Sweet Potato Noodles with Chickpeas and Greens

Sweet Potato Noodles with Chickpeas and Greens
Serves 2-3

To make noodles out of vegetables, you can use a vegetable peeler or a special piece of equipment called a spiralizer. (Find my go-to spiralizer on the Resources page)  You can create long noodles from hard vegetables like beets, zucchini, carrots, potatoes, kohlrabi, celery root, and even broccoli stems.  And sweet potatoes--my favorite!  While I know some of us (myself included) often dread extra prep steps in recipes--everything from using an extra pot to having to clean the blender--I have never met anyone who doesn't find making veggie noodles fun! I like these best sauteed in oil for a few minutes with a splash or two of water.  You get the perfect mix of tenderness and bite that way.

1-2 large sweet potatoes
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger 
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups of dark leafy greens like spinach or bok choy, chopped
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon of tamari (soy sauce)
Sriracha or other hot sauce to taste

1. Prepare the sweet potato noodles: Peel sweet potatoes.  Use a the small noodle setting of the spiralizer to make noodles or use your vegetable peeler to shave long strips the length of the sweet potato.  Cut if necessary so they aren’t too long and set aside in a bowl.

2.  Heat a large skillet and add oil, ginger, and garlic and saute for 30 seconds.  Then in 2 batches saute sweet potato noodles until they just begin to soften.  Add a splash or two of water and a sprinkle of salt. Saute for about 2 minutes.   Repeat with other batch and remove to a serving bowl.

3. Next, saute leafy greens and chickpeas with tamari and Sriracha for 2-3 minutes.  Remove to serving bowl with sweet potato noodles and toss to combine.  Serve with extra tamari and sriracha.  Add cashews, sesame seeds or fresh herbs like scallion or cilantro if you like.