Hearty Vegetable Breakfast Hash

I love breakfast. Especially breakfast on the weekends because that’s when there’s actually time to whip something up, relax + enjoy it. I drink my Super Green Smoothie or Super Green Overnight Oats for breakfast each weekday morning because it’s my healthy routine that I enjoy, plus they tastes great! But on the weekends I like to change it up a bit. That’s where my Hearty Vegetable Breakfast Hash comes in. With a mixture of vegetables [bell pepper, onion, garlic + spinach], healthy fats [avocado + egg yolks] and clean protein [organic eggs], it makes the perfect balanced breakfast.

As a Nutritionist I recommend eggs to many of my clients as a healthy part of a balanced diet. But not all eggs are created equal. It comes down to quality. What’s are the best eggs to eat? Organic pastured eggs. This means that the chicken who laid the egg was free to roam and forage for it’s natural diet of grass + insects. This is important because the chicken’s diet and lifestyle greatly affects the health + nutrition content of it’s potential offspring, the egg. So when you’re at the store reading the health claims on the egg carton, look for the USDA Organic stamp and the word pastured or pasture-raised. Or better yet, get your eggs from the farmer’s market or from a local farmer who raised free roaming, pastured chickens. And if you’re lucky enough, raise your own chickens.

Eggs are considered a superfood in my house. They have so much nutritional value and the cooking options are plenty [hard-boiled, fried, scrambled, poached, etc.]. I see too many people making egg white omelets and egg white scrambles because, for some reason, they think the yolk is bad for them? Please don’t do that. If you’re skipping the yolk you’re missing out on so much good stuff. And yes the yolk contains cholesterol, but we’re learning that dietary cholesterol may not be the contributing factor to heart disease as once thought. An inflammatory diet high in toxic, processed food and deficient in whole foods may be the problem.

But what’s really in the yolk that’s so good for you? So many things.

[1] essential fatty acids.

Egg yolks are jam-packed with essential fatty acids like DHA which is important for brain development and mental health. The amount of essential fatty acids in an egg depends greatly on the source. An organic pastured egg from a chicken who ate insects + grass will have a significantly higher content of DHA compared to a conventionally-rasied chicken.

[2] carotenoids.

Egg yolks are an excellent source of carotenoids. Put simply, carotenoids are colorful red, yellow + orange plant pigments. They are what gives the high-quality egg it’s vibrant orange yolk. Carotenoids play an important role in overall health by supporting the eyes, skin and cardiovascular system. The carotenoids lutein + zeaxanthin found abundantly in egg yolks are highly absorbable forms of carotenoids. These nutrients are well known for their role in vision an overall eye health.

[3] fat-soluble vitamins [A, D, E, K].

Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble meaning that they require fat in order to be absorbed and used by the body. And what does the egg yolk contain? Healthy fats. If you’re skipping the egg yolk and opting for just the white, you’re missing out on these extremely important vitamins which can be difficult to obtain from the diet. So eat up.

[4] minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus + zinc.

Many Americans are mineral deficient without even knowing it. As the soil we grow food with continues to be depleted of many essential minerals, it’s important that we obtain them somewhere. Egg yolks are a great source of many minerals including: calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese + selenium. The white contains a good amount of both potassium and magnesium.

[organic pastured eggs.]

Just as the nutritional value of a food is important, so is the taste. We don’t want to eat bland, boring food just because it’s good for us do we? Nope. So eat your eggs and include the yolk. Just make sure you’re getting your eggs from a high quality source, or else you’ll be missing out on so many of the benefits.

And what better way to ramp up the nutritional value of your breakfast than to add some fresh veggies. I tell my clients all the time that I love eggs so much because they are a great “vehicle” for vegetables, meaning that pretty much any vegetable pairs well with them.

 [the vegetable medley + red potatoes.]

Avocados are one of my favorite healthy fats. I mash them up into a guacamole to have with chips + salsa, or as a veggie dip; I slice them up and add to pretty much any dish; and on occasion I add a little avocado to my morning smoothie for added creaminess and healthy fats.

healthy tip: to keep your avocado fresher longer and prevent the quick browning, wrap any leftover avocado tightly in plastic wrap. And if you have guacamole left over in a container, press some plastic wrap on top of the guac [touching it] and then add your lid. The less oxygen that gets in, the longer your avocado will stay fresh.

Check out the recipe + directions below for my Hearty Vegetable Breakfast Hash!

 [avocado – a whole food healthy fat.]

Hearty Vegetable Breakfast Hash

servings: 2-4

Ingredients

• 2 medium-size red potatoes, washed and diced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional for spice
• ½ onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bell peppers, diced [any color]
• 2 large handfuls baby spinach
• 4 organic pastured eggs
• 1 ripe avocado, de-seeded + sliced thinly
• fresh salsa of choice [for serving]

 [veggie hash topped with fried egg, avocado + salsa.]

Directions

In a large pan, heat oil on medium-high. Add garlic + onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add potatoes, sea salt, black pepper + red pepper flakes [if using] and spread as evenly as possible on the bottom of the pan. Let potatoes cook for 3-5 minutes without stirring so they start to brown and crisp slightly on one side [reduce heat slightly to prevent burning, if needed]. Flip potato, onion + garlic mixture so the other side of the potatoes can brown for 3-5 minutes. You want your potatoes to crisp up slightly, so cook longer on each side if needed. Next add bell pepper and spinach to potato mixture. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until spinach has wilted and bell pepper is slightly tender. Meanwhile in another pan, fry 2-4 eggs in healthy fat of choice [olive oil, coconut oil or organic butter] to desired doneness. To serve, add hash mixture to a plate or bowl and top with a fried egg, avocado slices + salsa. Enjoy!

This dish makes a great breakfast, but can also be a delicious lunch or dinner. 

Did you try this recipe? How did you like it? Let me know what you though in the comments below!