Hooked on Sweet Potato "Noodles"

One of the first kitchen gadgets I got after switching to Paleo, was a "spiralizer" or spiral vegetable slicer.  I wanted to make "zoodles" (zucchini sliced into long, thin, noodle-like strips) so we could continue our tradition of Spaghetti Night with the kids, but still eat clean.

Sadly, the kids did not like, much less love, "zoodles".  Even my husband, who is a really good sport when it comes to trying new things and is 100% behind eating healthier, couldn't get too jazzed about zoodles.  I liked them.  But I love zucchini, so I'm probably a poor judge.


I switched to spaghetti squash and all was well in our household.

But I had this fabulous machine!  I needed to spiralize!

So, I did - I cut apples and pears into spirals - very fun at snack time!  I continued to cut zucchini and yellow squash into spirals to add to salads and broth.  I even made curly oven-baked fries with russet & sweet potatoes and parsnips (you have to find really fat parsnips for this to work!)

Then, one night, fresh out of spaghetti squash, I tried sweet potato noodles on "Spaghetti Night"...I was hooked!

I tried a few different methods for cooking them and have decided I like them best - texture and taste - when I drop the sweet potatoes into boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes and then transfer them to a non-stick pan with a touch of healthy fat (ghee, coconut oil, avocado oil) or add them to a sauce and toss to combine, stirring for another minute.

The bonus at my house is - my kids love them.  My son, who shuns any cooked vegetable for raw, loves these!  They are a perfect vehicle for a lot of different sauces.  I have done simple garlic, onion, cherry tomatoes and basil, sauteed in avocado oil.  I have made a couple of different paleo pestos and a green curry sauce loaded with veggies that I love.  I have a creamy roasted pepper marinara and a very basic tomato basil marinara that pair perfectly with the sweet potato spirals. 

And last night - we had a sauce of sauteed kale, mushrooms, garlic, onions, lemon and fresh cracked black pepper.  It was gone before I knew it!


Sweet Potato Noodles with Kale, Mushrooms and Onions

To serve 3-4, you need:
 
2 fat sweet potatoes, peeled and spiralized
1 T ghee
1 1/2 c. chopped kale (remove the stems)
1 diced medium yellow onion
8 oz of sliced mushrooms
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Juice of half a lemon
Fresh black pepper
Salt to taste



Peel and spiral cut your sweet potatoes.  Chop the kale, onion, mushrooms and garlic.
Put a large pot of water on to boil.

In a large non-stick pan, melt the T of ghee and T of avocado oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and saute until they are translucent (about 5 minutes).  Add the mushrooms and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes.  Increase the heat to medium high and add the garlic, kale, red pepper flake and a pinch of salt.  Stir frequently until the kale is wilted and the mushrooms begin to brown.  Add the fresh lemon juice at the end and cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Turn off the heat.
When the water is boiling, add a large pinch of salt and then add the sweet potato noodles and let them boil for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.   (Test the "noodle" after 2 minutes - it should still have a bite, but not taste raw)
Drain the noodles and add them to the kale mixture and toss to combine.  Season with lots of fresh cracked black pepper and a drizzle of avocado oil.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Reheat any leftovers in the microwave (90 seconds on high).