Sweet Potato Hash

Story:
A few summers ago, the stars aligned and I found the courage to try the Whole 30 program.  (It is what it sounds like... whole foods for 30 days.  Veggies, fruit, meat, nuts, seeds and healthy oils.)  I loved it!  It took a lot of time and energy when you're trying to feed a big family, but I liked how I felt while eating like that.

One reason I did it, was to see how it would help my psoriasis. Spoiler alert: it didn't help.  I was surprised!  Since then, however, I've read more that many people with psoriasis should avoid "nightshade vegetables" (tomatoes, tomatillos, white potatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, and all spices made with peppers).  Sweet potatoes are not a nightshade, and are ok.  Thus, this recipe. Those were my go-to vegetables!  And I was eating a lot of them on Whole 30, so maybe that's why my psoriasis did not improve.  I'd like to try it again, but also omitting nightshades this time around.

Anyway, this is a recipe that I found somewhere on Pinterest, but this is an adjusted version.  It can be tweaked a lot!  It's just a breakfast hash, but I honestly love it for lunch or dinner too.  It's amazing.  Here's a general outline of ingredients, but it's fun to change things and add more or less of whatever you like in a hash!

Ingredients:

3 Aidell's (brand) chicken and apple sausages, diced
2-3 yams and/or sweet potatoes, diced
1 large onion, diced
Coconut or Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Eggs, soft-cooked

Also good: (But nightshades, so I don't add them in)
White potatoes
Bell peppers
Hatch green chilies

Directions:
Dice all the foods.  Heat a generous amount of coconut or olive oil in a large skillet. Add the potatoes and onions and get them cooking.  (If you are using potatoes, peppers, or chilies, add them too. Ben loves hatch green chilies and adds them to a lot of dishes and he especially likes them in this.) Then add the diced sausages. I add a generous amount of kosher salt and some pepper.
When they are getting close to being done, I throw some eggs into my egg cooker and set it for a soft boil.  When the hash is done, I serve it in a bowl with one or two eggs on top.  The yolk drips all over and you stir it all up and it is one of my favorite meals in the world!  I almost always keep these ingredients on hand for a go-to dinner.  Some of the kids don't love it, but that's just because they're crazy.  Ben and Ethan and I adore it.  I believe last time we had it, Ethan said something like, "I don't even know why this is so good.  I could eat it every day!"

Jane's Chicken Bowl

Story:
A couple of summers ago, Ben and I tried doing the Whole 30 eating plan thing.  It was insightful and I felt great! My Simon had a good friend (Ryan) in his class and I got to know Ryan's mom, Jane J, who is one amazing woman!  I love her so much and she was kind of like a Whole 30 pro! This is one of Jane's recipes that I snagged from her.

I don't think it is like an amazingly awesome meal or anything, but it is SO EASY and it fills the tummy, and I feel good after eating it.  Jane, if I remember correctly, says that she "loves it with her whole soul."  So it's worth keeping on hand!

Ingredients:
Zucchini and/or Cauliflower Rice
Chicken, cooked and chopped
Avocados, cubed
Salt & Pepper
Balsamic Reduction/Glaze

Directions:
Saute the zucchini and/or prep the cauliflower rice.  (When I made this for my family last night, I did up the zucchini in olive oil.  I also use frozen cauli-rice--so easy!--and just heat it on the stove in a non-stick pan. I ate it with the zucchini, the kids had the cauli-rice, Ben had both.)
Cook and chop the chicken.  (I actually only make this dinner when I already have cooked and chopped chicken that is ready to be eaten!  It makes for a super easy lunch too... when you already have leftover chicken.)
Cube the avocados. (Plan on almost a half an avocado per person.)

So in each person's bowl, they just put in desired amount of veggies, chicken, and avocado.  Sprinkle on salt and pepper. Then drizzle some Balsamic Reduction/Glaze on top.  Start with not too much salt and pepper and balsamic, but plan on adding more.  Not enough, and the dish isn't very flavorful, too much and... ew.

Note:
I believe the Whole 30 book has a recipe to make your own balsamic reduction... which I did once.  And it was sad to see my balsamic vinegar boil down to nada. So I just buy it at Trader Joe's.  :)