Disclosure: I received free samples of California sweetpotatoes mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Sweetpotato Council and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
It’s fall and that means it’s time to get excited about sweet potatoes! But I’m not talking about regular ole’ run of the mill sweet potatoes, I’m talking about California Sweetpotatoes! That’s right, these spuds are so good they have they’re own name.
I have to say that California Sweetpotatoes are special. I mean look at the gorgeous color? The Sweetpotato council sent me a lovely box of white, orange and deep red sweetpotatoes to use for this contest.
Even Hany was impressed with these potatoes! His first words when he opened the box were, “wow — these are some high quality potatoes.” (Yes, he get’s a little excited when I get food in the mail.) But seriously, they are different from your average spud…so smooth and unblemished. I knew immediately I wanted to eat these guys as raw as possible. But first, I had to give them a taste. So before creating my creamy and delicious spiraled sweetpotato pasta, I roasted up a few of these lovelies to compare flavors. Hany and Norah were my taste testers and they both loved the Covington, which is the lighter orange. I actually liked all three equally!
I decided to go with the “Covington” for the sauce and I used the “Diane” for the sweetpotato pasta.
After spiraling up one sweetpotato, I moved onto my sauce. I wanted the sauce to be creamy and luscious but also healthy, so I blended one steamed sweetpotato with some steamed cauliflower, a little softened goat cheese and sage. I tossed the spiralized potatoes with sauteed mushrooms and onions and my creamy sweetpotato sauce. Wow, is this dish good.
What I love about eating raw veggies is the slightly crunchy “bite.” I also love spiralizing veggies for pasta because you can use your favorite sauce in a whole new way. I hope you have fun experimenting with these gorgeous sweetpotatoes — try spiraling them with your favorite sauce, or try my delicious, creamy sweetpotato one. And if you’re looking for one more reason to try these versatile and delicious California sweetpotatoes, don’t forget how nutritious they are! Each moist, sweet and creamy sweetpotato has 4 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, tons of vitamins C, and an entire days worth of vitamin A — all for just over 100 calories.
Creamy Sweetpotato & Mushroom “Pasta”
Ingredients
- 1 California sweetpotato spiralized or julienned
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup baby bella mushrooms sliced
- pinch salt
For The Sauce:
- 1 California Sweetpotato steamed
- 1 cup cauliflower steamed
- 3 sage leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp goat cheese
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk or any milk you like
- 1 clove garlic
Instructions
- Spiralize or julienne sweetpotato and set aside. Saute onion in olive oil until softened. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until tender. For the sauce, add all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend/process until smooth. Add more coconut milk or warm water if too thick. Add sweetpotato noodles to onion and mushroom pan, then stir in sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.
Confident Kitchen Tip: California sweetpotatoes are not the same as yams. Sweetpotatoes are sweet and moist, while yams are dry and starchy. Some sweetpotato varieties are called yams, but yams are not readily available in the U.S. Sweetpotatoes with orange interiors have a higher beta-carotene content than true yams. Also, sweetpotatoes are grown in the United States, while yams are imported from the Caribbean. In fact, the scientific name of sweetpotato is Ipomoea batatas and it’s a member of the morning glory family. A yam on the other hand belongs to the Yam plant family.
