This is a recipe that I accidently “created”. Not sure if anyone else is like me but I keep a couple dozen recipes printed off in my cupboard….about half of them I have tried.
Andrew and I keep a budget (thank you, Dave Ramsey) and we were running low in the monthly grocery category; we try to be very strict on staying within our goals! Therefore, I was looking at my stack of recipes and in my fridge for some inspiration. I found a recipe for Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Pasta from EatingWell (original recipe: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252940/sweet-potato-red-pepper-pasta/) and we had majority of the ingredients so I went for it.
I did not have all of the ingredients and since I knew we were not going to eat this immediately (it is on the menu for this weekend), I had to adjust the recipe and decided to make it into more of a “cream” sauce. The results were fantastic! The best thing about this recipe? I was able to sneak in some more veggies into dinner time- which makes any mom do the happy-dance!
All you need:
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (aka EVOO)
- 2 tbsp. minced garlic (we love garlic)
- 1 medium sweet potato, shredded or cubed into small pieces (speeds up cooking time the smaller they are cut)
- 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 14 oz. can diced tomatoes (no-salt-added), undrained
- 2 tbsp. dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional- I will likely add more when I eat it!)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Milk or cream (I used skim milk in my recipe)
All you do:
- In a large skillet, place the EVOO and garlic in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat and stir occasionally until the garlic is sizzling and fragrant.
- Add sweet potato, bell pepper, tomatoes, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook vegetables, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes and bell peppers soften, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in grated parmesan. Place in a blender and puree. Slowly add your choice or milk or cream until your sauce is at your desired consistency.
- Can either place in container for later or serve over whole grain pasta immediately!
