Sweet potatoes have long been known for their antioxidants. But, lest you think that sweet potatoes can only be made as a Thanksgiving side-dish, consider this vegetarian pasta alternative that makes sweet potato the star.
Ingredients:
- 1 large sweet potato
- ½ cup sliced crimini/portabella mushrooms
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 1 yellow banana pepper, cored and cut into short (1-inch strips)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Whole grain pasta
- Sea salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste
- Asiago cheese, shredded for topping
- Cook whole grain pasta according to package instructions and set pasta aside.
- Peel and dice sweet potato. Don’t worry about how perfect the diced pieces look, but bear in mind that they are densely constructed, and can take time to sauté.
- Add sweet potato to olive oil in medium-hot skillet. Stir frequently. It’ll begin to smell sweeter and more “cooked” in a few minutes.
- Add onion slices. Stir for about 5 to 8 minutes until just becoming translucent.
- Add mushrooms and pepper slices. Stir for just a few minutes (about 5) until just cooked and heated through.
- Stir in cooked pasta. Heat through for about 3 minutes, salt and pepper to taste, and add shredded asiago cheese for a hearty extra flavor, and enjoy!
This is a fast meal that has a nice mix of savory and sweet. Think of it as a perfect grown-up comfort food for dinner.