I was never a big breakfast fan growing up. My Mom had to force me to eat eggs, I ate the center out of my french toast and I only liked pancakes if they were loaded down with so much syrup that you could hardly call them pancakes. When I was a teenager my Mom would try to get me to eat breakfast every morning, before school, so I started to eat non-traditional breakfast food-tamales, leftover pumpkin pie, leftover lasagna, etc. However, at some point during adulthood I became a breakfast addict.

I think some of this can be credited to my ex-husband as he truly taught me the art of breakfast. He would eat breakfast 24hrs a day if he could and I remember our first trip together, looking for a breakfast place at 3am, which we found. But I didn't drink coffee until I met him and he taught me how to enjoy lazy mornings with the newspaper, a cup of coffee and breakfast food. We actually had a weekend tradition that included early morning runs, coffee and making breakfast together. Those were some of our best times together. . And since that point I have become a huge fan of breakfast! Yes, I know it is rare for a girl to say something nice about their ex, but I always try to focus on the positive.

Today I love all things breakfast-breakfast traditions, breakfast food, bloody mary's, mimosas, etc. So after a grueling 10 mile run yesterday and afternoon/evening of feeling like the life had been sucked out of me, I was pretty excited to start this Sunday morning off right. I decided today would be the perfect morning to make myself a nice breakfast and just be a little lazy, since I don't have to run off to work, workouts or other random activities. I made Cooking Light's Two Potato and Beet Hash with Poached Eggs and Greens. This is truly the perfect Fall breakfast recipe!! I love the earthy flavor and texture of the sweet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes and the beets. They were complimented by the tang in the salad dressing from the Dijon mustard and vinegar. And the smooth luxurious texture of the poached eggs just tied the whole dish together. It was awesome! And pretty!




So start by making the hash. This is a vegetarian hash so I am telling you now to stop searching for the bacon in this recipe. Saute the onions until golden brown.


Add garlic, sweet potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes to the pan and cook for 25 minutes. I was a little concerned that the potatoes would not get soft, especially since there wasn't any cooking liquid, but that was not a problem. I do recommend that you cut all of your potatoes to a uniform size to assist with even cooking, but other than that I didn't do anything special.


Finally add the beets to the hash and cook for another 10 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. I loved the crispy exterior of the potatoes and that kind of charred hash flavor. They were cooked perfectly and I was impressed because this recipe only called for 1T of oil. Most of the time hashes have a lot of fat in them.


Next poach the eggs. Bring vinegar and water to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Use a small dish and slowly lower the eggs into the water. Cook for 3-4 minutes and remove the eggs. I always put them on paper towels, using a slotted spoon, to get rid of the excess water.

Make the salad dressing for your greens, which consists of oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Toss with the salad greens. This was a really nice and light salad dressing that was tangy and smooth, and not overpowering so you could still taste the flavors from the eggs and hash.


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato (about 3/4 pound)
2 cups cubed peeled sweet potato (about 3/4 pound)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup cubed peeled cooked beets (about 1/2 pound)
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
5 teaspoons red wine vinegar, divided
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 cups torn frisée or curly endive
Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Add potatoes, 2 teaspoons sage, and garlic; cook for 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in beets, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add water to a large skillet, filling two-thirds full. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar. Break each egg into a custard cup, and pour gently into pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove eggs from pan using a slotted spoon. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon sage evenly over eggs.
3. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 2 teaspoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon sage, and mustard in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add frisée; toss to coat. Serve with hash and eggs.


I did add some Larrupin mustard sauce just to add some color to the top of the egg and well because I love this mustard sauce...it truly goes great on anything.


But this was a fun recipe, with incredible fall colors and great flavors! It was healthy and it made me feel like I was pampering myself on this beautiful Fall morning. Cheers!