Sweet Potato & Kale Fusilli

Here’s another fun way to make a nutritious, gluten-free, dairy-free version of mac and cheese—with curly fusilli noodles and sweet potatoes (yes, sweet potatoes) as the “cheese” sauce. It’s a new favorite at my house.

Serves 2-4

Tools:
Steamer with lid
Chef’s knife
Large pot
Small skillet
Large glass bowl
Strainer 

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
2 cups gluten-free fusilli (or macaroni, spirals, whatever YU like)
2-3 large leaves of kale, stems removed and chopped
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, unsoaked

Sauce
2 cups diced sweet potato, steamed
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fine ground sea salt
2 tbsp cashews, soaked for 2 hours
2 tbsp sunflower seeds, soaked for 4 hours
1/2 cup pure water
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Let’s get started.
Dice your sweet potato and steam for 20 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.

While steaming, prepare fusilli according to manufacturer’s instructions.

While everything is cookin’, toast your unsoaked sunflower seeds in a dry skillet heated to medium-high, for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle in a pinch of sea salt.

Once browned a bit, remove from heat and give them a rough chop.

Place steamed sweet potato and all sauce ingredients in the blender. Mix until ultra smooth.

Once fusilli is cooked, rinse well and transfer to a large glass bowl. Fold kale and sauce into noodles and mix well.

Serve warm in a bowl (reheat on the stovetop if need be) and top with your toasted sunflower seeds and some fresh cracked pepper.

Enjoy!

Now, I want to hear from YU. Have you tried this recipe yet? Tell us with a comment below.

Read the comments or add yours.

Comment Rules

  1. Elizabeth

    Hi,

    I just purchased your 3-month program on Daily Candy and am super excited! Your recipes look great. I was wondering if you could substitute chia seed powder for the chia seeds in your pudding recipe?

    Thanks,
    Elizabeth

    • Heather Crosby

      Hi Elizabeth, Thanks for becoming a YU Meal Plan subscriber! I haven’t ever used chia seed powder, but I imagine it’s just ground chia seeds. When you soak it, or add it to liquids does it thicken? Or is that trait compromised by the grinding? If it thickens with liquid, I say go for it 🙂 Let me know, HC

  2. Kathy Beymer

    I’m excited to try this. I usually make mac and cheese by adding a jar of sweet potato baby food and tossing in frozen peas so this will be another good variation. Never tried a dairy-free mac and cheese!

    • Heather Crosby

      You’ll have to let me know what you think, KB!

  3. Amanda Leno

    Delicious! What a perfect “comfort food” dish with the comfort of knowing it’s nutrient dense and good for you!

  4. Jen

    This was great! It actually satisfied my mac n cheese craving (I did double the nooch though ;).

    I think next time I would make it with some steamed broccoli on top. Super easy and creamy comfort food!

  5. Jo-an

    Very simple & delicious – especially during a cold winter day!

  6. Brenda

    Wow! Super delicious and creamy sauce! This is a keeper for sure.

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