green goddess shakshuka with feta & herb oil

& more tips for using up those herbs

Buying herbs at the grocery store is equivalent to buying an $8 matcha or a $40 candle — it’s a little luxury. Does one need to spend $8 on a matcha? No, but isn’t mid-day joy nice? Does one need to light a $40 candle? No, but can’t I romanticize my take-out dinner? And does one need to buy herbs at the grocery store? No, but can’t I pretend I’m my own private chef?

As a girl who loves little luxuries probably more than most — I am starting a luxury toothpaste brand, after all — I will be buying herbs at every grocery store trip. And in an attempt to never let my unused herbs find their way to the trash, I’ve found creative ways to use them up:

• Smooth Herb Oil: blend together herbs of choice with lots of good quality olive oil. Strain in a colander lined with a paper towel into a small bowl. Pour into jar or oil dispenser and leave at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

  • Drizzle on: fresh summer tomatoes with sea salt, scrambled eggs and avocado toast.

• Chunky Herb Oil: blend together herbs of choice with lots of good quality olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper and 1 tsp. red chili flakes. Pour into an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

  • Use on: marinated salmon or chicken, peaches with burrata, or in a BLT.

• Herb-Infused Water: in a carafe, combine herbs & fruit of choice with water. Keep in the fridge and drink all day.

  • My favorite combos: lemon + mint + cucumber, watermelon + mint + lime, pineapple + basil, grapefruit + rosemary

Another great way to use up herbs is a green goddess dressing, which brings us to this green goddess shakshuka. The recipe calls for five herbs, but you can really use whatever you have on hand (just don’t skip out on the tarragon!). It uses cottage cheese and avocado for the base creaminess, which is a sneaky way to get in protein and healthy fats. It also looks so vibrant, and tastes so delicious, that no one will notice it’s full of herbs on their last legs.

But first…

little luxuries that keep me going

• This bathrobe is the softest, coziest thing in the world and makes each morning and night feel like I’m in a hotel ($129)

• This Santal & Vetiver body wash makes my shower feel like a high-end spa ($36)

• This candle smells like $400 Baccarat Rouge but is only $49

• This hand cream looks so cute on my nightstand and doubles as a ring holder ($62)

• I love putting this luxe incense (which smells subtly smoky & sweet), in my gorgeous incense tray as a morning ritual ($60 for incense, $54 for tray)

• These placemats make every meal feel so much brighter ($14)

• Bud vases on my desk or in my bathroom are a small touch but make a big impact ($18-20)

the recipe: green goddess shakshuka with feta and herb oil

prep time: 20 minutes | cook time: 15 minutes

serves: 2-3 people

ingredients

for the herb oil:

• 1/2 cup fresh herbs, packed

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1/2 tsp. salt

for the green goddess sauce:

• 1 1/2 cup cottage cheese (preferably 4%)

• 1 avocado

• 1 1/4 cup fresh herbs, packed — I used 1/4 cup each: tarragon, parsley, chives, dill, and basil

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 tbsp. capers

• 1 tsp. dijon mustard

• juice from 1 lemon

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

• 1/2 cup water

for the shakshuka:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 large shallot, finely diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 5-6 large eggs

• 2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

• optional: pickled or raw red onions, for topping

• bread, for dipping

directions:

1. Make the herb oil: In the bowl of a food processor, combine all the ingredients for the herb oil and blend until dark green, about 1 minute. Pour into a small bowl and set aside for topping later.

2. Make the green goddess sauce: to the bowl of a blender, combine all the ingredients for the green goddess sauce and blend on high until dressing is bright green and smooth. If sauce has trouble blending, add 1/4 cup of additional water at a time until it blends easily. Set sauce aside.

3. Make the shakshuka: preheat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, diced shallots, minced garlic, and kosher salt, cooking until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add green bell pepper, cooking until slightly soft, another 2 minutes. Pour green goddess sauce into skillet and reduce heat to low, cooking sauce until warmed through and slightly bubbly (be careful, the bubbles splatter!). Create 5-6 wells in the sauce, cracking an egg in each well. Cover skillet, increase heat to medium-low, and cook until the whites of the eggs are set, about 7-8 minutes.

4. Top shakshuka with big drizzles of the herb oil, crumbled feta cheese, and pickled or raw red onions, if using. Serve with toasted bread of choice.

Enjoy!

xx Brittany

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