Lemony Zucchini Çılbır

& do I need to chill?

Hi! Welcome to “good mood food” from Kale Me Maybe’s Carina Wolff. If you’ve made it here and aren’t yet a subscriber, come join! You can expect recipes, musings, and faves in your inbox every Wednesday! Paid subscribers get even more on Fridays — right now I’m doing a 30-minute budget meal series! Learn more about the paid tier of my newsletter here. You can also try a week for free!

CATCH UP!

I haven’t had a day of rest in a couple of weeks, although I probably do need to give my body a nice chill day. It’s hard when I still feel so full of energy, and I’m trying to take advantage of my stamina, but I saw a TikTok from a doctor stressing the importance of slowing down in your third trimester, so I should probably listen to that before I dig myself into a hole.

Honestly, though, I can’t even imagine how I would scale back! Between the projects I have going on now and trying to work ahead for maternity leave, and then so much baby prep, including getting our nursery together which is still not even close to done, I feel like every second of my day needs to be utilized appropriately for peace of mind. I’m trying to hustle for the next couple weeks so I can relax for a few weeks closer to my due date.

I’ve been on a fruit bender, just craving refreshing sweets, yogurt bowls, chia pudding, etc. It’s so different from my normal savory cravings that it’s making me laugh, but I’m leaning into it. Actually, in terms of relaxing, I am planning a nice farmers market outing this weekend so I can pick up some seasonal produce and get my favorite bagels. Will I develop recipes with the produce? Probably. But I do plan to make some dishes for fun too!

THINGS I’M LOVING!

If you’re looking to have a tomato girl summer, this water bottle from Burga might be for you. I was gifted this, but I think it’s so fun and cute, especially during the warm weather. I know it’s trendy right now, but it’s so hard to resist items with food drawings on them. Plus, it’s BPA-free and temperature controlled!

I recently discovered Brami pasta through a partnership we worked on together, but now I’m a fan! I love my alternative pastas, and although I will always love my Banza, if you’re looking for something that tastes a little more like regular pasta, Brami is your friend. It’s important to note it’s not gluten-free (it contains wheat), but it has lupini beans for a good dose of protein and fiber. I think the wheat component is essential in keeping the taste of traditional pasta, but it’s a great option if you want a nutrient boost!

This was another gift from the brand, but I have been loving this Farrow Mini Bag from Sézane so much! I got it in the chocolate color, but they also have a smoother leather and a couple other colors. The price is very reasonable for a leather bag. I’ve been using it as an everyday purse, but it really helps to elevate my outfits. I almost never buy nice bags, so it has been fun to have a more fashionable purse.

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RECIPE!

I love a classic Çılbır, a Turkish egg dish consisting of poached eggs over yogurt, and I especially love putting my own spin on them! I have a Spinach & Artichoke Çılbır from a couple years back, and this one is fairly similar, but it’s made with grated zucchini, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

It’s light and bright but also filling, especially if you pair it with a nice slice of toasted, crusty bread! I used parsley on top, but many herbs would work here, including basil, cilantro, dill, etc.

Zucchini Çılbır

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large zucchini

• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 1 cup Greek yogurt

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 4 eggs

• White vinegar

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1/2 tsp aleppo pepper

• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tbsp roughly chopped parsley

• Salt & pepper

• White vinegar

1. Grate the zucchini, and using a cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve, squeeze out as much water as you can

2. In a medium/large skillet, heat up 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add the zucchini, and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and pinch of salt, and cook for an additional minute. Remove zucchini mixture from pan.

3. In a medium bowl, add the yogurt, zucchini, lemon zest, juice of 1/2 lemon, and a pinch of salt. Spread on the bottom of two plates.

4. In the same pan (wiped down) or in a new pan, bring a few inches of water to a light boil. Crack the eggs into individual ramekins. Once the water is boiling, lower the temperature just slightly. Add a splash of white vinegar, and create a swirl with the water using a spoon. Carefully lower the eggs into the water, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until whites are set but yolks are runny. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon, letting excess water drip out. Transfer the eggs to the zucchini yogurt plates.

5. Heat up 2 tbsp butter in a sauce pan with aleppo pepper and a pinch of smoked paprika, mixing together until butter is red. Spoon over the eggs, and top with fresh parsley. Serve with toasted bread!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

Last week, paid subscribers received a recipe for a delicious summer wrap that takes just TEN minutes. This is a part of my 30-minute budget meal series, and it’s a great one to meal prep, take to work, the beach, a picnic, etc.

Just a reminder!!! Anytime you become a paid subscriber, you get access to ALL of the past recipes in the archive, plus one exclusive recipe a week! You can always do a free 7-day trial as well!