I know I know, I’ve been on a bit of a breakfast kick lately. Between the peach crisp and the banana-berry smoothie, you may be wondering if I only eat “morning food” all day (though if I did, could you blame me? Breakfast foods are the best foods). I don’t, but truth be told, I haven’t been cooking too much in the past few weeks due to travel and work and blah blah blah.
WELL THAT’S ALL ABOUT TO CHANGE, PEEPS. I’m done with traveling for the next six weeks, and my booty will be planted firmly in the kitchen (mostly because I’ll be unable to move after all this half-marathon training). I’ve been bookmarking recipes for months, and can’t wait to work my way down the list, which includes this, this and zomg this.
Though it’s only the beginning of September, somehow it feels like time for slightly heartier fare. Maybe because I wore pants and needed a sweater on Friday (too soon! too soon!) or maybe because it’s officially football season or maybe because Starbucks is already selling pumpkin spice lattes, but I’m ready for soups and roasted veggies and braises and oatmeal. (And cake. So much cake.)
As a preview of what’s to come, I made this sweet potato hash. To me, sweet potatoes are quintessential Thanksgiving food, brought in once everyone has tired of October pumpkins. But they’re so good with smoky and spicy flavors that when making this hash, it seemed silly to ignore them simply because it’s not November.
To keep the hash slightly on the light (and lazy) side, I didn’t add any meat. But kale and pork products are a match made in heaven, so a bit of bacon or sausage would be amazing here. While the eggs are a no-brainer, I took just the hash with me to work two days, and as it turns out, sweet potato hash with a bit of salsa stirred in equals lunchtime bliss. But however you make it, you should make it — there are few better ways to start a fall morning.
Sweet Potato Hash with Kale and Black Beans
Inspired by A House in the Hills
– 2 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed and diced into 1-inch cubes
– 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
– 1 tablespoon cumin, divided
– 1 tablespoon chili powder, divided
– 1 tablespoon Italian seasonings, divided (if you don’t have this, use a mix of dried oregano, basil, garlic powder, rosemary and thyme)
– 1 small onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1/2 bunch kale, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
– 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1) Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil.
2) Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoons of the cumin, chili powder and Italian seasonings. Roast the potatoes for 20-25 minutes, tossing midway, until the cubes have crisped and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3) While the sweet potatoes are roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a 12-inch skillet. Add the onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 12-15 minutes, until the onions have softened and begun to brown slightly.
4) Turn up the heat to medium-high. Add the kale and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Add the black beans and roasted potatoes. Cook for an additional 7-10 minutes, tossing frequently so that the kale is just lightly wilted and the beans are cooked through. Serve warm, with one or all of the suggestions below!
Notes: If you do add sausage or bacon to the sweet potato hash, fry up the meat first and then use a tablespoon of the rendered fat from the meat to sauté the onions (and proceed as usual).
If you’re adding eggs (which you should), add the beans and potatoes, toss to evenly combine and cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low, then crack 4-6 eggs in the skillet. Cook the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, about 5 more minutes.
Serving suggestions: avocado slices, salsa, hot sauce (pretty much a given with any hash), shredded pepper jack or sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and of course, plenty of buttered toast.
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