this post is sponsored by cans get you cooking. thank you for supporting the partnerships that allow brewing happiness to grow and exist. xoxo.

Shakshuka is a traditional Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dish that poaches eggs in a tomato sauce with spices. You can eat it for a savory breakfast or even an eggs-for-dinner type situation. It’s extremely versatile and incredibly delicious.

You can find endless variations on the internet, so I wanted to introduce a new approach – PUMPKIN shakshuka. It’s October, so I’m in full on pumpkin-in-everything mode. I hope you are too.

My version replaces tomatoes with canned pumpkin, and adds in canned coconut milk to smooth out the texture. It still has a savory, spicy flavor by the addition of spices like sumac, paprika, cumin, and red chili flakes. Yet it has a touch of sweetness from the coconut milk and pumpkin. It’s incredibly filling because of the eggs and canned chickpeas! BONUS this takes much less time to make than traditional shashuka, because the pumpkin sauce is already thick! (You don’t have to wait on tomato water to evaporate in this recipe.)

Obviously using canned pumpkin, coconut milk, and chickpeas in this recipe make everything faster and more delicious, but the other reason I partnered with Cans Get You Cooking for this post is the pure fact that because of cans PUMPKIN SEASON CAN BE ALL YEAR ROUND. Pumpkin puree is canned at the peak of ripeness, meaning flavor and nutrition are locked inside, which makes it a perfect item to keep in your pantry for a long time! So you can make this shakshuka any time of the year, you just have to remember to stock up on cans of pumpkin! (I always do this time of year, you never know when you want to feel cozy and fall-like.)

Get ready to make the breakfast dish of your dreams! xo.

More savory breakfast dishes : Savory Pumpkin Grits Breakfast Bowl + Mediterranean Spiced Yogurt & Eggs Breakfast Skillet + Ricotta Huevos Rancheros

Pumpkin Shakshuka

Author Brewing Happiness

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp sumac
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup canned pumpkin
13.5 oz canned full fat coconut milk
13.5 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
5 eggs
1/4 cup feta cheese
2 tbsp parsley
1/2 avocado, sliced (optional)
toasted pita bread (optional)

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add in diced onion and bell pepper. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion and bell pepper are softened.
Add in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds before adding in the sumac, paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Sauté for 30 more seconds.
Add in your canned pumpkin, canned coconut milk. Whisk or stir to combine until smooth. Once smooth add in canned chickpeas, and stir to combine. Let simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring often.
Once the sauce is warm, make 5 little crevices in the sauce and crack the eggs into the skillet. Cover and cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the eggs are set.
After 5-7 minutes, remove cover and garnish with feta cheese, parsley, and black pepper.
Serve shakshuka with toasted pita and optional avocado slices.
EAT UP.

It’s October. HOW. How did we get here? I don’t know about you, but this year has sprinted by me. I’m just over here trying to catch my breath. Alas, there isn’t quite time for that, because we’re diving face first into the holiday season.

Maybe this time of year relaxes for you with work, or maybe you’re like me and the next three months will be your busiest. Either way, we all have to deal with the stresses of work parties, family events, holiday gatherings, buying gifts, and playing hostess. If you have any kind of social anxiety this time of year can be extremely exhausting. It’s a lot at once.

That’s why I wanted to take a minute to remind you to take some time for yourself. Build it into your day. Force it upon yourself if you have to.

I usually take my “me time” in the morning. I wake up earlier to build more ease into my day. I try to leave my phone alone. I try to make coffee and enjoy the process. I try to give myself space and time to acclimate to the world.

The other way I take time for myself is to book workout classes ahead of time. I pay for them upfront, so that I am committed to take the time. I am obligated to go, and I carve out that time to focus on me and my health. I NEVER regret it.

This doesn’t have to be your process, but you do need to put one into place. I find that if we don’t force ourselves to make space for our own rest, our own comfort – then we usually never take it. This is how we fall into burnout. This is how we end up crying in the bathroom at Thanksgiving, and yelling at our brother over something that doesn’t really matter.

Let’s set some rules for what this “me time” should look like (because it doesn’t look like scrolling on your phone.)

PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY. We disconnect from ourselves when we are on our phones, and therefore we can’t get any truly restorative time when our phone is in our hand. So put it away. Just for a little while.
Give yourself at least 30 minutes PER DAY. It’s not selfish to take time to yourself every single day. It’s extremely necessary. Take at least 30 minutes to devote to your well being. That’s only 1/48th of the freaking day. You can do that.
Make it a habit. Don’t skip a day just because you’re busy. Carve out the time. Set a reminder. Commit to it. It’s the only way.
Get active. Walk. Go to a workout class. Do something with your physical body. Invigorate your body and restore your mind. I’m a firm believer that the two go hand in hand.
Check in with yourself. How are you feeling? What do you need from this 30 minutes? Maybe it’s a nap, maybe it’s a walk, maybe it’s a coffee, maybe it’s time to journal or read a book. Just make sure you aren’t bulldozing over your feelings and needs, because of lack of time or lack of awareness. We usually need different things day to day, even minute to minute. Learn to hear what those things are and respond to them.

Take care of yourself this winter – body, heart and mind. And remember that it’s okay to take time for you. You’re incredibly important. xo.