Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash with Poached Eggs

As I've mentioned before, my favorite cooking show is Chopped. I eagerly anticipate the baskets of mystery ingredients, and groan alongside the chefs as they try to create something delicious, beautiful, and creative before time runs out! :) I don't move very quickly in the kitchen, so I know that the clock would be my ultimate nemesis in the Chopped Kitchen, without a doubt.

One of the dishes I see quite frequently on Chopped is hash, a dish made with cubed potatoes, meat (sometimes), and cooked with additional veggies and spices. Sweet potato hash, purple potato hash, new potato hash, corned beef hash...HASH FOR EVERYBODY! I decided to give it a go in my own kitchen--a Foodie & Fabulous first!

Another first today was making poached eggs...those didn't turn out quite like I had hoped. They weren't bad for a first attempt; but they also weren't wonderful. The next time will be better, because next time, I'll add the eggs one at a time and add a little less vinegar to the water. Otherwise, I'm proud of my experiment in the kitchen today! :)

Along with sweet potatoes, I added squash, zucchini, onion, and crimini mushrooms--they have a great, meaty texture! This was a delicious, meat-free dish--everything in here is good for you! The gorgeous, vibrant colors also remind me that FALL IS COMING. I couldn't be more excited :) I used this tutorial to poach my eggs, and it was quite helpful. I adapted the hash recipe from The Organic Kitchen.

Hash Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 yellow squash, diced
• 6-7 crimini mushrooms, quartered
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, or butter

Directions:
Place heavy pan (or cast iron pan) on medium heat. Heat enough olive oil or butter to generously cover the bottom of the pan (I ran out of olive oil, so I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons butter). When hot, add onions and sweet potatoes. Cook, stirring frequently for about 12 minutes, till sweet potatoes are soft and onions are browned.

Turn heat up to medium-high and add zucchini, squash, and mushrooms. Cook for five minutes stirring frequently, till zucchini browns. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with poached eggs.

Poached Eggs Ingredients:

• 2 eggs (or more, but poach up to 2 at a time)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Directions:
Fill a small pot with a few inches of water. Add vinegar and bring to a boil.  Use a large spoon to stir the water to create a "vortex" (watch the video so this step makes sense!) then gently pour the eggs right in the center of the vortex.

Poach eggs to desired doneness: 2-3 minutes for runny, 3½ minutes for slightly runny, 4-5 minutes for cooked through. Remove from water with a slotted spoon or spatula and place eggs on paper towels to absorb extra water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy!
 
Nutrition Facts-- Servings: 2 • Size: 1 cup hash with one egg • Calories: 144 • Fat: 6.1 g • Carbs: 20.8 g • Fiber: 4.4g  • Protein: 3.8 g • Sugars: 6.6 g