October 16, 2015…
Spinach is a vegetable that I am fairly proud of when it comes to being a health nut. Yes, it’s a plant food so it has non-heme iron (which is less absorbent naturally by the body but absorption can be improved with vitamin C so eat your strawberries, oranges and bell peppers!) but that is absolutely no reason to hate spinach, in fact, I would be proud if I was a single piece of spinach. This vegetable is not only delicious, it is also very convenient – it can be found in any grocery store, in pretty much any salad mix, frozen or fresh- and it is so versatile. Lately I have been putting spinach in everything from my smoothies, to a special vegan thanksgiving spinach dip, and even in pasta dishes, like this gnocchi.
Yes, for all those wondering, this does have an interesting flavor and slightly different texture if you use oat flour like I did, but it also makes it gluten free, and healthier (in my opinion – although there is not much wrong with wheat for the typical person, but unless you are using whole wheat I would prefer to stick to oats, which are often less processed and genetically modified than our modern wheat, and they are delicious in my opinion!)
I have also made this gnocchi with yams (which you will learn are my favorite food… in a past life I almost believe I was a yam) but that is for you to decide. With all my recipes, although you can cook with them with the exact amounts and ingredients I list, I would consider making it your own, substituting something and see how it turns out.
I even added a little picture of my baby basil plant, although its getting colder out it is not growing as well and will need to be covered soon, however it is still adorable and growing plants is exciting no matter what time of year it is!
| Gluten Free | Veggie Filled | Vegan Recipe |
Ingredients:
For the Gnocchi:
1 and 1/4 cup flour (I use oat but white flour works)
4 potatoes, baked or steamed and peeled
For the sauce:
2 cups spinach
1 cup tofu (firm) (can substitute milk here, but use only about 3/4 cup of milk)
2 cloves garlic
A few leaves of basil (optional)
Tomatoes
Cauliflower, washed and cut into bite size pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. First, to make the gnocchi, mash the potatoes and mix with your flour until the dough comes together. You don’t want it to be very sticky but avoid adding too much flour or else they will be slightly dry.
Next, once the dough is ready, take small amounts (about half of a hand full) and roll out into logs
2.Slice the logs into small bite size pieces (about 2 to 3 inches big). This is now your gnocchi.
3.Put a pot of water on to boil and once the water is boiling, add the gnocchi to the boiling water a few at a time (about 10-15 is good) and they will be ready once they float up to the top.
4.Take out the gnocchi that are ready, using a spotted spoon and place into a second pot.
5.To make the sauce, mix all ingredients besides tomatoes and cauliflower into a food processor or high speed blender until it all becomes a smooth sauce.
6.Place the sauce into the second pot (the one that now contains all your cooked gnocchi) and turn heat onto low.
7.Add your cut cauliflower along with sliced tomatoes to your gnocchi and sauce and allow to warm up.
Stir slightly but avoid over stirring as the gnocchi is very soft and can become squished easily.
8.Serve warm and enjoy!
nd here are his seeds!
All I did was mix the ingredients together in three separate bowls, start my oven at 350 and after it was pre heated, I cooked them for about 20-30 minutes.
up on us, but breakfast is still important whether or not it is Halloween. For me, breakfast has always been a pretty big thing. I love it, I wake up hungry and eating something that is filling, healthy and delicious is what I am craving.
Instructions:
Enjoy!!