Since my Sweet Potato Carbonara was such a hit, I figured I’d give that recipe a little update, by using more-accessible bacon (instead of pancetta) and cramming in some extra protein, flavor and texture with chickpeas.
One of my favorite dishes I’ve ever had at a restaurant was actually a chickpea, bacon and kale salad — when the chickpeas get cooked in that bacon grease, they absorb all those savory and salty flavors.
You’ll see.
The sweet potatoesĀ are slightly sweet, which is why this carbonara is better than traditional carbonara (seriously!) — the cheese and egg sauce, the salty bacon, it’s just amazing. Honestly, I think I may like this recipe better than my original one – sometimes, pancetta can be a bit sweet, especially when paired with another sweet ingredient (like spiralized sweet potatoes!)
As I write this, I’m listening to Miles Davis in my new office! If you missed it last week, I finally signed a lease on my very own office space, and I’ve been moving in since about Wednesday evening.
Right now, I’ve got my desk, a brand new 27″ Mac desktop (probably the best thing since sliced bread), a photography desk area, some rugs, and about 50% of what I need for a fully functional kitchen. I actually thought about just bringing down my kitchenware on the days that I’d be cooking, but then I thought: the whole reason I wanted to get an office was to have my own dedicated, 100% Inspiralized space. Bringing down kitchenware would make it seem like a make-shift space or a temporaryĀ space or something.
And for everyone that’s been asking, I simply rented a studio apartment in my building. It is so convenient and much cheaper than renting an office space – or even renting a co-working office. Plus, I have my own kitchen, my own bathroom, etc. Very happy, to say the least.
Watch our video to learn how to spiralize a sweet potato using the Inspiralizer and subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch more videos:
Nutritional Information & Recipe
Weight Watchers SmartPoints*: 14Ā points
*These points were calculated using the official Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculator. We are in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers, we are providing this information based on popular demand.
Chickpea-Bacon Carbonara with Spiralized Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large sweet potato or 2 small sweet potatoes
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 whole large eggs
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add the bacon and cook until crispy, flipping halfway through.
- Remove half of the bacon grease and reserve in a small cup or bowl. Then, add in the shallots and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Cook the shallots for 1 minute or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Then, add in the sweet potato noodles, season with salt and pepper and toss. Cook, stirring often, until cooked through, about 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, blot the chickpeas with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and then add to a medium mixing bowl with the onion powder, chili powder, paprika, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Once noodles are done cooking, set the noodles aside and wipe down the skillet carefully, scrubbing off any browned bits. Add in the reserved bacon grease add in the chickpeas. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until browned and crisping up.
- While the chickpeas are cooking, combine the eggs and parmesan cheese in a bowl and whisk together until not very clumpy. Season with the salt and pepper and set aside.
- Once chickpeas are done cooking, add back in the sweet potato noodles and crumble in the bacon, then toss to combine. Remove from heat and slowly pour in the prepared parmesan sauce, stirring constantly, over the noodles. It's important to do this slowly and stir constantly so that the eggs cook while they heat up in the noodles. Use as much sauce as you want until the pasta has enough sauce for your preference.
- Divide the pasta into bowls, top with parsley, and serve.
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