Much Better Hash Browns

Heya Gorgeous!

Today I wanted to share a fun recipe with you that is simply: much better hash browns.

By that I mean, the ingredients are much better than what you’d normally find (plus, no sneaky hidden gluten, just in case you’ve got Celiac disease) and making them yourself means the oil you’re using is fresh and of high quality.

I also mean, they’re STILL hash browns, they’re not somehow made out of quinoa and kale.

Crispy, soft in the middle, golden brown on the sides, delicious and salty, like the ones you know.

Only better.

Now, most of the time, I don’t recommend eating white potatoes. They’re not among the healthiest things (by FAR!) on the planet, but!

They are super-tasty, and they’re a treat I can stand behind once or twice a week.

They’re especially great after a workout when you want to refill your energy stores with quick-absorbing sugar.

So, without further making you drool, here’s the recipe!Makes about 4 pretty-big hash browns:

-3 potatoes, medium-small size, I used Russet this time but I’m not finicky about which kind. You can’t use sweet potatoes, they stick madly to the pan. I’ve tried. It just mostly ends in sadness and mourning for lost chances at hash browns.
-1/4 red onion (fun fact: did you know red onions (because of what makes them colourful) contain more antioxidants than white or yellow onions?)
-2 tbsp. gluten-free all purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
-2 tsp. ground flax seed
-2-3 tsp. water (ideally filtered)
-1 great, few finger pinch of quality salt like grey sea salt
-a good, to taste sprinkle of pepper (I use maybe 1/4 tsp.)
-2-4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Ideally, you’ll need:

-a flipper/lifter (is that their official name?)
-a cast iron pan (or other pan, but using cast iron is fantastic for your health)
-a food processor
-a pretty-fine mesh strainer or a fine colander or big-holed one lined with cheesecloth
-a press-to-scrap-and-release ice cream scoop

Method:

Pulse the peeled potatoes in your food processor until they’re little chunks, but not mush. Think about the inside of hash browns you’ve seen. You want them about that size/chunkiness.

Scrape them into your strainer and run cold water over them until the water comes out clear. This step is important and if you miss it you’ll have a sticky, gross-tasting mess.

Dry them off by pushing a piece of paper towel down into potatoes in the strainer, so that as much of the water as possible is gone. I’ve also used another strainer to push down into the first strainer to get rid of the liquid, or I’ve just shaken the strainer really well, until the little potato chunks look mostly dry. Whatever your style, make it work, and just remember: this is important, too, if you skip this step you’ll have lots of bits of hash browns, but not be able to form them into discs.

Add your now-strained potato pieces to a bowl.

Pulse your red onion in your food processor until it’s in small, similar-size pieces to the potato. Add it to your potato bowl.

Add all of the other ingredients, knowing you can always add salt and pepper on top of the hash browns after they’ve been cooked if you’re nervous to overdo it while mixing them up.

Stir until it’s all combined. Get an ice cream scoop if you have one and set it into the bowl now.

Heat up your pan over medium heat and once it’s hot, add your olive oil until it covers the bottom of the pan. Turn the pan heat down to low-medium. You can swirl the pan around so the oil covers it. I’m not talking massive amounts of oil, just enough so it’s all covered.

Scoop your hash brown mixture onto your pan and squish it down with the back of the spoon until it’s in the shape + height you want. Usually mine are 3-4 inches in diameter by a half centimeter or 1/4 inch high or so, and I use a regular squeeze-to-release ice cream scoop that’s maybe 1/3 of a cup of volume with each scoop.

Fry for 2-3 minutes per side or until deliciously crispy and golden brown on both.

Smile and enjoy!

Happy winter hash-browning,

Nathalie
Holistic Nutritionist

PS – for anyone who may be concerned about the oils from the flaxseeds or olive oil on medium heat, you can always cook at a lower temperature for longer. I know onions contain nutrients that help to protect frying oils from going bad, and I trust the flax seeds to have enough antioxidants to protect their oils (though I would never cook with flax seed oil on it’s own, without the seed’s protection). Lastly, I called this recipe much better hash browns. The ones you’d get from a store and reheat, or the ones you’d find at a fast food restaurant in the morning will have rancid oils, trans fats and all the rest tucked in there disgustingly. This recipe already is such a HUGE step-up oil-wise that I practically don’t want it associated with what comes to mind when you think of hash browns. So, that was my disclaimer, hatahhhs can still hate. Just wanted to clear that up before-hand. 🙂

Loads of love, and when you try out this recipe, let me know in the comments how it went! And, should you want to fight about oils, your comment probably won’t appear below.

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