You guyyssss! Happy hump day. I have had entirely too much caffeine today and am really wondering if I will be able to sleep tonight. I had my normal cup this morning but then went and met a friend for coffee and thought a 3-shot espresso latte was the perfect choice. NO. But it was delicious and hopefully turns me into a productive human and not a procrastinating human.
This dish is the coolest. Not only is it completely full of nutrients from the spinach, peas, cashews and Vitamin A-filled sweet potato noodles, it’s also so delicious and tastes just as decadent as your normal fettuccine Alfredo. I am a great judge when it comes to this since it was my favorite food for about 10 years straight. There was actually a time when I told people “starch” was my favorite food. I think I was referring to noodles, biscuits, mashed potatoes etc. Those were the days. Now I eat vegetables noodles like these.
To make noodles like these, you need a spiralizer. If you don’t own one, it’s a great thing to have in your kitchen and the one I have was really cheap. This $35 Paderno off of Amazon. This was the first time I made sweet potato noodles and once I got the hang of it, it went really quickly. I did call my friend Kim in a panic half-way through, but hopefully your sweet potatoes cooperate.
The best part of this dish is the cashew cream Alfredo sauce. It’s basically pureed cashews and is just as healthy as it sounds. It’s also completely reminiscent of the real thing. All you do is soak cashews in water for a few hours (or 30 minutes if you forget like I normally do), strain them, add broth, garlic, salt and pepper and blend till creamy.
I added peas, spinach and bacon to our noodle dish, but add whatever you want, or nothing at all. It would be great on its own, I just wanted some greenery in there.
Enjoy this plant-based, dairy free and gluten free, nutrient-dense dish!
- 4 sweet potatoes - use a spiralizer (I love my Paderno that I got off Amazon) to make noodles
- 7 slices bacon - chopped
- 3 handfuls spinach
- 1 c frozen peas
- 1 tbsp butter
- For the Cashew Cream Sauce
- 2 c cashews
- 1 1/2 c low sodium chicken or veggie broth
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Add the cashews to a bowl or container and cover with water
- Let soak for at least 30 minutes - a few hours or overnight is best
- Cook your bacon - I like to cook mine for 25-30 minutes in a 350 F. oven but you could also fry it
- While your bacon cooks, make your sweet potato "noodles" - I love my Paderno spiralizer for this
- If you don't have a spiralizer, I would skip these noodles and use your favorite pasta - too much time spent if you don't have one
- After your noodles are done, set aside
- Strain the water from your cashews and add them to a blender or food processor
- Add the garlic cloves, salt, pepper and broth to the blender or processor and blend until smooth (this may take longer if your cashews didn't soak for very long) and set aside
- Preheat a large saute pan on medium heat and add the butter
- When melted, add your sweet potato noodles and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently
- Add the spinach (one handful at a time until each wilts), peas, and cashew sauce and cook until hot
- Add the bacon and stir to combine
- Enjoy!
Oh this looks so yummy! I really enjoy cashew cream. It’s so versatile. I hadn’t thought of making sweet potato noodles. DUH! One of my favorite veggies. I usually only do zucchini noodles for spaghetti.
kathrynhenning says
Right! I had never made sweet potato noodles either but SO good. Hope to see you soon and I love your new site!!
I’m really trying to train myself to like sweet potatoes, which I despise. I’m going to start with this recipe on my quest to get weird with orange potatoes. Wish me luck.