Recipe: Sweet Potato Egg Cups
February is National Sweet Potato Month! Did you know that North Carolina is the #1 producer of sweet potatoes in the U.S., growing more than 40% of the country's sweet potatoes? Aside from being a local favorite, sweet potatoes have tons of health benefits. They are rich in beta carotene (great for Vitamin A), they are high in fiber and are an excellent source of Vitamin C, Potassium and other important nutrients. On top of all that, they are affordable, very filling and are easy to prepare in a number of different ways - plus they are delicious!
There are a billion recipes for different ways to prepare sweet potatoes, but one recipe that can be enjoyed any time of day and is easy to prepare comes from the recipe blog skinnytaste.com - this one is easy to customize with your favorite cheese, herbs and spices - and top it off with salsa or your favorite sauce for an extra kick!
Ingredients
- Olive oil spray
- 2 1/2 cups peeled and grated (on large holes sweet potatoes (about 1 8-ounce potato))
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste,)
- 1 ounce finely grated Pecorino cheese (2 teaspoons reserved)
- 6 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat over to 375°F. Spray a 6-cup non-stick muffin tin with oil spray and set aside.
- Toss grated sweet potato, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, onion powder and pecorino cheese (except for reserved 2 teaspoons) together in a mixing bowl to combine.
- Divide potato mixture evenly into six portions (about 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) and place each in a prepared muffin cups.
- Press mixture into the bottom and up along the sides of each cup to form a well making certain there are no open gaps.
- Spray the insides of the potato wells with olive oil spray. Transfer to oven and bake for 8 minutes.
- Remove muffin tin from oven, gently press the bottoms of the sweet potato cups and crack an egg into each.
- Return tin to the oven and bake until white are set and yolk are cooked, 12 minutes for runny eggs, 14 for slightly hardened yolks.
- Let sit one minute before carefully removing using an off set spatula.
- Sprinkle with remains remaining pecorino and more salt and pepper to taste if desired.
