Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash

I’ve been having quite the love affair with sweet potatoes as of late….

How can I not? Their gorgeous orange color and lightly sweet flavor that can either stand proud and strong on its own or be paired as a lovely complement to a savory flavor. I’m sure several of you are going to say that the sweet potatoes I am referring to are actually yams (because, they are), but so many people refer to them as sweet potatoes. Heck, I I thought yams were sweet potatoes until a few years ago when I was making Alice’s baby food and I was baffled by the stark white potato that was under the sign for sweet potatoes at Sprouts. It just goes to show you that we all have something to learn about natural food no matter how much we think we know, but back to that sweet potato hash!   

I have always loved hash for breakfast, espeically if it is hanging out on the plate with two over easy eggs. I opted for sweet potatoes for this hash recipe not only because their flavor is a beautiful compliment to my beloved runny yolks, but because of how many nutrients are packed into those orange spuds. Sweet potatoes are loaded with fiber, potassium, beta-carotene, and vitamin A, just to name a few. Peel them if you must, but I prefer to give them a good scrubbing and then enjoy them with their skins on, as their skin is the most nutrient dense part of the potato.   

The addition of purple cabbage and green onion is totally optional, but adds a nice pop of color and crunch to the dish. This hash was made as a breakfast meal, but works lovely as a sidedish to beans and lentils as well.

Serves 4

2 tablespoons coconut oil

4 cups shredded sweet potato (yam) 

1 1/2 cups chopped purple cabbage

1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the shredded sweet potatos. Toss until all the potato is evenly coated with melted oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

2. Cover the skillet and cook the sweet poatoes for about 10 minutes (until they are tender), stirring occasionally.  

3. Toss in purple cabbage and green onions. Stir to combine the mixture well and cook 3-5 more minutes, or until cabbage is warm. 

4. Serve immediately and hot.