** SCROLL TO BOTTOM FOR NUTRITION FACTS **

Brunch is an American tradition, mainly for people to relax on a Sunday with friends and family while bonding over good food. The tradition has become so popular that many restaurants are offering brunch and making a large profit off of this occasion. I have gone to several brunch places myself and have noticed that you are mainly paying for the aesthetic and insta-grammable ambiance and plating of food. The food may not be extraordinary or unique, but people are willing to pay big bucks to eat a smaller-than-normal portion of food in a nice setting.. It really is a good thing from a business perspective, but I’ve dropped $35 on brunch for the most simple foods, which I find a bit unreasonable.

I decided that I wanted to make a brunch at home and spent about $12 on 3 dishes that feeds about 6 people! One of the dishes was a potato and vegetable hash, made with potatoes, chard, red bell peppers, and onions. I topped the hash with vegan cheese, cilantro, and avocado making this colorful dish vegan-friendly. This dish is also relatively healthy and will satisfy all your brunch cravings! I used a variety of spices which makes the dish flavorful enough to the point where you won’t miss the absence of meat!

---

Potato and Vegetable Hash (Vegan + GF)

yield: 10 in. cast iron

Ingredients:

• 1 T. vegan butter or neutral oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/3 c. Swiss chard stems (leaves used later), optional
• 3 T. chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 4 c. frozen or fresh unsalted potato cubes (This recipe includes cook time for frozen potatoes only)
• 2 c. Swiss chard leaves, optional
• 1/2 c. vegan cheese
• cilantro for garnishing, optional
• avocado for garnishing, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In a cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan on medium heat, add the vegan butter or oil and add in the onion, bell pepper, and chard stems. Saute for about 8 min. until the vegetables have cooked and are lightly browned.
3. Add in all the spices and frozen potatoes and cook for about 8 min until everything is browned and well- incorporated.
4. Add in the rainbow chard leaves and cook for an additional 2 min. until the leaves are slightly wilted. Cover the chard with the other ingredients and bake in the oven for about 15 min.
5. Remove from the oven and add cheese. Place in the oven again for an additional 5 min.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 min. and top with avocado and cilantro.
7. Serve when hot and eat as is or with some hot sauce.

Store hash in an airtight container for up to 7 days. The hash is best served hot when the cheese is gooey and melted. This hash goes well with many other brunch items, so consider making this dish if you ever have a brunch potluck!