Paleo Breakfast Hash

I've mentioned before how I first started dabbling in paleo recipes because, by definition, they eliminated two of our no-no foods: wheat and dairy. I also liked them because there was a strong emphasis on vegetables - something I wanted to be cooking more of.

I think for a while I was doing paleo "wrong." You might wonder how you could do it "wrong" when there was such an emphasis on whole, healthy foods. But I was. I put too much emphasis on nuts, nut butters, coconut and proteins. For example, I would make a pot roast, make it with mashed potatoes (paleo friendly, of course) and serve. See what was missing? Or, I'd make Paleo Chick-Fil-A chicken strips and not pair it with lots of fresh veggies. I'd make paleo desserts and think they were healthy just because they included only paleo ingredients. Or, I'd make chicken alfredo from a cashew sauce, and vegetables would barely get an honorable mention as a bell pepper and maybe some shredded zucchini stirred into the sauce.

So, you can see how I was doing it wrong. Now, my focus is on vegetables and fruits first, followed by meats and healthy fats. Now, this is contrary to the primal philosophy, where healthy meats should take center stage. But for me, I have to put the veggies in the spotlight or they won't get the attention they deserve.

Breakfast seems to be a tricky one for a lot of people. Personally, I could eat eggs every morning and never get sick of them. I prepare them different ways - "over poached," scrambled or hard boiled - which helps prevent them from getting boring, and I change up the vegetables regularly so it's like I'm eating a different meal every time. BTW, "over poached" is my name for how I make eggs over easy. Any time I try to flip those little suckers I invariably break a yolk. So, I combine the "frying" and poaching method. Grease the pan and crack the eggs directly over the skillet. Season, then add a few tablespoons of hot water, cover with a tight fitting lit, and leave them alone until the egg whites cook over top of the yolk. I like a glass lid for this task because I can watch the eggs without removing the lid and letting the steam escape. See? Over poached.

Anyway, if you hate eggs or get sick of them, try switching out chicken, beef or pork from last night's dinner. Sometimes I'll deliberately make more meat than I plan to use for a dish, because then I have cooked meat on hand I can just toss into a recipe to simplify things. But eggs? They're my go-to in the morning. In addition to switching up the vegetables, you can also switch up the seasonings. Some mornings I'll use sea salt, black pepper and onion powder. Sometimes I'll use sage and rosemary. Other times I'll use corriander or chili powder or...anything, really.

This is what I had this morning, and one of my favorites. I like the over poached eggs in this recipe because 1) the runny yolk gives a kind of "sauce" that mixes well and 2) I'm not a huge fan of the taste of kale, and the runny yolk helps mitigate it. I eat kale for the health benefits, not because it's delicious. If you like kale and/or you don't like runny egg yolks, you can, of course, cook your eggs longer. Don't like eggs? Add some cooked meat to the skillet when the vegetables are almost cooked.

Ingredients:
1/2 T. coconut oil
1/2 sweet potato, peeled and diced small
1 large kale leaf, stem removed and finely chopped
1/2 summer squash, shredded with a cheese grater (use the whole squash if it's on the smaller side)
**I would usually throw some mushrooms into this as well, but I ran out. Sad face.**
Sea salt, ground black pepper and onion powder
2 large eggs

Directions:
Melt coconut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sweet potato and cook, stirring frequently, until soft. Add kale and cook about 30 seconds, then add squash. Add seasonings as desired, then cook and stir until squash and kale are cooked. Transfer vegetables to a serving dish (or in my case, a to-go container) and return hot pan to the burner.

Add a touch more coconut oil to the pan (if needed). Crack eggs directly into the hot pan. Season as desired. Pour a couple tablespoons hot water around the edges of the eggs and immediately cover with a tight fitting lid. Let cook, undisturbed, until the egg whites over top of the yolks are no longer runny. Use a spatula to transfer eggs from pan to directly on top of the vegetables and eat.

Note: this method of cooking eggs will obviously leave some liquid in the pan (a combination of the oil and water). Don't sweat it. Just use a slotted spatula and it will not effect the final outcome of your meal.