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Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi with 15-Minute Tomato Sauce
The Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi is an absolute dream come true! Just like you always remembered, soft, little pillows of luscious goodness. Perfect little cloud vehicles for whatever your favorite sauce and they are a breeze to make.
I am super excited about today’s post and I have been eagerly awaiting sharing it with you all. If you follow me on Instagram or Snapchat you likely saw me testing this recipe, you also could probably sense my insane excitement over it’s success. Paleo Sweet Potato Gnocchi has been on repeat and now I get to share it with all of you.
October is National Pasta Month and when Calphalon asked if I would partner with them to create my twist on a classic pasta recipe, I jumped at the chance.
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Zucchini Noodles – Vegan & Gluten-free, Raw option
I have said it before and I will say it again…I am a self-proclaimed pasta addict. If I could, I would eat pasta every single day. However, I know that carbs and I (read my butt and thighs) don’t necessarily see eye to eye on this idea. I would likely be the size of a house if I ate pasta every day! I have to be mindful of the amount of grains I consume, I am starting to learn. Healthy, whole-grain, gluten-free or otherwise, I tend to find myself feeling more bloated and heavy when I eat a lot of carbs. I have been trying to be a bit more aware of this fact as of late. So, if I have a sandwich or a wrap for lunch, I will skip out on any starch with dinner, if I know dinner is going to be pasta, I will have a big salad for lunch!
As of late, with the insane amount of vegetables we have from our CSA, I have really been enjoying the challenge of what to do with everything. With all of the lettuce, we have been eating salads like they are going out of style but I have been trying to be a bit more creative with the other foods we have gotten. In this past Saturday’s share, we got 9 zucchini, 4 yellow squash, a huge handful of green beans, some radishes, green onions and some more lettuce. On Sunday, I decided I wanted to experiment and try using my mandoline slicer to make these delicious zucchini noodles and it worked out great! I decided to blanch them quick in boiling water, to make the noodles a bit more tender, but feel free to go totally raw, too – just sprinkle a little salt on the noodles and let them sit for a bit to drain some of the excess moisture off, squeeze off the water and serve with your favorite sauce. It would be just as delicious.
If you don’t have a mandoline slicer, you can also use a vegetable peeler to make ribbons. I do that often to add some of the raw zucchini or yellow squash to my big green salads, I love how the yellow squash adds color and texture. They also make julienne peelers, which I have never used, but would likely provide similar results to the mandoline slicer.
I was pleasantly surprised at how perfect the zucchini lent itself to being eaten as noodles. I tossed the noodles in some of the garlic scape and Swiss chard pesto that I had previously made and it was a super refreshing and simple lunch, ready in minutes! I enjoyed it so much that I made them again last night and tossed it with a little roasted garlic marinara and fresh basil from the garden. It was perfect, light and super simple.
[print_this]Zucchini Noodles
serves 2- 1 large (or 2 medium-ish) zucchini
- 1 cup sauce of your choice
Using a mandoline slicer (vegetable peeler or julienne peeler) run the zucchini on all four sides across the mandoline slicer on the 1/8″ julienne setting, slice the zucchini until you reach the seeds in the middle and then stop (the seeds will cause the noodles to fall apart). Use your fingers to separate the strands from each other and if you wish, you can place them in between paper towels to bring out some of the excess moisture, or you can lay them in a colander or strainer and sprinkle with a little salt to do the same. I have made them both ways (with salting and without), and I didn’t notice a huge difference.
Bring a large sauce pan of salted water to a rolling boil, add the zucchini noodles and allow them to cook for just two minutes. Remove the noodles from the boiling water and add them to a serving bowl with sauce. Toss gently and serve immediately. I have also read then you can quickly cook them in a pan with a little olive oil, again just for a minute or two. I will have to try that soon.
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Mint Pesto
Last summer I made, what I later learned, to be a big mistake – I planted mint in our yard, not in any pot or planter, just in the dirt on the side of the yard near my vegetable and herb gardens. I originally planted it because I absolutely LOVE fresh homemade mojitos in the summer time. There is nothing more refreshing. The reason my planting of said mint turned out to be a mistake, was the fact that it has grown out of control and it is taking over that section of the yard. Because I have never grown it in my own yard, I didn’t realize how quickly it grows and how far it can spread. We travel so much, that getting into the yard and weeding my gardens gets increasingly difficult as the summer goes on. I know I should get out there more, but I don’t, so I always try to plant things that need very little upkeep. Well, mint definitely falls into that category. Early in the summer I took a look out in the yard to see the progress of things and I was floored at how the mint was spreading. It was crazy. So I made a lot of mojitos this summer. I also decided I needed to find other things to do with the mint. I mentioned something on Twitter and Kelly from Design Crush made the wonderful suggestion of mint pesto. I had never thought of that. So, earlier this summer I played around and made mint pesto to serve with gluten-free penne. It was sooo good that we ate it all up and I forgot to write-up my recipe or photograph it. Ooops. That just meant I needed to make it again. Darn.
This time around, I again served this over delicious organic gluten-free penne with some gluten-free crispy zucchini rounds on the side. We both were in heaven with this meal. This pesto, much like the original that we all know, is bright and light but chock full of flavors. I like my pestos garlicky, which gives a bit of a spicy kick, you can certainly take it down to one clove if you don’t like a lot of garlic (shame on you). I also love playing around with different nuts in my pestos. Most original basil pesto recipes call for pine nuts, which I really love, but they can be hard to find sometimes and many times are insanely expensive. I have played with both toasted almonds and walnuts in pesto recipes, both of which are absolutely equally delicious, if not more. I think any one of those nuts would be great in this mint pesto. I went ahead and still included some basil in this mint pesto, since I also grow that in my yard and I thought it would round out the flavor of the mint nicely, so it wouldn’t be too overpowering. Also, it should be noted, it is crucial to use a good quality olive oil in your pestos, since the sauce is left raw and is never cooked, the olive oil flavor remains in the forefront of the flavors, so you want it to be a good one.
In addition to all the usual dishes that pesto is great in; pasta, sandwiches, pizza, in soup, over a baked potato etc, – you could definitely use this mint pesto for other non-traditional uses as well, such as a marinade or served over-top grilled lamb or steak, etc, you could just skip the basil and cheese, maybe add some lemon juice and red pepper flakes and make it more of a Chimichurri style condiment. Have fun with it and make sure if you plant mint of any kind in your yard plant it in a pot, unless you are looking to be able to make enough mojitos and pesto to serve a small country.
Mint Pesto
makes approximately 1 cup2 cups fresh mint
1 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds (walnuts or pine nuts would also be great)
2 medium-large cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 – 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano, shredded (plus more for serving)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepperPlace mint, basil, almonds, garlic and salt in a food processor; pulse a few times, and process until everything is finely chopped and combined. With the processor running, gradually pour the olive oil in and process until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides to get all the little bits. Add the parmigiano reggiano and pulse again until blended and smooth. Season with additional salt, if needed, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
If you are serving this immediately, keep the sauce at room temperature and pour it over your cooked pasta (I used my usual gluten-free organic brown rice penne) and quickly stir to combine, top it with fresh parmigiano reggiano and serve immediately. I always recommend reserving approximately 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from your pasta so you can add it in to the final dish, if need be, to thin the sauce if it is too thick.
If you aren’t serving this immediately, it can be stored in a tightly closed container in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes:
To toast sliced almonds, cook them over a medium-low heat in a small dry skillet, stirring and tossing constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, this will take less than 5 minutes.
If you’d like to freeze your pesto, leave out the parmigiano reggiano. When you’re ready use the pesto, defrost it first, then stir in the cheese.
Seri hiding out in the mass amount of mint in our yard, earlier this summer
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Tomato Sauce
With it being winter and the opportunity to cook with fresh tomatoes is long past, this is the most delicious way to make the best of using store-bought canned tomatoes. This is a variation on my mom’s classic tomato sauce recipe that she has been making forever. It is so delicious. I remember being a kid and sneaking into the kitchen to steal spoonfuls, sometimes I would even ladle some into a small bowl and eat it like soup. There is so much flavor, a hint of spice and it is so easy and inexpensive to make. It had been a very long time since I had made this, so I decided to make a big pot since I had planned on making lasagna with it. Sometimes my mom would cook meatballs and or sausage in with the sauce, that gave it even more flavor.
I decided to use fresh herbs since they looked pretty decent at the market and I buy organic tomatoes. My mom never has, and subsequently I don’t, measure the spices on this. I add to taste. As it simmers, taste it, does it need more italian seasoning? Like a bit more heat? Add more red pepper flakes. You can add a glug of red wine or even a tablespoon or two of sugar if you like your sauce a bit sweeter. You can make a large amount of this and freeze it for later, like I do. I made it for lasagna and froze what we didn’t use.
Tomato Sauce
adapted from my mother’s recipe2 28oz cans organic tomato puree
1 28 oz can water
1 12oz can organic tomato paste
2 12 oz cans water
1 medium onion (u can peel, pierce and put in whole or chop finely)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large bunch of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 large bunch of fresh basil, roughly chopped
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
Bay leafCombine all ingredients in a large pot and simmer 2 – 3 hours. Serve over your favorite pasta, use in lasagna, or allow it to cool and refrigerate or freeze it for later. That’s it, really.
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Gluten-Free Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms
There is not much else to say about this dish, than “WOW!” This is a super simple and easy, perfect Autumn weeknight meal. Every year when we are in Seattle, I spend a significant amount of time (and money) at Delaurenti – Specialty Food and Wine, at the Pike Place Market. They have a great selection of artisanal foods, gluten-free products, wines and chocolates (and so so much more). That is the only place I have ever found gluten-free gnocchi. They are imported from an Italian company called rustichella d’abruzzo . So each year, I pick up a bag or two and I usually just serve them with a little fresh marinara and some nice cheese. I came across this recipe on Food & Wine’s website recently and decided to give it a try with the gnocchi I bought this year. I definitely want to find a great recipes for homemade gluten-free gnocchi (if you know of one, please send it my way) and I am sure that would take this dish over the top, but for a weeknight, packaged or frozen artisanal gnocchi is perfect. You could also use a homemade chicken, mushroom or vegetable stock as well, but since I didn’t have any homemade stock on hand, I went with a low-sodium organic free-range chicken stock. Certainly you could also use a store-bought vegetable or mushroom stock to make this recipe vegetarian. And obviously, if you aren’t gluten-free buy a nice store-bought gnocchi (frozen or fresh) or make your favorite gnocchi recipe. I unfortunately didn’t get my hands on any truffle oil to finish this, but that just means I will have to make this again with fresh homemade gluten-free gnocchi and truffle oil. Darn!
Gluten-Free Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms
serves 4
adapted from Food & Wine Magazine, November 20062 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 – 1/2 pounds mixed wild mushrooms, stemmed if necessary and thickly sliced (I had a nice mix of baby bella, shiitake, oyster, porcini and chanterelle)
2 shallots, minced
1/4 cup dry vermouth
3/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth (you can also use vegetable or mushroom broth or stock, to make this vegetarian)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound fresh or frozen prepared gluten-free gnocchi (I love rustichella d’abruzzo brand gluten-free gnocchi)
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon white truffle oil (optional)Preheat the broiler. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil with the butter. Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12 minutes. Add the vermouth and cook until evaporated. Add the stock, cream and thyme, season with salt and pepper; bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Add the gnocchi to the mushrooms and simmer, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan on top.
Broil the gnocchi 6 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Drizzle with truffle oil and serve.
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Eggplant Parmesan (gluten-free)
This is one of my favorite dishes to make once the temperatures allow for the oven to be used again. This delicious and simple dish of battered eggplant, sauce and cheese is an authentic Italian dish that could be great as an appetizer but makes a wonderful main dish. I usually serve it with a side salad and a small side of pasta and if I have it, a slice or two of some crusty bread. This time I used the fresh tomato sauce that I had just made, this was first time I have ever made this dish with fresh homemade sauce as compared to a jarred marinara and OH MY GOSH, that plus the beautiful eggplant I got at the farmers market this weekend, really put this over the top. This dish is officially amazing!
If you would rather fry the eggplant than bake it, just heat your olive oil in a large skillet. Follow the instructions below to dress the eggplant, add to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes, turning once. Place on a paper towel-lined plate. Salt to taste.
My hubby Mark told me last night after we finished eating, “this is THE best Italian food that I have ever had”. That is quite the compliment.
Eggplant Parmesan (Gluten-Free)
serves 4
adapted from The Gluten Free Italian Cookbook, by Mary Capone1 large purple globed eggplant, thinly sliced
1/3 cup tapioca flour, plus more if needed
1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs, plus more if needed
3 eggs, beaten
olive oil for drizzling
3 cups Fresh Chunky Tomato Sauce, or your favorite tomato sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to tastePreheat over to 375°F. Set out a 9 x 9″ baking dish.
Slice eggplant into 1/4″ thick slices. Place slices in a single layer on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Blot moisture and excess salt from the eggplant.
On 2 separate place, add tapioca flour and bread crumbs. Lightly beat 3 eggs in a medium bowl.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust eggplant with tapioca, dip in egg, and on pat onto the plate of gluten-free bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on the baking sheets. Drizzle olive oil over the top, and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake in the 375°F oven until tender and slightly brown, about 15 minutes.
Ladle 1/4 cup of the sauce into the baking dish. Add eggplant pieces in a single layer. Add another ladle of sauce to the top, and sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese and 1/4 of the mozzarella and 1 tablespoon fresh basil. Repeat the process until all the ingredients are used up. Cover the top with the remaining sauce, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and decorate with fresh basil.
Bake in oven covered with a tightly fitted lid of foil for about 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Let set for 5 minutes.
