Elegantly rustic and perfectly simple, sweet potato hash brown nests are foolproof; a brunch hack that satisfies your creative spirit, and your rumbling tummy.

Potatoes and eggs are a two definitive brunch classics that never get old, regardless of how you prepare and serve them. In this sweet potato hash brown nest recipe, grated sweet potatoes coat the bottom and sides of muffin tins, with each “nest” conveniently cupping a cracked egg. Baked to a finish, the result is a light crust with crispy corners and a creamy and dense center that can be garnished however you choose.

I personal like a little Tabasco sauce and grated cheese on my eggs, so once these hash brown nests pop out of the oven, I go to town! You could also chop up fresh herbs – dill, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, thyme, or basil – or season with fragrant spices. These nests are made to be convenient and efficient vessels for you to exercise your add-in rights. Get creative!

Sweet Potato Hash Brown Nests

Makes 4 nests

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato, washed and peeled
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 4 muffin tin cups with the coconut oil. Set aside.

Grate the sweet potato using a coarse cheese grater, using a large bowl as the base to catch the grated potato as it falls from the grater.

Use clean hands to line each muffin tin with the sweet potato, forming a cup. You may not need to use all of the grated potato. Make a fifth cup if need be, just make sure you have an extra egg on hand, too!

Place the tin in the oven and bake for about 5-10 minutes, or until lightly cooked. Remove the tin from the oven and crack an egg into each nest. Place the tin back into the oven and cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the egg turns from transparent to white.

Allow the nests to cool lightly before carefully removing them from the tin. Season each with salt and pepper and serve!

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Vegan Sweet Potato Hash Browns Recipe

Potato Nests Image from Shutterstock

The post Sweet Potato Hash Brown Nests: A Brunch Hack You Can’t Get Enough Of appeared first on EcoSalon.

Turn traditional greasy hash browns into a healthy and delicious meal with this vegan sweet potato recipe.

Hash browns are traditionally pan-fried white potatoes that have been grated, diced, sliced, or julienned. For this recipe, however, I wanted to cut some corners by baking sweet potato cubes as well as improve the nutrition and color with the addition of red pepper, mint, and scallions. The result is a sweet and savory vegan delight that is fit for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Enjoy!

Traditional hash browns are not exactly the best way to start the day. The ingredient list is generally short, but consider the main players: white potato and butter. Despite the fact that it is a vegetable, the white potato is a simple starch that causes spikes in blood sugar levels and can lead to  a temporary energy rush followed by a period of sluggishness, not to mention the weight gain. Often, and especially when hash browns are served at a diner, butter is more than just a condiment, it’s almost side-dish-status worthy, considering how much is added to the pan for frying the potatoes. This vegan recipe for sweet potato hash browns makes them part of a wholesome and healthy meal.

The sweet potato is packed with vitamins C and D, carotenoids and antioxidants. These attributes make it effective at maintaining youthful skin, strong bones, and a healthy thyroid as well as preventing cancer. Compared to a white potato, sweet potatoes (and yams) also contain sugars that are slowly released into the bloodstream and thus don’t cause surges in blood sugar levels.

Sweet and Savory Baked Sweet Potato Hash browns

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 scallions
• 1 large (2 medium) red pepper(s)
• Large handful fresh mint leaves
• Juice of one orange
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Dice the sweet potatoes into cubes. Place cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes or until slightly browned and cooked through. While the cubes bake, dice the scallions, red pepper and mint leaves. In a small bowl, whisk together the the orange juice, lemon juice and olive oil. Set aside.

When the potatoes have cooked, place them in a bowl while warm and add the red pepper, scallions and mint.

Pour in the vinaigrette.

Toss until evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper if you’d like more. Serve and enjoy!

Photo Credit: GlowKitchen

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