Date Night Dinners - Swoodles and Butter
First there was the noodle, then came the zoodle, and now we have the swoodle. I have been wanting to make spiralized vegetable noodles for, well, forever. I had the recipes; I had the vegetables; I had the inspiration and motivation. What was the problem then, you ask? I didn't have a spiralizer. Without a way to spiralize the vegetables, you can't really make a spiralized vegetable based dish. Instead, you tend to just have a giant whole vegetable with sauce smeared about - not quite as cool or tasty.
While spiralizers don't rank too high on the list of expensive tools and gadgets you could buy for the kitchen, I could not bring myself to pull the trigger. I already had too much cookware for the amount of counter, drawer and cabinet space I have, and a tool that seemed to be used to make food look pretty was not my top priority. Instead I bought cast iron pans, a food processor and ramekins that would help develop the flavor and texture of the dishes I cooked, not just the look.
While I spent money on these tools (with no regrets as the results continue to be fabulous), I continued to pile up the spiralizer recipes and push aside my urge to hit the "order" button on my Amazon wish list, where the spiralizer inevitably was. Eventually though, the urge grew too strong; I bought one. And it was love at first use. The spiralizer exceeded my expectations; it was money well spent and and counter space well taken. I now have kitchen tools delicately balanced on one another throughout the room, counter, tables and chairs - it's okay I can hold my plate and eat standing up.
I started with something easy, some zucchini noodles and bottled sauce. It was scrumptious. But as I've said, I had recipes that had been piling up for months and I wanted to expand my horizons. What better time to do it then date night. After seeing the excitement on my face after using the spiralizer for the first time, Brenden was just as excited to try it too. Brenden and I looked through the recipes and chose on that seemed to fit us perfectly. It was quick, easy, and most important flavorful.
We made the "noodles" out of sweet potato, which Brenden and I aptly named swoodles. Once cooked with a bit of oil in a sauté pan, they were tender with just a hint of crispness, creating a perfect al dente texture. Mixed with the brown butter sauce, the flavors were vibrant and succulent. The sweetness from the potato paired perfectly with the saltiness of bacon, and there was an earthy, nutty flavor from the spices and cheese in the sauce that engulfed the entire dish. The crunchy pecans added an extra burst of texture to make the dish that much better. It was the perfect way to start our zoodle, swoodle extravaganza.
SWEET POTATO NOODLES WITH BROWN BUTTER SAGE SAUCE
recipe adapted from joyfulhealthyeats.com, Sweet Potato Noodles with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
INGREDIENTS
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 sweet potatoes, rinsed clean
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 Tbsp onion, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh sage
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 parmesan cheese, grated
- 5 strips turkey bacon (if not vegetarian)
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Prepare the turkey bacon (if not vegetarian). In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crispy, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Once cooked, transfer to a paper towel to remove excess oil. Break or chop into small pieces and set aside.
Create the sweet potato noodles (swoodles). Using a spiralizer, spiralize the entire sweet potato. Cut the spirals into noodle sized lengths. Transfer the swoodles to a large skillet. Drizzle 2 Tbsp oil over the swoodles and heat on medium until the swoodles are cooked, tender but not mushy, about 5-8 minutes. Set aside.
Make the sauce. In a small sauté pan, over medium high heat, add 1 Tbsp oil and red onion. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the butter to the pan. Brown the butter, continuously swirling, until the butter has melted and brown bits begin to appear. Once the butter has browned, add the sage, nutmeg and parmesan. Continue to heat until the cheese is melted.
Combine the sauce and swoodles, garnish and serve. Pour the prepared sauce over the prepared swaddles. Sprinkle in the prepared bacon and pecans. Toss until the ingredients are evenly dispersed and swoodles are fully coated. Serve and enjoy.
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