Now that the holidays are over, how about a dinner that's quick, nutritious, economical, and really, really good? This Sweet Potato Noodle Dinner is just that. It cooks in about 20 minutes. It's loaded with vitamins and minerals. It's cheap to make, and, best of all, is the taste. The sweet earthiness of sweet potatoes is nicely balanced with savory chicken sausage and salty feta. Spinach adds to the nutrition as well as contributing freshness and visual appeal, and walnuts add a crunchy contrast. The dinner is light, so it won't weigh you down, and you'll be getting plenty of nutrition all from one pan. All you'll need to round out this dinner is some sliced tomatoes and perhaps some fresh bread. You want dessert, too? Well, stay tuned...how about some great brownies?
Sweet Potato Noodle Dinner -- Serves 4
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 16-ounce package of pre-cooked spinach-feta chicken sausage, sausage sliced into
rounds (I use Lidl's, Aldi's, or Trader Joe's)
1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup of broken walnuts
4-5 large handfuls of washed spinach leaves (about 4 ounces)
2-3 teaspoons of lemon juice
Additional salt and pepper to taste
Using a spiralizer, turn the sweet potatoes into thin noodles and break the noodles into strands about six inches long (otherwise you have one super-long strand of sweet potato, which will be unwieldy). If you don't have a spiralizer, cut the sweet potatoes into chunks and grate them using a food processor (you'll need to cook them for about 5 minutes less). Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray and spread out the noodles on top. Drizzle on the oil and sprinkle on the salt, pepper, and thyme. Toss the noodles to coat them with the oil and spices. When the oven is hot, put in the potatoes and cook them for 7-8 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and toss them gently with a spatula. Add in the chicken sausage. Return the pan to the oven for 5 minutes more. Remove the pan and mix in the feta and walnuts. Return to the pan to the oven for 4-5 minutes. The walnuts should be lightly toasted and the cheese starting to melt just a bit. Mix in the spinach gently, a handful at a time. Sprinkle on the lemon juice and additional salt and pepper if you think they're necessary. You can return the pan to the oven for a minute or two to wilt the spinach, if you want, but watch it carefully! Toss everything again gently and serve the dinner. Enjoy!
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