When my daughter was little, we used to enjoy making eggs in a nest using toast on chilly weekends, dipping the extra bit of toast into the runny yolk. We would spend the day curled up in our pajamas watching television or playing video games. But toast and I do not get along these days. I react to all grains, and lately, carbs give me issues, too.
Yet, I longed for an egg in a nest that wouldn’t give me a nasty reaction. Potatoes were out, including sweet potatoes. Even sweet potatoes can be more carbs than I can handle. I am not anti-carb, though. In fact, I don’t even count macros. I don’t find that helpful to my personal health goals. I see the value in it, but not for myself. In the past, when I had counted calories or points, I found myself developing obsessive behaviors around food, constantly checking how much I had eaten and how much I could allow for the rest of the day. When I transitioned to paleo, the freedom I felt in no longer having to count was a joy. I made a promise to myself that I would no longer count with regards to food if I didn’t have to. I strive to eat intuitively these days and feel an incredible freedom in doing so.
For this recipe, I thought about what I could use in place of toast or spiralized potatoes. Shredded Brussels sprouts came to mind. I added shredded carrots and sliced green onions. I use my sausage seasoning in this recipe, but you could use any seasoning you like.
It is easy to scale up or down depending on the number of people you are serving. For each person you will need approximately 1/2 cup of shredded Brussels sprouts, 1/2 carrot shredded - about 1/8 cup, 1/2 to 1 green onion, 2 eggs, ¼ teaspoon of seasoning, and two ramekins or muffin cups.
If you plan to make these ahead and reheat throughout the week, silicone muffin pans will allow for an easy release. The egg nests won’t be crispy, until you reheat them on a parchment-lined baking tray. I did reserve some seasoned vegetables to make later in the week, but I didn’t find the vegetables to get crispy. The vegetables turned a bit brown in the fridge.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 cups of shredded Brussels sprouts
2 green onions, sliced thinly, green tops reserved
2 carrots, shredded, about 1/2 cup
1 teaspoon sausage seasoning, plus some for sprinkling on top
Coconut oil or ghee, enough to coat the muffin pans or ramekins
8 ramekins or a muffin pan
8 eggs
Directions
Liberally coat the ramekins or muffin pan with ghee or coconut oil. You want the ramekins or muffin pan coated very well. Set aside.
Mix the vegetables and the seasonings together, reserving enough seasoning to sprinkle on top of the eggs before baking, about 1/4 teaspoon or so.
Spoon the vegetables into the ramekins or muffin pan making a well in the middle for the egg.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes, until the edges of the vegetables start to brown.
Gently crack an egg into each ramekin. Sprinkle with the remaining seasoning. Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes until the eggs are cooked through to your liking.
With a knife or other flat instrument, gently scrape around the edge of the ramekin to loosen the nest. As gently as you can, lift the nest out of the ramekin to serve on a platter.
To reheat the eggs in a nest, place directly on a parchment lined baking sheet in a 400 degree oven and bake for about 10-12 minutes until warmed through. If you originally baked the nests in a silicone baking pan, they will crisp up on the outside during reheating.