Sweet Potato and Kale Hash

I know a lot of people who can’t stand kale. Its tough texture and bitter flavor easily turns people away. I must admit, I too didn’t love this powerhouse vegetable for a long while. I first tried it sautéed, and I wasn’t too impressed. It was coarse and lacked flavor. Unsure of what to do with the remainder of the batch, I decided to try and make kale chips. I had tried them once before at a food fair and was impressed by their salty, earthy flavor. While I found my version of the chips to be an improvement over the sautéed kale, I still wasn’t in love. Bored, I quickly moved on, deciding that kale just wasn’t for me.

I am not sure what motivated me to try it again, but one day, a few weeks ago, I decided to buy a bag of kale, and haven’t made it out of the store without a bunch since. I first tried it again by throwing a handful in with my chicken noodle soup. I threw it in on a whim, really. If I hated it, I figured I could just pick it out. Well, to my surprise, I didn’t hate it. In fact, I quite enjoyed it. It gave the soup a bite of freshness and livened up its dull appearance. The next day, I decided to try again. I first thought of trying a kale salad, maybe with some sweet potatoes, but I thought twice. It was a cold day and I was really craving something warm. I decided to stick with the sweet potato route and see what I could come up with. I diced up some potatoes, threw them in a pan with some coconut oil, and tossed in a bit of kale once the potatoes had finished cooking. I topped it with a sprinkle of sea salt and few dashes of black pepper. Knowing this wasn’t much of a meal I fried up a couple of over-easy eggs and plopped them on top of my hash.  Finally, I had found success. The potatoes drew out the sweetness in the kale while the oil helped to break down its tough texture. The runny egg yolk added creaminess while the pepper gave it a slight kick. The flavors melded together perfectly. Finally, I had fallen in love with kale.

While this dish goes wonderfully with a steamy cup of coffee, it also makes for hearty lunch or dinner. My favorite way to eat this hash is topped with a couple of runny eggs, but it also works great as a side to any meal. As it keeps well in the fridge for several days, I recommend making a large batch to snack on throughout the week. Eat it with your eggs at breakfast, have a small bowl for a snack in the afternoon, or pair it with meat for dinner in the evening. It’s one of those foods that tastes great any time of day.

Sweet Potato and Kale Hash

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups kale

4 eggs

S&P

Melt 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Once your oil has melted, add your sweet potatoes and cook until tender. This should take about 10-12 minutes on medium heat. Once your potatoes are tender, add second tablespoon of oil and your kale to the skillet. Cook until your kale softens and turns bright green. About 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like to use sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Top with fried eggs, add more salt and pepper if desired, and enjoy!

What’s your favorite way to eat kale?