Recipe: Mushroom Sage Potato Noodles

Did anyone else wake up today in need of some carbs? Yesterday afternoon, fueled by election-related anxiety, I put together one of the most delicious and comforting meals I've ever had at home. I spiralized a white potato into spaghetti-like noodles, which were slow-cooked in a skillet and then topped with beautiful sautéed cremini mushrooms in lots of butter and garlic.

Normally, when I'm really in the mood for pasta I'll just buy a pound of gluten-free penne or something, but lately I've been flirting with the idea of making noodles out of a potato. Zucchini noodles are great and everything but let's face it--sometimes you just need real carbs. You can decide for yourself whether or not white potatoes are Paleo, but in 2014 the Whole30 team did include them in their program. And hey, if it's good enough for Whole30, it's good enough for me.

I thought I'd have to add some coconut cream or even egg yolk to the noodles to create a sauce, but when you cook them in a pan the starches create this really beautiful, creamy sauce--all you need to add is a little water (although I think some broth would be great for adding even more flavor). We added some shaved parmesan before serving, but you don't even need it--it's that good on its own.

This is grain-free comfort food at its finest. I hope you love it as much as Rob and I did.

Ingredients: (serves 2)

• 1 large potato
• 8-10 ounces of mushrooms, sliced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4-5 leaves of fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons of grass-fed butter
• 1 1/2-2 cups of water or broth 
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions: 

1. In a large pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and stir. Add the garlic. Stir occasionally as you spread the mushrooms out so they're all making even contact with the pan. Allow to cook until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Chop up 3 of the sage leaves and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir.
2. Remove the mushrooms and set aside. Spiralize the potato and add it to the pan. Add another tablespoon of butter. Cook for 5-7 minutes and add water or broth to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir. Season with salt and pepper.
3. To serve, transfer potato noodles into bowls and add the mushrooms on top. Finish with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and a garnish of sage, if desired.