Spiralizing root vegetables is a way to make a slightly different shaped base for egg hash. A spiralizer makes even, thin pieces that cook quickly and uniformly. Here I used yams because of their lightly sweet flavour and smooth, dense texture. Here in Canada we generally call the orange ones yams and the white or cream coloured ones sweet potatoes, but in the US it is the other way around- a great cause of confusion. 
Their bright orange colour gives away one of their most prevalent nutrients, beta-carotene, which is important for healthy eyes and a strong immune system. It is a plant pigment responsible for the bright orange of yams, butternut squash and carrots and it is a helpful antioxidant and precursor to vitamin A. 
I have found that a cooking root vegetable noodles is much easier in a pan on the stove than in the oven. It needs a fair amount of stirring around to cook evenly and that’s just more efficient when closer at hand. Another helper is spray oil, it controls the amount and distribution so it is easy to add an even layer and then add more if needed. Avocado oil is my favourite choice for health reasons. It doesn’t taste as good as olive oil but it has a much higher smoking point. Whenever you have a pan of oil and smoke is coming off (not steam from water dense foods) that means that the oil has been heated past its smoking point. It then goes from being a good source of antioxidants and unsaturated fats to being rancid and oxidized. It goes from supporting us all the way on a cellular level to being potentially harmful on a cellular level. Health food stores should definitely have avocado in spray canisters but I have also seen it more and more in regular grocery stores too, down the baking aisle. The consumers’ desires drive what is available in stores, and this attention to what kind of fats we use for different methods in the kitchen to support our health as best as possible is a growing and wonderful trend. 
This could be a side dish for up to six people at a breakfast or brunch with many other dishes or it can be a whole, filling meal for two people.
- 6 eggs
- 5 cups yams, peeled and spiralized (from 4 small or 2 medium-large)
- 1 small onion, sliced thinly (around 1/16 inch)
- ¼ cup water
- avocado oil spray (or preferred oil spray)
- Optional toppings: 1 teaspoon fresh destemmed thyme (or other fresh herbs), 1-2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion, and/or a couple pieces of cooked and crumbled bacon (or avocado with a sprinkle of sea salt or crumbly cheese like feta)
- Set up a large skillet on the stove over medium high heat and spray fully so there is a thin layer of oil. Once warmed add in the yam and onion and sautée until they start to soften, the onion will become more translucent and the yams will become a bit more yellowy, around 5-7 minutes. Kitchen tongs and a big spoon are a good way to toss the yams to make sure they evenly cook and stay in tact.
- Spread the yam mixture evenly throughout the pan then create six little wells, or openings. Spray the bottoms of those openings with a bit more oil then crack an egg into each. Pour the water around the edge and in between, over the yam mixture so that the pan doesn't get too dry and burn. Sprinkle herbs and green onion over. Place a large piece of aluminum foil over until the eggs set, around 5-7 minutes, keeping a close eye near the end in case the pan needs a little more water.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle on any remaining toppings and use a large spoon to scoop out each egg with its surrounding nest.
