healthy vegetarian breakfast: kale, potatoes, and eggs

by Stacy

Are you a sweet or savory breakfast person? I have a huge sweet tooth, and for years I ate starch for breakfast: bowls of cold cereal, french toast, pancakes, waffles, pastries…

I was ravenous when I woke up, and without fail, I was ravenous again three to four hours later. All those carbs went tearing through my system resulting a sugar crash and a seriously grumpy attitude. Unpleasant for everyone, to say the least.

Two things have made the biggest impact on my mornings. One is drinking a glass of water immediately after waking up. We’re not eating or drinking while we’re sleeping, so everyone is dehydrated when they wake up. Getting that water in alleviates those urgent hunger pangs that are actually desperate thirst signals. The second is protein for breakfast.

kale, potatoes, and eggs

Usually this means eggs. They’re fast and simple to prepare. I also like to add in a serving (or three) of vegetables to jump-start my day. Vegetables are great sources of fiber that help me stay full along with the slowly-digested protein in the eggs. It also adds some diversity and flavor to my mornings depending on what’s in season.

For this meal I added a few potatoes I had hanging around. Instead of the normal starch-bomb of American fries or hash browns claiming half the plate of a common diner breakfast, I kept the kale central and added the potatoes for an accent. My preference is to use organic potatoes, scrub them well, and leave the protein- and nutrient-rich skins on.

kale, potatoes, and eggs

Most of my egg breakfasts are conveniently gluten- and dairy-free which isn’t all bad. Both wheat and dairy are mucus-forming, which is never a good way for me to start my day. Need a wake up call? Add a splash of Sriracha or hot sauce. Sometimes I use a pinch of cayenne pepper (maybe not this week if you’re in a heat wave, however).

What’s your favorite breakfast?

print recipe
Kale, Potatoes, and Eggs
Ramping up the veggies in the morning makes it easier to fit all your servings in the day.
Ingredients
  • 4-5 leaves kale
  • 2 new potatoes
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive or neutral oil
  • 1 egg
  • to taste salt and pepper
Instructions
1.) Remove stems from kale, chop into bite-sized pieces. Slice potatoes into uniform circles, about 1/8-1/4 inch. Too thin and they’ll burn, too thick and they won’t cook through. Mince garlic.2.) Heat oil in cast iron or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add potatoes in a single layer and let cook without moving for 3-5 minutes until golden brown.3.) Flip potatoes and cook another 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add kale. Stir so all kale comes in contact with the pan and wilts. Add a teaspoon of water and stir briskly to soften kale.4.) Bring a small pan of water to a simmer. Add an egg and let simmer on low while you finish cooking the vegetables.5.) When potatoes are golden brown and cooked through, add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add salt and pepper. 6.) Serve vegetables topped with poached egg. Feel good about starting your day.
Details

Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 1 breakfast

kale, potatoes, and eggs

{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }

katiebug July 20, 2011 at 10:26 am

These pictures are so gorgeous!

I actually hated eggs until a trip to Ireland in 2006. Since every single bed and breakfast served them, and since we were pinching our pennies, I decided that I had to deal. And I learned that I love eggs: over-easy or sunny side up, the runnier the yolk the better. Yum.

On weekdays, however, I’ve actually become pretty committed to oatmeal. It requires so little effort to make and stir in some dried fruit. Plus, it’s difficult to screw up. Even if I have to leave the room for a minute to get a crying baby.

I may have to give this try. You’re certainly right about protein in the morning!

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Stacy July 20, 2011 at 8:02 pm

Thank you, ma’am!

Ooh, we always had eggs growing up, but poached is my method of choice. When we talk about having kids, I always weigh “no runny yolks, soft cheese, or wine” against “no litter box duty” during pregnancy. Luckily they have pasteurized eggs now so I can cross that off my list!

Do you ever have steel cut oats? They take longer, but you can make them on the stovetop or the crockpot overnight. Sometimes I stir a lightly-beaten egg into my oatmeal and cook on low, covered, for a few more minutes. It’s a little thicker and has more oomph to it.

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Julie @SavvyEats July 21, 2011 at 9:28 am

I soooo can’t wait to get to the point where I can stomach eggs and the like for breakfast again!
Julie @SavvyEats recently posted..Blueberry PreservesMy Profile

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Stacy July 23, 2011 at 12:43 pm

Awww, that’s the worst!

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katiebug July 21, 2011 at 9:28 am

Yes! I love steel-cut oats, but they require some forethought since they take so much.

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Stacy July 23, 2011 at 12:43 pm

You can also make a big batch in advance and just reheat a single serving in the morning. =)

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Nancy Rose Eisman July 21, 2011 at 9:49 am

Great post Stacy – beautiful pictures + delicious recipe. Here’s another idea: make the greens and potatoes part of dinner the night before, making extra to quickly heat up in the morning. Heat them in a saute pan, crack an egg over top, put the lid on, and the egg will “poach” in about 5-6 minutes. P.S. Love your CSA reports!

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Stacy July 23, 2011 at 12:44 pm

Thank you, Nancy! And that’s a brilliant suggestion. You’re so smart.

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amee July 22, 2011 at 11:18 am

lovely pic! Can I borrow you at 7 am on Mon-Fri? :) I never thought of pairing kale and eggs, but it makes so much sense now that you mention it!
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Stacy July 23, 2011 at 12:45 pm

Ha! See Nancy’s suggestion for pre-cooking the veggies! I feel like incorporating a slew of veggies with my breakfast helps me stay full longer and feel better about the days when I eat fruit or yogurt or toast for lunch.

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Meghan July 27, 2011 at 8:19 am

Oh, yum! I’ve been in such a breakfast rut lately (yogurt and granola, booooring). And I usually convince myself I don’t have the time to cook anything, but this wouldn’t take long at all. So thanks for sharing, can’t wait to try it soon!

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Stacy July 28, 2011 at 9:22 am

I have the same breakfast for long stretches sometimes, but then I need to switch it up — I especially love warm breakfasts, so eggs are a favorite.

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MaryBe July 28, 2011 at 3:58 am

Hi I followed the trail of crumbs here from Ashley/The Edible Perspective to check out your pickle recipe and stayed to look around. Your recipes look great! I love this one, plus the fact that you use cast iron. Nice! I eat mostly vegan-ish but a friend of mine has pet chickens and she gives me happy eggs. I have salt potatoes left over from last night, so this looks like breakfast! Thanks!

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Stacy July 28, 2011 at 9:22 am

I totally call them “happy eggs” too. Hope you enjoy your breakfast!

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rachel August 2, 2011 at 10:14 am

My husband is a vegetarian and I think he would love this recipe. I am bookmarking it for later!

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Stacy August 4, 2011 at 8:39 am

I didn’t know Travis was a vegetarian! Hope you enjoy the recipe. =)

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Jen August 16, 2011 at 11:57 am

Hi Stacy, I edit the website for a prominent triathlon magazine. Would you be kind enough to share this recipe (and Flickr photo, which is how I stumbled across your great blog!) for cross-publishing on our site? Let me know.

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Diane September 27, 2013 at 4:02 pm

I do a similar version, but once cooked, I drizzle Apple Cider Vinegar, EOO, and sunflower seeds over the top. It adds a little “something-something.” The other idea is to top it with guac and salsa for a Mexican version. I only share for some kale breakfast variety. I find if I have kale with eggs and then a bunch of spinach in a fruit smoothie, I can get about half the greens for the day in at breakfast. I sometimes get busy and find it difficult to get the greens in later in the day.

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