Sweet Plantain Hash

 

 

I woke up this morning thinking I’d have a simple toast for breakfast. As I was grabbing the bread, I noticed a lone sweet plantain sticking out of my fruit basket. In 2 seconds flat, I grabbed a gala apple right beside it and a piece of chicken sausage from the fridge. I quickly shifted gears and off I went to make a sweet plantain, apple, and chicken sausage hash for breakfast.

 

Plantain – quite different from a banana

While they look like bananas, plantains are actually quite different.  While you would normally just eat a banana as is, plantains usually require cooking before they can be eaten.  Moreover, they are starchier, contain less sugar, and are versatile.

Growing up in the Philippines, plantains were a huge part of our diet.  You would see it in stews, soups, and of course desserts.  Plantains are truly versatile and can be paired with so many different flavors.  Whether it’s a savory stew or a sweet dessert, plantains add a great flavor profile to dishes.  Lately, I’ve also been using it as a potato substitute.

Though they’re quite popular in countries all over the world, plantains are rare in North America.  I rarely saw them on menus and grocery stores.  But, having moved to Los Angeles, I’ve started noticing them more in restaurants and are definitely more prominent in grocery stores.  The more I saw them, the more they’ve become a staple grocery list item.

 

Plantains and Health Benefits

Loaded with Vitamins and Minerals, and High in Antioxidants

Plantains are loaded with vitamins (A, C, B-6), and minerals like magnesium and potassium.  Vitamin C acts an antioxidant which helps build your immune system and help protect your body from aging, heart disease, and certain types of cancers.  Rich in potassium, plantains are significant in controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

Source of Fiber – Aids in Weight loss/maintenance

Plantains are a great source of fiber.  More importantly, the fiber and starch found in plantains are complex carbs.  Since fiber and complex carbs are less processed, foods such as plantains are slowly digested and keep you full longer.  By keeping your fuller longer, the least likely you’ll be grabbing that unhealthy snack.

 

5-Ingredient Hash in under 10-Minutes

The base of this hash is the plantain.  For this recipe, I would recommend picking a yellow-brown plantain.  It’s ripe enough to provide sweetness, but not too ripe that it turns into mush.  Next, are the apples.  I used a gala apple because they’re crisp, super sweet, and they cook well in a hash.  I peeled the skin off for this recipe because I currently have braces and it’s just easier for me to eat.  That being said, under normal circumstances I would leave the skin on.  It adds great texture and you retain most of the vitamins and minerals in your apples.

As of late, I’ve been cooking more and more with chicken sausages.  I had some leftover andouille chicken sausages and thought that bit of kick would compliment the sweetness of the plantain and apples.  I really couldn’t have planned it better.  Coming from the camp of people who believe that breakfast without an egg isn’t a complete breakfast, I naturally topped off my hash with a sunny-side up egg.

So glad that I didn’t settle on just toast today because this breakfast turned out to be quick, simple, healthy, and oh so delicious!

 

Nutritional Info

Per serving: 266 Calories, 31g carbohydrates, 11g fats, 11g proteins, 403mg sodium, 19g sugar

 

More recipes from LouweezyAnne? Check them out here.