24/7 Low Carb Diner: Huevos Rancheros

It is the first of the month and time to share the goodies in another month of the Diner News. I am having such a hard time deciding what yummy recipe to share with you today. The last month, I have been creating skillet recipes for you. Pretty darn good stuff if I do say so myself. You have already seen Chicken Bella and my Skillet Brownie Dessert. Most of my creative energies these days go into the newsletter. The content in there is mostly new and not featured on my blog or Low Carbing Among Friends Facebook pages. Sometimes it is so hard not to share them all. But a girl does need to make some money...and you would not want to buy anything if you could get it all for free, right?

My poor husband is still without a full time job. He has been looking since the station sold last October and he was out of his 27 year employment. He has some odd jobs, and his unemployment just ran out. The next issue of the Diner News may well be on frugal meals. It is a bit of a scary time, but we know our Father understands our needs. I do what I can, and this is one of the things he has blessed me with. I do love recipe development. I love creating the newsletter. I do hate the dishes though. No way around that.

Skillet meals mean fewer dishes. I love the convenience of that. So in deciding which creation to share, I chose one that uses a skillet rather creatively. This one is both a fry pan and casserole dish, but you don't have to wash in between. I used my sons small cast iron skillet to make a single serving, but since I am featuring this here on the blog, I can easily give directions for a larger version as well. That's a winner. So here we go.

Traditionally, Huevos Rancheros are fried eggs with salsa on a corn tortilla. Of course, there are thousands of variations. Now there is a new one. Mine. No corn tortilla. No salsa. No beans. Plenty good though.

Since we low carbers need to replace the corn tortilla, I can offer up several alternatives. To be super low carb, choose to make a tortilla substitute. I would recommend my Indian Fry Bread Taco base, much like a thick tortilla. Made with psyllium, it is really sturdy and yet good for you. Get that recipe here. Not that hard...but...even easier? If you aren't gluten free, which we are not, Joseph's Flax, Oat Bran and Whole Wheat Pita breads are wonderful. They really stand up to the task, and make this a really substantial meal. Just 5 net carbs for the pita. Of course, any low carb tortilla would work.

If you want to make a large skillet version, do one of two things. 1. Use a Joseph's Lavash bread cut to fit the skillet. I promise it will be delish and so easy. 2. Make a larger size flatbread from the recipe link for the frybread. Quadruple the rest of the ingredients. Bake a little longer. That's about it.

I love the flavor of the chorizo in this recipe. That is why I opted not to go with salsa. I didn't want to over power that flavor with too much heat. I found that Aldi now carries chorizo, and it seems to have fewer fillers than the brand I find at Walmart. This is the fresh Mexican style chorizo, not the cured Spanish style. If you don't find a good source, Chorizo can be made simply at home too. Here is my home made recipe that uses chicken instead of pork. Just watch chorizo. With all the paprika, it is tough to tell when it is cooked through. I might have over cooked mine a tad. I am well known for doing that.

Now straight from the May issue of the Diner News:

Huevos Rancheros

3 oz mild chorizo ( I like the Aldi brand)

1 Joseph’s reduced carb pita bread

1 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 tbsp diced red onion

2 tbsp chopped orange bell pepper

2 tbsp diced Roma tomato

2 eggs

1/4 avocado

Optional: 1 tbsp feta cheese (I used Happy Farms Crumbled Feta “Sweet Heat” with peppers. Nicely hot! None for my hubby)

Remove chorizo from casings and add to a hot skillet. Break up meat. When cooked through, transfer chorizo to a plate, leaving the drippings in the skillet. Add the pita to the base of the pan. Top with grated cheddar to cover pita. Add chorizo to skillet. Scatter onion, pepper and tomato on top. Break eggs into skillet. Bake at 400 degrees until egg whites are set and yolks are a bit runny. (My skillet fits inside my toaster oven, making this even easier) Garish with sliced avocado and peppered feta.

Serves 1: 526 calories 9 net g carb (with feta)

Some folk like the egg yolks runnier than I do, so feel free to adjust the time in the oven according to your tastes. I like a little more heat, so I added the hot cheese. A sprinkle of jalapeno salt would do well also--just don't cover up that yummy chorizo. This is a really filling meal that will stay with you for hours!

If you would like to order the smaller sized skillets, I have them in my Amazon store. Every little bit helps keep our power on!

Now, on to the other great recipes you get in the May '16 issue of the Diner News.