauce,” and making almost any food better with its addition. This skillet dinner is just one of those things. The trick here is to bake the skillet just long enough to set the white yet keep the yolk runny. It takes timing and a watchful eye, so I don’t suggest doing anything that might sidetrack you while it cooks. But it’s worth it for presentation alone, and the fact that you only have one pan to clean in the end. Alternately, your eggs could always be cooked in a separate pan and transferred atop the skillet hash to serve, should you desire.

Serve this for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, with a side of crusty toast, if you like.

Skillet-Baked Eggs & Sausage with Kale and Kabocha Squash

Makes four hearty servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35-45 minutes

Ingredients
1 lb. hot Italian sausage
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
2-3 cups ½-inch-diced kabocha squash; alternately, use any winter squash or sweet potato
Olive oil
1 large bunch kale, chopped
4-8 eggs, depending on size
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375“F. Toss diced kabocha squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Leave oven on once roasted.
2. Meanwhile, cook crumbled sausage and onion in a large, heavy skillet until browned. Be sure your skillet is big enough to accommodate all the ingredients, including your eggs. Add kale to sausage mixture and cook just until bright green and tender. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Add roasted squash to kale mixture and toss to combine. Make a well in the mixture and crack in an egg. Repeat with all remaining eggs, arranging them nestled throughout the kale mixture. Season eggs with salt and pepper.
4. Sprinkle the top of kale with parmesan cheese and transfer pan to the oven. Bake just until egg white is set, but yolks are still runny (or to your liking), about 7-12 minutes. Check them at 6 minutes and frequently thereafter.
5. Serve hot, straight from the pan, with crusty toast, if desired.

Image from Briana Goodall. 

Briana Goodall, CPC

Briana Goodall is Chef and Owner of Green Cuisine Personal Chef Service. Visit her website at www.mygreencuisine.com.

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healthy recipes