Home ยป Money Matters: Grilled Corn Summer (Breakfast) Hash + Weekly Menu

Money Matters: Grilled Corn Summer (Breakfast) Hash + Weekly Menu

I’m very familiar with the word hash when used as a verb. But as a noun, I wasn’t so sure.

hash [hash]; noun
1. a dish of diced or chopped meat and often vegetables, as of leftover corned beef or veal and potatoes, sauteed in a frying pan or of meat, potatoes, and carrots cooked together in gravy.
2. a mess, jumble, or muddle
3. a reworking of old and familiar material

This meal contains meat (bacon!), but it doesn’t have to. It certainly contains vegetables in the way of all things in-season: zucchini, corn, bell pepper, onion, eggplant…and potatoes. But I think potatoes are nearly always in season (they’re troopers through the cold weather).

Anyways, this summer hash is certainly a jumble of ingredients, and you can feel free to use just about anything and everything. I could even see this dish being turned into a fall hash with sweet potato, root vegetables, and may even…pumpkin!

Plus, this meal doesn’t have to be a breakfast dish. I served it as dinner and ate it for lunch throughout the week. It’s hearty, filling, stick-to-your-ribs food that is good any time of day.

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Grilled Corn Summer Breakfast Hash adapted from How Sweet It Is

4 slices of bacon, chopped
4 medium yukon gold potatoes, chopped into cubes
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini squash, chopped into half-moons
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 ears grilled corn on the cob, cut off the cob
1 cup eggplant, diced
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 large eggs
sea salt + pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat a large skillet or 10 to 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add chopped bacon and cook until crispy and fat is rendered – about 4-5 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

Add potatoes with a sprinkle of salt and pepper to the bacon fat and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring and tossing every few minutes.

Add all the remaining ingredients and cook 5-10 additional minutes or until cooked to desired doneness. While vegetables cook, heat another skillet on medium high and cook your eggs as desired, then set aside over low heat. Yield: 4 servings (~1 1/2 cups veggies with one egg)

Nutrition Information (per serving): 354 calories; 13.3 g. fat; 226 mg. cholesterol; 498 mg. sodium; 51.3 g. carbohydrate; 6 g. fiber; 16.5 g. protein

Result: Lots of summer’s best produce, with classic potatoes, topped with an egg to complete a meal…what’s not to love? With all the low-calorie, nutrient and fiber-packed vegetables this meal is health-conscious and very, very filling. There’s a great balance of complex carbohydrate, protein, and fat. It reheated really well for lunch throughout the week, too. Note: If you would like to make this a vegetarian meal, swap out the bacon for about 3 tablespoons of olive oil! Enjoy!

Money Matters: The red bell pepper ($1) and nitrate-free bacon ($0.38/slice) were the most expensive ingredients. The eggplant ($1.99/lb normally, though mine was “free” from the garden) came in at $0.75 as one of the more expensive ingredients, as well. Zucchinis are cheap at about $0.50 a piece. For organic potatoes, I paid $4.50/5 lbs, bringing the cost of the potatoes to $1.35 for 4 potatoes. The cheap protein source, eggs, is what really helps to keep the cost of this meal to a mere $6.77 total and the cost per serving at $1.69!

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Last week’s menu was all about corn after I got 13 ears from the farmer’s market. This week, the theme is eggplant. This time of year, eggplant is everywhere and it’s at its best! Plus, my garden has several ready to harvest 😉

Weekly Menu: August 28th-September 1st

Tonight is the championship game for my hockey team! I am hoping celebratory beers with the guys afterwards will be in order. Better stretch out my legs from yesterday’s grueling 5 mile run/walk. It’s a shame when one of the prettiest days of summer comes with one of the toughest runs in a while!

Question: Have you ever made a hash at home?

P.S. Check out my guest post over at Pursuing Balance on Dietary Compliance!

Be well,

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6 Comments

  1. Biz
    August 28, 2011 / 10:36 am

    Your hash looks wonderful – so summery and I like how you can just add what you have on hand.

    Good luck in hockey tonight – I am sure you’ll win! Enjoy your Sunday!

  2. EA-The Spicy RD
    August 28, 2011 / 1:41 pm

    This looks fabulous!!! I think it would be great for dinner too ๐Ÿ™‚ Definitely making this soon!

  3. Andrea@WellnessNotes
    August 28, 2011 / 10:44 pm

    I love hash, especially topped with a nice, runny over-easy egg! To me it’s perfect for dinner actually as we usually don’t have time for a “more involved” breakfast!

    Hope you won!!!

  4. Kristen (swanky dietitian)
    August 28, 2011 / 11:47 pm

    Oh wow, I just love this. This looks pretty darn amazing!
    Good luck on the game!

  5. Dianne
    August 29, 2011 / 6:18 am

    Looks yummy. Yes, I make a “hash”, I call mine Mexy Hash because I start with chorrizo and add peppers and lots of veggies, and top with eggs, cheese and sour cream!

  6. Pingback: Breakfast (Savory) | Prevention RD

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