Spicy Veggie Sausage and County Potatoes
Tender skillet potatoes are a hearty companion to veggie sausage, and kale in this savory skillet dish.
What is a food you’ve been afraid to eat but recently decided to incorporate? I’ve learned many people tend to have what they deem “good” foods and “bad” foods. I don’t think it is fair to write off vegetables or food groups needlessly.
I think what’s important is to make meals with foods in a way that is beneficial to your health and well-being.
If you guys have been following me along since the beginning of this blog, then you may know I believe in cycle-syncing. This is lifestyle created by Alisa Vitti, the author of WomanCode, which involves eating and exercising based on where you are in your menstrual cycle. You can read about how I got started with it and how it helped me here.
Let’s circle back to what I was talking about initially: good and bad foods. So, during my luteal phase, I lean towards roasted, hearty dishes. Earlier this year I began craving white potatoes during this phase. While I do like potatoes (who doesn’t?), they were a feared food. I’ve always heard they are nothing but carbs and mess with your blood sugar.
Personally, I did feel the effects of white potatoes on my blood sugar. Though, the little root vegetable is a host of some valuable nutrients so I wanted to find a way to alleviate that problem. The blood sugar spike can be mostly avoided by pairing potatoes with other substantial ingredients or reducing their starch.
Yes, you read that right. It is possible to reduce the starch in potatoes!
Here is how:
It’s no secret potatoes are super starchy. Though, there is a way to cut down that starch and get crispier potatoes! If you can plan ahead, peel and chop your potatoes and cover them in water. Let them soak in a water bath in your fridge for at least 24 hours. If you soak them longer, you can change out the water, too.
Then, when you’re ready to cook, drain the water and rinse the potatoes. Pat them dry and cook up in a skillet or in the oven. The interiors will still get soft and fluffy but the outside develops a crispy coat. I’ve tried this method for cooking potatoes different ways and I notice a difference in how I feel after eating them. My blood sugar isn’t spiked and I satisfy my craving for potatoes. WIN-WIN!
Give this method a try by cooking some homemade oven fries or the following skillet country potatoes with veggie sausage. 😉
- 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 ½ cups, russet potatoes, chopped into cubes
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 2 Hilary’s Spicy Veggie Breakfast Sausages
- 1 ½ cups frozen or fresh kale, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: Spicy Mayo, for serving (see notes)
- In a cast-iron skillet, on medium heat, sauté the onion and green bell pepper with a pinch of salt until soft—about 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped potatoes, garlic powder, and another couple of shakes of salt. Don’t skip this or the potatoes won’t be nearly as tasty!
- Cook until the potatoes start to brown and then stir them around. When it looks like the potatoes are slightly browned on the outside, place the veggie sausages into the skillet. Then, cover the pan with a lid so the potatoes can cook through. I like to let mine get nice and soft on the inside but cook time will vary depending on how small you chopped the potatoes. Cook time is anywhere from 20-40 minutes.
- While the potatoes cook, you can make the optional spicy mayo.
- The potatoes are ready when you can pierce a potato cube with a fork. Taste it to see if it is tender enough for your liking and, if so, stir in the frozen or fresh kale. This only takes about a minute so the kale can wilt and soften. Sprinkle some fresh cracked blacked pepper over it all and enjoy!
The veggie sausage and country potatoes serves 2 modest portions as a meal or side. I like to eat this skillet dish as a meal with the spicy mayo drizzled on top. You can eat it with a spinach and tomato salad (yum!) or eggs, if you eat eggs.
For more savory brunch inspiration check out my Fresh Shakshuka and Egg, Zucchini, and Pesto Tacos.
Thanks for reading and thank you to Hilary’s for allowing me to test out some of their plant-based patties. You can find these in a store near you using the store locator on the Hilary’s Eat Well website!
xoxo,
Melanie