Gluten Free Sausage Hash Brown Waffle Salad

For hash browns that are crisp on the outside yet silky smooth on the inside, look no further than your waffle iron. And then turn your hash brown waffle into a main-dish-worthy salad by pairing it with tender kale greens, meaty sausage and an herby-sweet apple topping. If you prepare the waffles in batches, keep the cooked waffles warm in a 200°F oven.

No Dud Spuds

Why does the dieting world make people feel so bad about eating potatoes? Yes, potatoes contain carbs, but their other nutrition numbers fit nicely into a healthy diet. (Not if they’re deep-fried!)

White-flesh potatoes are rich in a range of vital nutrients, including vitamin C, potassium, vitamin B6 and magnesium. Sweet potatoes provide a wallop of beta-carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A in the body to bolster immune health.

Contributing chef Matthew Kadey, RD, is a registered dietitian and food writer. He is author of The Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press), The No-Cook, No-Bake Cookbook (Ulysses Press) and Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sports and Adventure (VeloPress).

Ingredients

• 2 large russet potatoes, shredded
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large apples, cored and chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
• 2 pinches of salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons canola oil or grapeseed oil
• 1 pound gluten-free turkey sausage
• 6 cups fresh baby kale
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1 large carrot
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions

1Place shredded potatoes in a colander and use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Put drained potatoes in a bowl and toss with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper.

2Place apples, shallot, lemon juice, rosemary and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered until apples are very tender, about 10 minutes.

3Grease a waffle iron and preheat according to manufacturer’s instructions. For each hash brown waffle, place about 3/4 cup shredded potatoes onto waffle iron. Close iron and cook until potatoes are golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. About halfway through cooking, press down on waffle iron lid to close further.

4While potatoes cook, heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pierce sausage casings several times with a fork. Add sausage to pan and cook, turning once, until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached, about 8 minutes. Let sausage rest 5 minutes; then slice into ½-inch rounds.

5Place kale in a large bowl. Add olive oil, cider vinegar and 1 pinch salt. Use your hands to massage kale until tender. Use a vegetable peeler to slice carrot into long strips.

6To assemble salad, place kale on 4 serving plates. Top each with carrot strips, hash brown waffle, sausage and apple topping. Sprinkle with walnuts, if using.