Micah A. Leal
Brunch lovers are becoming more and more creative on lazy weekend mornings, but if you’re trying to avoid gluten or bread, a brunch menu can be pretty limiting. Whether you have a gluten allergy or you’re simply being more mindful about nutrition, we have a solution that can liberate a drab gluten-free brunch menu—sweet potato toast.
Slicing a sweet potato lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick pieces and roasting them in the oven without any oil or seasoning allows the outside of the sweet potato pieces to dry and crisp while the inside becomes tender. After cooling on a wire rack, these pieces can be stored and popped into the toaster to replace a piece of bread for a conventional breakfast toast. These sturdy pieces of sweet potato are firm enough to hold up under a host of different toppings (everything from peanut butter and banana to avocado and sesame seeds), but the center is cooked through just enough to still be easy to eat and enjoy. The following recipe is for a nutritious arugula and egg toast, but feel free to add whatever breakfast toppings sound best to you.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, discarding the two side edges of the sweet potatoes that are rounded. Place slices on a baking sheet and bake until the outside is slightly dry but the center is tender and can easily be punctured with a fork, about 35 minutes. After baking, transfer sweet potato pieces to a cooling rack so they can cool without developing moisture on the surface.
Step 2
While sweet potatoes are in the oven, whisk together lemon juice, 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, mustard, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Step 3
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a nonstick skillet and heat over medium. Fry eggs 2 at a time until the white is cooked through and the yolk is still a little runny. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate while you prepare the remaining eggs. Repeat frying process with remaining olive oil and eggs.
Step 4
Place sweet potato pieces in a toaster to rewarm them. Toss the arugula in the lemon juice mixture. Top a toasted piece of sweet potato with some of the dressed arugula, a fried egg, and some freshly cracked black pepper and parmesan to garnish. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
Try to buy the most symmetrical and tubular sweet potatoes you can find for even slices.
