Sweet potato stacks with crispy kale and poached eggs

I often find breakfast/brunch a bit tricky on a gluten free and vegetarian diet. When you go to your standard brunch restaurant, it’s either difficult to find a good gluten free and vegetarian option that isn’t an omelette (though I do love a good omelette every now and then!) or there’s always some sort of processed gluten free bread involved. I generally try to avoid eating too much gluten free bread and pastries that aren’t homemade because they tend to be very processed and not so healthy. That being said, I’m always looking out for interesting breakfast and brunch ideas that are both healthy and gluten free.

I started making these sweet potato stacks with crispy kale and poached eggs are over the Christmas holidays last year, and I’ve been wanting to post this recipe for quite some time now as an excellent breakfast/brunch option that ticks all the boxes. Plus a big bonus for fitting in heaps of veggies before noon. So what’s been stopping me? If I’m totally honest, writing about how to poach an egg is something I’ve found a little bit daunting. There are many methods out there, each claiming to be the best. In short there are many ways to poach an egg, so if you have a method that works well for you just go with that. Personally, I use the vortex method, but if you want to learn more about poaching eggs I find Jamie Oliver’s video really useful (it also includes an option if you’re cooking for a crowd).

These sweet potato stacks with crispy kale and poached eggs are simple to make yet sophisticated enough to serve for a special occasion (you know, if you’re still working on your Mothers’ Day brunch menu). To make the stacks, I toast my sweet potato slices in the toaster a few times, until the center is tender and the outside is crispy. No need for oil or seasoning. If you don’t have a toaster, you can cook the sweet potato under the broiler, flipping halfway through (it shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes). For the kale, I like to panfry it until its quite crispy. If you don’t like kale, you can swap in any greens you like – I’ve made these with garlicky spinach before with excellent results. I like to serve these stacks with lots of seasonal greens or veggies – recently it’s been asparagus, but panfried broccoli or romanesco cauliflower would be lovely too.

-xo KA

Sweet potato stacks with crispy kale and poached eggs {gluten free}

I love making these sweet potato stacks on weekends or for a special occasion. You can toast the sweet potato in the toaster (I find this the easiest), but you can certainly use an oven if you don’t have a toaster – I’ve included instructions below. The stacks are great on their own, but can be served with steamed seasonal vegetables – asparagus dressed in olive oil is my favourite this time of year – or a nice light salad. If you don’t feel confident poaching eggs, you can use any method of cooking you like.

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato, cut into 2 cm thick slices (you can cut it into rounds if you are using relative large sweet potatoes, or lengthwise if you are using smaller ones)

• 3 kale leaves, central stem removed and torn into bite-sized pieces

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 egg

• Smoked salt flakes (or any salt you love) and pepper

• Seasonal steamed veggies, to serve (optional)

Method:

Start by preparing the sweet potato and the kale. Place 2-3 slices of sweet potato inside your toaster, and toast on high (this might take a couple times, flipping sides in between), until the sweet potato is fork-tender and the outside is nice and toasty. If you don’t have a a toaster, you can complete this step using the oven on the broiler setting (cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through).

While the sweet potato is toasting, heat a small pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once it’s hot, add in the kale, season with some salt and pepper, and saute until nice and crispy – about 5-7 minutes.

Place the slices of toasted sweet potato middle of a plate, creating a little stack (make sure it’s nice a stable, not wobbly!) Next add the toasted kale on top, and set aside.

Now you’re ready to poach your egg. Crack the egg into a small bowl or ramekin and set aside. Add at about 10cm of water to a medium pot and bring to the boil. Once the water is boiling, turn down the heat to low and simmer very gently (it shouldn’t be boiling). With the help of a slotted spoon, create a whirlpool/vortex by running the spoon in circular motions around the edge of the pot. Tip the egg into the center of the pot so that it’s in the middle of the vortex – this will help the egg white hold together. Simmer for 3 minutes, then carefully remove the egg from the pot using a slotted spoon. Allow to drain, and place on top of the prepared sweet potato stack.

Top the egg with a bit more salt and pepper, and serve with a side of steamed seasonal veggies (I love steamed asparagus dressed in olive oil) or a nice fresh salad. Enjoy straight away!

Serves 1.