Okay folks, this is a special favorite in my house. When you really want to impress with a unique and delicious brunch or breakfast, this recipe will make you look like a trained chef. It’s incredibly healthy with only a few (good) carbs from sweet potatoes and it’s loaded with protein and Vitamins A, B12, C, K, iron, folate, fiber, potassium, calcium and more. In all fairness, my husband is usually the one who makes this for me because egg poaching can be tricky. Look for a video on that as soon as we finish the never-ending kitchen remodel.
Eggs Benedict with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes
When I set out to Reverse my Type 2, I thought I would really miss delicious breakfasts, you know those special ones on lazy weekend mornings? We used to splurge on sugary sweet plates of carbs and then wonder why we crashed an hour later. This recipe is super healthy and is absolutely delicious – the poached eggs taste like rich butter and the sweet potatoes satisfy the pancake-lover in me, while the spinach, onions and hot peppers really add terrific flavor and nutrition. So, try it out and let me know how you like it.
Note – the sweet potatoes may spike your blood sugar a bit. I recommend making this only after you’ve been on leans & greens for a couple of weeks or if your readings are near 100.
Timing: 30 minutes, including prep and cooking times.
Ingredients:
Serves two people; half the ingredients for one.
- 4 large eggs
- 1 large onion
- 1 medium-to-large sweet potato (keep the skins on – that’s the fiber!)
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil or butter substitute
- 1 Bowl of room temperature water
- 1 Cup Distilled White Vinegar
- Salt, Pepper, and Cayenne Pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 large Jalapeno and/or Habanero (We like it spicy, you be the judge on that.)
- Optional: Some form of tofu, soy, veggie sausage or “fa-con”, what I call fake bacon. I like Morningstar Veg-Sausage and my husband likes their Veggie Bacon Strips.
Instructions:
If you are opting for the tofu, soy/veggie sausage or fa-con, I’d recommend preparing those first and setting them aside, so you can use the same pan to collect the flavors. If not, start below.
Step One: Slice (or chop) a large onion and sauté it in the Olive Oil or butter substitute (if you don’t already have veggie sausage flavor in the pan.)
Step Two: Clean and then slice, chop or chunk the sweet potato, but DO NOT peel them. The healthiest part is the skin. It’s full of fiber. Be sure to keep the thickness consistent so they cook evenly.
Step Three (Optional): Finely chop Jalapeno and/or Habanero and add them to the pan with the onions and sweet potatoes.
Step Four: Add the spinach, salt and pepper and mix all the veggies together on medium for 5-6 minutes. Stir every once in a while to brown all sides and really combine the flavors. If you made the veggie sausage, tofu or fa-con, you can add them after about 5-6 minutes, then bring the heat down to low.
Step Five: Half-fill a large pot with water, add the Distilled White Vinegar and bring it to a boil. When the water is bubbling, gently crack the eggs right over the water and ease them into the pot. Turn the heat to low and let them sit for three and a half minutes.
Step Six: Gently remove the poached eggs from the pot, using a slotted spoon, and place them into the cool water.
Step Seven: Give your veggies one final stir to really combine the flavors and then plate them. Use a slotted spoon to gently remove the poached eggs and place them on top of the veggies. Sprinkle the top with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper and just wait until those yummy yolks run all over the veggies. This one really will blow your mind!
