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Cabbage & Kielbasa Skillet
This dish comes together so easily making it a perfect weeknight dinner, or a make ahead dish for meal prepping. It is low carb but can be easily extended into a larger meal by adding rice or potatoes. I suggest chopping all the ingredients in advance so the preparation goes even faster.
Using a fresh head of Cabbage and good quality Kielbasa is important! I am lucky enough to be able to snag each from my weekly Farmer’s Market, but even if it is from the grocery store be sure to pick a quality sausage, it makes all the difference.
Ingredients:
- 4 links Kielbasa Sausages or 1 large whole Kielbasa “U” sliced into small slices
- 1/2 Sweet Yellow Onion chopped
- 1/2 Head of Cabbage sliced into ribbons
- 1 Cup Bone Broth (or your favorite Stock)
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Tablespoon Dried Sage
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Dill Weed
- 1/4 Teaspoon Allspice
- Pork Lard or Butter for cooking
First place Pork Lard (or Butter) in a cast iron skillet and grease liberally. Heat on medium-high heat. Once hot, place Kielbasa in the pan and brown on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
Place onions in the same pan and begin to caramelize onions using the sausage drippings. Once onions have developed a golden brown color, add the broth to the pan and deglaze. I keep the onions in the pan during this step, it helps make them even softer and more flavorful.
Add the Sage, Dill Weed, Allspice, Salt and Pepper and cook until herbs are hydrated. Stir often. The aroma will be amazing!
Place the cabbage in the skillet and stir to help incorporate the cabbage into the mixture . The cabbage will fill the pan at first but will begin to decrease in size once cooked down. Once all the cabbage is softened, add the Kielbasa back to the pan. Once the sausage is thoroughly heated, remove the pan from the stove and serve!
This makes great leftovers, and I will often have a few days worth of lunches after making this for dinner.
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Farm Fresh Egg Muffins
These are the perfect breakfast (or snack) to meal prep ahead of time!
Fluffy egg, spinach, and cheese easily come together for a cost effective and easily customizable “meal on the go”.
In the spring when my hens increase egg production these are a great way to use a lot of eggs and also get some of my meal prep done for the rest of the week. It takes minimal time and ingredients while still being a low carb and high protein option. You can add in meats, veggies, potatoes, and other cheeses to change it up so it never gets boring.
This is my simple basic recipe that can be customized to suit your tastes. I always use spinach or kale as I feel it pairs with eggs so well, and it’s a chance to sneak some extra leafy greens into my diet. This is a large recipe as I like to bake these in 2 Extra Large Muffin pans (making 12 Extra large muffins). It gives us plenty to have as breakfast or snack through the whole week. I often use our Traeger Grill to “bake” these, as I am typically cooking meats and meal prepping other items at the same time so I use it as I would my conventional oven.
Ingredients:
- 24 Eggs
- 1 Cup Milk (I use whole Milk)
- Shredded Cheese of your choice (I prefer a blend of Cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan)
- Fresh Baby Spinach leaves or chopped Kale (Rinsed and Dried)
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 Teaspoon Celery Seed
First, preheat conventional oven (or Traeger Grill) to 375F.
Grease muffin tins so that the eggs do not stick while baking.
In a medium sized mixing bowl: crack and scramble all eggs with milk and seasonings. I prefer to use my immersion blender for this step as it blends the eggs consistently. Next, place spinach or kale leaves in muffin tins, keep in mind that they will cook down. Then pour about 3/4 cup of egg mixture over spinach leaving approximately 1/4″ headspace as the eggs will expand as they cook. Top each muffin with shredded cheese.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until set in middle and golden on top. They will be expanded like a souffle when you remove from the oven, and then start to “deflate” as they cool. This is totally normal. Allow to cool in muffin tins before serving or storing.
If being ate right away, I serve with a side of breakfast meat (Bacon or sausage), a dollop of sour cream, hot sauce or my homemade mustard https://itsasavagelife.com/savory-wholegrain-mustard/. I love the way tangy wholegrain mustard and eggs compliment each other.
I will often take these to work as a hearty snack, they reheat well in the microwave for 40-50 seconds. I find they do best wrapped in a paper towel, on a microwavable plate.
Each batch I make is a little different depending on what I have on hand. I often use leftover veggies and meats to change it up. I hope you take this basic recipe and make it your own. Enjoy!
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Perfectly Pickled Eggs
Newsflash: Pickled Eggs are actually delicious, as well as being a high protein and low carbohydrate snack! I know that the term “pickled egg” makes people think of the scary, room temperature, gross, glowing-neon yellow eggs floating in a jar on a gas station countertop (that have been there for who knows how long?!). BUT these are a whole different story! The results are a tangy (think vinegar), salty, flavorful snack that can also be a contribution to other dishes. I like to add them to salads, atop homemade Ramen, and as a fun addition to cheese boards.
I also make an adorable “mini” version with Quail Eggs: https://itsasavagelife.com/pickled-quail-eggs/
Pickled eggs are perishable and need to be kept refrigerated, but they only get better with time as the brine sinks deeper into the egg. We usually have emptied the jar in a few weeks but oddly enough they are said to be perfectly safe if stored in an airtight container below 40F for a few months! (I don’t suggest it though!)
Let’s get to it!
You will need:
- 1 clean and sterilized 1/2 Gallon Mason Jar
- 18 Hard boiled and Peeled Eggs
- 2 cups White Vinegar
- 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (aka ACV)
- 1/2 cup Boiling Hot Water
- 1/4 cup Liquid Aminos (or Soy Sauce- whichever you have)
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
- Various spices of your choice: Pickling Spice, Bay Leaves, Peppercorns, Dried Red Chili Flakes, Dried Rosemary, Dehydrated citrus slices, Celery Seeds, Dehdrated Onion, Dill Weed, Garlic Cloves, the list goes on…
Place peeled hard boiled Eggs in clean 1/2 Gallon Mason Jar. There should be a little headspace left near the top of the jar. Add salt, pepper and your choice of spices. You really can’t go wrong with any variety of savory and fragrant herbs. Then pour in Vinegars, Aminos (or Soy Sauce) and boiling Water until eggs are covered. Tightly place the lid and gently shake to mix the spices into the brine. Some air bubbles may release causing the brine level to drop, if this happens you can add more hot water until eggs are covered. You may also place a glass fermentation weight in the jar to keep eggs submerged deep in the brine but it is not necessary if you don’t own one.
Allow to cool, then place in the refrigerator. Allow to “pickle” for at least 10-14 days and then enjoy!
