Are you one of those people who loves potatoes any which way they come?  I have had a love hate relationship with potatoes for many years.  In high school, my dad insisted that dinner should always include potatoes – this meant boiled or mashed – sometimes we might have baked with sour cream but that was so infrequent that it may just be a memory from the Keg restaurant.  By the time I left for university, I thought potatoes were foul and wicked white blobs that sat and congealed on your plate waiting for any excuse to be dropped quietly for the dog.

My hate for the white tuber is alas no longer there – this comes at a time when really I would be better off not eating them!  I have discovered the ultimate scalloped potatoes, potatoes Anna, latkes, roasted potatoes with rosemary and olive oil, mashed potatoes with dill and creme fraiche and the list goes on.  I notice that there are no “plain” potatoes on my list of favs.  Gerry, my husband is particularly fond of potatoes at breakfast and will eat them with gusto in any shape or form.

However, after Christmas, like many, I noticed that the scale had tipped a bit too high (all those potatoes) and decided that they could no longer make their way onto my plate in quite so many forms.  Opting for the potatoes with cream version made ridding myself of the breakfast potatoes easy, not quite so for my husband.  Still, at breakfast there remained a need to fill the plate with something other than more carbs.

This led me to rediscovering that I love runny eggs mixed with everything on the plate whether it be toast soldiers or potatoes, but hey why not veggies in the quest for trimmer waistlines?

Quick Vegetarian Hash

• 1-2 eggs (depends on whether you are feeding 1 cholesterol conscious person or just one person who is hungry)
• 1 bell pepper medium size, cut in strips
• 6-8 cherry tomatoes cut in half or 2 medium tomatoes cut in slices
• 1/4 tsp olive oil
• fresh tarragon 1-2 leaves or 1/4 tsp dried tarragon
• Hot sauce (to taste)

For variety, I often add 1/2 an avocado which can be heated in the pan just before the egg is dropped in, or arranged sliced on the plate as a base layer.  Really you could add any veggie you love.

This recipe may be doubled or tripled, just use a larger skillet.

Directions

Heat the skillet on the stove on medium to high heat and then add the olive oil.

Place the tomatoes cut side down in the pan, and reduce heat to medium.  After about 1 minute, add the peppers.  Simmer for a few minutes until tender.  Once they have started to brown a bit, arrange a small hole in the centre and crack your egg(s) into this hole.  Reduce heat to low and place lid on top to let steam.  If you like a runny egg like I do, keep a close eye out so that the egg does not overcook.  Once there is no longer any runny white, scoop your hash onto your plate and enjoy the rich flavours as they run together.