Happy Friday y’all! We finally made it to the weekend! Though to be honest, my weekend started yesterday which is why today’s post is up later than usual. Friday’s are my sleep in day where I luxuriate in bed and read. It’s glorious! So today I’m going to give you a quick and easy breakfast recipe so you can all start your mornings full of vim and vigour and slay any dragons or recue any maidens who may fall in your path. Honestly, it will probably take you longer to read my ramblings than it will to make your breakfast. So away we go!

I’m a huge fan of yams (or sweet potatoes), which will be the star of our recipe this morning. These guys are a great source of beta-carotene, which can be converted to vitamin A in your liver. They’ve also got some wicked sweet antioxidant properties to help fight the evil free radicals who are trying to steal away your good looks. B-C is what gives your yams/sweet potatoes their pretty orange colour, so they’re found in other orange foods as well! Bonus: Most leafy greens, such as spinach, collard greens, and swiss chard are also great sources of this nutrient.

Again, we’re adding some onions to our recipe because 1. I am absolutely obsessed with them and have been known to eat them with every meal of the day, raw or cooked. And 2. They’re a great source of insoluble fibre and antioxidants. I probably add way more than what I suggest in my recipe, but I’ve come to the conclusion that I am, in fact, a weirdo, so play around until you find your sweet spot. I think you’ll quickly see that though I think recipes are a great way to learn how to cook and can be great inspirations, I don’t like to be told what to do, especially by some know-it-all book. I’m more a fan of intuitively throwing stuff together until it tastes good (Warning: this doesn’t always work so as you start getting comfortable in the kitchen and branching out, be prepared to have some shall we say, less than satisfactory meals. Just remember what you did so you can NEVER do it again. Like roasting beets with cinnamon. Trust me. It’s disgusting.)

The recipe also contains cinnamon. This delicious, fall-scented spice is great for managing blood sugar so you don’t get the dreaded spikes and crashes that leave you reaching for the donut or bag of chips. Stable blood sugar helps you avoid that dreaded afternoon slump where all you want to do is crawl under your desk and take a nap. And as someone who has fallen asleep in said position snuggled in a pile of sweaters on a tile floor (and got caught) I can tell you, those crashes are not fun nor are they productive.

The spice comes from cayenne, which may be my favourite way to add heat without altering flavour too much. He’s also a delicious anti-inflammatory that has the side benefit of stimulating the digestive tract and relaxing the stomach, which can help eliminate any… unpleasantness. (Farts, I’m talking about farts.)

Finally we have some sort of fat, which I’m more specific about below, for energy, maximum deliciosity, and so our food doesn’t stick to the pan and burn. And sea salt. Try to find a sea salt that’s nice and grey and slightly moist. This means that it hasn’t been overly refined and it still contains the excellent trace minerals from the sea that your body needs for all kinds of important body functions. I just bought my first bag of grey sea salt on Sunday and it is amazing! I store it in glass jars (surprise surprise) so it stays nice and squidgy.

Morning Timesaving Tips:

I like to cut up my yams and onions on Sunday and store them in a glass jar so that when I’m in a hurry during the week I can just shake them into the pan and voila, it’s go time! Set out the pots, pans, bowls, utensils, and spices you need before you go to bed so you don’t waste precious morning time searching for them. Honestly my frying pan and the baking sheet I use to cover it rarely leave my stovetop. Unless I’m having company or need the burners for something else.

While the yams are steaming away under cover I wash my face and do other morning necessities so once my food is ready I can relax and enjoy it. I’ve even showered while they’re cooking. As long as your burner isn’t too high these guys can take care of themselves pretty well.

Aside: All recipes on this blog are gluten, soy, corn, and dairy free (aside from some magical butter, but I will always provide easy substitutions). So munch on, friends, without fear of tummy aches or other unpleasant side effects.

Spicy Cinnamon Sweet Potato Hash Browns

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. Coconut oil, butter, or ghee

½ sweet potato, chopped into cubes

1 Tbsp. red or yellow onion, diced.

1 tsp. cinnamon: You can add more or less depending on preference. I friggen love cinnamon so I load these bad boys up.

¼ tsp. cayenne: I like them a little spicier, so feel free to play around with measurements.

Sea salt to taste

Makes one serving

Directions:

Heat oil of choice in a frying pan on medium heat. Make sure the entire bottom of the pan is covered. Add sweet potatoes, onions, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Stir together using a spatula. Cover for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once hash browns are soft, remove cover and sauté for an additional minute. Remove from frying pan and serve.

Options for Topping

I usually eat this topped with two or three over easy eggs because it’s quick and I’m lazy in the mornings (or at night when I decide to have breakfast for dinner). The gooey yolk also makes a nice sauce for the yams. And, you know, ‘cause eggs are super good for you too. They’re a great source of protein, healthy fats, and cholesterol to help you make your vitamin D-lightful. They also contain choline, which is an important nutrient that functions as a precursor for the super awesome brain neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. This guy helps activate muscle cells, amongst many other important things, so you can run faster than a speeding bullet. Yay science!

Bacon! Chop into bits and fry up. There’s not really any health benefit to bacon, but I mean come on… it’s bacon! However, a note on sourcing is necessary. While I’m all for including bacon as a treat or delicious topping (I’ve even made chocolate covered bacon stir sticks for coconut milk hot chocolate before), it’s important that you buy the highest quality bacon you can. We all know that this cut is mostly fat, which is one reason why it’s so delicious, but fat is also where humans and animals store accumulated toxins in their bodies. Conventionally raised pigs are often crammed together in tiny spaces, fed unnatural diets, and can be loaded with hormones to make them grow bigger, faster and antibiotics to keep them from getting sick due to their cramped living spaces. All of these toxins can build up in their bodies and end up in your bellies, which we definitely don’t want. I suggest getting to know your local butcher, find out where their animals are raised and try to buy bacon which uses traditional curing methods and doesn’t contain added nitrates/nitrites as these ingredients can have not-so-great health effects. Sidenote: I once went to my butcher and placed my order and as I went to pay he asked if I was having a big party that week. I laughed and told him that no, actually, it was just a week’s supply for my sister and I. Though if I’m completely honest, she likely at 2/3 of what I bought…

Nuts: I like to add crushed cashews or walnuts for a little crunch and texture. I usually add them in addition to the eggs so I know that I’m getting enough protein. Both are good sources of healthy fats, but don’t go crazy. A small handful is typically a good serving size. Bonus points if you use a mortar and pestle to smush them.

Ground meat: I like to prepare a bunch of ground beef, lamb, or whatever else piques my fancy at butcher on Sunday. I’ve tried venison (very lean so you’ll want to add some extra healthy fat), boar, and bison. All were super delicious! I typically season whichever I’ve chosen with garlic, onions, and sea salt as a nice base and that way I can change it up with a few different spices depending on what I’m eating. For this recipe I might add some cumin, chili flakes, and turmeric (bonus: a great anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. Winning!) but you could just throw it in with the yams as is and it would still be pretty delicious. Remember what I said about sourcing good pork? Same goes for pretty much every other meat, poultry, eggs, and butter. I’ll do a more in depth post on the whys and hows soon. For now my number one tip is get to know where your meat comes from. Then I’ll slowly convince you to try things like liver, brain, and sweetbreads muahaha.

Well that’s all for today mi amigos! Let me know how this recipe works out for you in the comments. Have a most excellent weekend full of friends and funtivities! Until next time, happy eating!

Cait

PS: I’ve decided to let Scoby Doo ferment for an extra day since I started him so late on Friday night and because my jar is so gigantic. Here’s what he looks like now. He’s growing like such a good boy!