Sweet Potato Dream AIP Breakfast Bowl
Sweet Potato Dream AIP Breakfast Bowl
During the early months of my endeavor into the Autoimmune Protocol Diet (AIP), I became hooked on sweet potato-based dishes as a way to provide myself nutrient-dense meals.
Sweet potatoes incredibly versatile, can pretty much replace a regular potato in any recipe (without the potential for nightshade-induced inflammation), and are high in fiber and antioxidants. Different types of sweet potatoes have been shown to be beneficial for gut health and their high levels of carotene bring a boost to our eye health.
Many AIP Gurus stress the fact that, especially for women, it is very important to start the day off as nutritionally dense as possible and to also get plenty of protein at breakfast.
I developed this Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl to be adaptable and delicious. This recipe can easily be made more sweet or more savory depending on how you top and season.
To get started, I must point out that in the photos throughout this post, I am using sweet potatoes grown in the Yucatan Peninsula region of Mexico, which are white in color with a purple-red skin. This recipe can be made exactly the same way using different sweet potatoes that can be found in other parts of the world, such as the orange (yam) and purple ones (ube).
For this recipe you will need:
1 large sweet potato (of any color)
A liter of water for boiling
pinch of salt
1 apple
1 banana
1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)
a slice of bacon
1 tablespoon of olive or coconut oil
1/2 cup of coconut milk
honey (optional)
1 small white onion
Tools you will need:
A pot for boiling
A knife
A frying pan
Peeler (optional, the skin of the sweet potato is also highly nutrient dense!)
Immersion blender (optional)
How to Prepare the Sweet Potato Dream AIP Breakfast Bowl
First things first, we must prepare the sweet potato by cutting it into several pieces and letting it boil until soft. It is important to not add the sweet potato to the water until the water is boiling. If you add the sweet potato to the water first, the water will take longer to boil.
Let the sweet potato boil until soft but before it begins drying out. If sweet potato boils too long it begins to get dry and crack. Although this can be remedied with a bit of extra olive or coconut oil, it is best to avoid letting this happen.
Sauté your toppings while the sweet potato boils
While the sweet potato is boiling, use this time to toast the shredded coconut, and cook your caramelized onion and bacon.
I recommend toasting the coconut first, as this does not require oil and can be done in the same pan you will use to cook the onion and bacon.
Heat your frying pan with no oil, on medium-high.
Once it’s hot, flash-toast your shredded coconut in the pan, keeping steady movement of the pan to avoid burning. It is important to not use oil at this step, so the coconut shreds emerge crispy.
Once toasted to a golden-brown, set aside and add your oil to the pan to let it heat for the onion.
Finely slice the onion of your choosing and let it caramelize in the frying pan, on low, with a splash of coconut or olive oil. Again, it is best to let the oil heat before adding the onion to caramelize.
Once your onion is golden and caramelized, you can take it out of the pan and put aside. Use the same pan with the oil you just used for the onion to cook the bacon while the sweet potato finishes cooking in the boiling water.
This will allow the bacon to absorb some of the flavor of the caramelized onion without risking the onion burning, since it cooks faster than the bacon.
Once your bacon is ready, remove from the pan, and put aside.
Mashing the Sweet Potato
Let the sweet potato cook until completely softened (check this by using a fork to poke the sweet potato).
If the fork cuts through smoothly and the sweet potato crumbles or splits, it is fully cooked and softened.
You may want to let the sweet potato cool for a couple minutes after boiling. However, I find this bowl is best when served warm.
I am convinced that root vegetables bring a grounding energy to the meals they form the basis of! And there is nothing like warm, grounding, earthy sweet potato bowl to start the day.
When your sweet potato has cooled enough to be manipulable, use a fork or knife to break it down into smaller pieces.
Place these pieces into a bowl or pot, and top with the 1/2 cup of coconut milk.
Add a dash of salt.
If you have your immersion blender at the ready, use it now to gently blend the cooked sweet potato, salt, and coconut milk into a puree.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can mash your sweet potato with the coconut milk and salt by using the bottom end of a clean glass, a pestle, or even the back of a large kitchen spoon.
However, nothing does the job quite like a handheld immersion blender.
Now that the sweet potato bowl base is pureed, it is ready to top.
Voila!
Layer the ingredients you have selected to complete your bowl on top of your pureed sweet potato. You may want to drizzle honey or olive or coconut oil, depending on if you want to add another element of sweet or savory.
Your nutritionally dense, AIP-friendly sweet potato breakfast bowl is now ready to nourish you! This delicious breakfast choice is filling and helps sustain your energy into the afternoon.
