sweet potato noodles + sweet and spicy peanut sauce

Do you ever have one of those weeks where all of your worlds collide and explode in magical kind of glittery bomb of greatness? You know, one of those weeks where things that you have been working towards for months or years, all come to a head in a couple of days, and you wonder why the universe couldn't spread it out a little bit? I had one of those weeks this week, and while it required lots of deep breaths,  it was so very exciting. Two major life things I have been working on for such a long time both came to a head this week, and hopefully, fingers and toes crossed, they will all work out and I will be able to share both with you soon. 

Sometimes when life gets like this, I put my hippy astrology hat on and do some googling about horoscopes, and moon phases . When I used to work in the service industry, there was no better stage for the craziness than being a server in a restaurant to experience the effects the full moon can have on people. I would be able to tell it was a full moon, every single month, just by the way people were acting. It's kind of hard to describe, but like clockwork, I witnessed this unique kind of craziness, and now I am such a big believer in the energy of the full moon. 

Well, with the week I had this week, I had to jump on the internet and see what lunar events were happening ..... and I knew it!!! There was not only a full moon but a lunar eclipse happening this week, which is meant to be a more potent event than a full moon. This one specifically was meant to facilitate big life changes. Letting go of the old, things that don't serve you anymore, to embracing the new. I can always get on board with that, so thank you full moon lunar eclipse for that big push this week. 

These sweet potato noodles don't have much in common with full moon lunar eclipses. But, being such a noodle lover, they are a great way for me to experience a thai kind of noodle dish, with a healthier kind of noodle. Out with the old, and in with the new? Maybe .... for the days when I want a lighter, healthier noodle it can be ;)

sweet potato noodles + sweet and spicy peanut sauce 

If you do not own a spiralizer or a julienne peeler, you can also use a regular vegetable peeler or a box grater by grating or peeling lengthwise to get long-style noodles. If you're looking to buy a spiralizer, THIS ONE by Ali of Inspiralized is my favorite. 

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

for the sweet and spicy peanut sauce:
1/4 cup of peanut or almond butter
2 tablespoons of tamari or coconut aminos
2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon of lime juice
1 tablespoon of hot sauce
a thumbnail sized piece of ginger, peeled
1 small garlic clove, peeled
2 teaspoons of honey
1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil

1 very large (or 2 medium) sweet potatoes, peeled, and spiralized or julienned with a julienne peeler
a couple tablespoons of grapeseed oil, or another neutral high-heat oil

toppings:
2 tablespoons of gomasio or sesame seeds
2 tablespoons of chives, minced
1/3 cup of purple cabbage, shredded
some crushed salted nuts (peanuts or cashews) 

METHOD

Make the sweet + spicy peanut sauce:

• Place all of the ingredients for the sauce into a food processor and run continuously until smooth. Add about 2 tablespoons of water, or enough until the mixture is thin enough to coat the noodles (but thick enough to coat the back of a spoon). 

Make the sweet potato noodles, cook them, and serve:

• Using a spiralizer or a julienne peeler, make (long) noodles with the sweet potato. 
• In a large cast iron, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan, and heat over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is browned and cooked through. Transfer to a large bowl. 
• Pour the 3/4 of the sauce and the gomasio (or sesame seeds) over the sweet potato noodles and toss gently with tongs until the noodles are evenly coated. Place the noodles into individual serving bowls, drizzle a little more sauce over the top, and finish with a pinch of the cabbage, and a sprinkle of the chives and nuts. Serve warm.