Sentiments by Denise

More Gnocchi, Please

About a year ago, I posted about sweet potato gnocchi with a recipe for a cheesy sauce. It was very good and I've made it several times since.

However, now that I am totally plant-strong (no dairy, especially cheese!) I needed to find a new sauce recipe to go with the sweet potato gnocchi that I enjoy so much!
I read several blogs that are plant-strong based and I often try out some of the recipes I find, so after perusing a few blogs I found a sauce recipe on Angela's blog. 

Nutritional yeast is condiment-like powder (or flake) that is a great source of protein and vitamins - a favorite among those who follow a plant-based diet. The recipe that I found on Angela's blog is called Low-Fat Vegan Cheeze Sauce and it was quick & easy to prepare for lunch today with my gnocchi!

First, I gathered all the essential ingredients:

Next, I measured and mixed, heated and whisked...

And the result:



LUNCH!
(Oh, and I added some edamame to the gnocchi and sauce for added protein, plus it adds a pretty green color to the dish!).
The gnocchi was a pre-made brand that I purchased from Whole Foods Market. Drop into boiling water for 2-3 minutes, drain, and serve with sauce plus edamame or another green veggie. I also had a small salad with romaine, radishes, red pepper, and grape tomatoes.

Just a little side note: I started eating a vegetarian diet over 2 years ago and gradually gave up dairy over the past year, but was still holding onto cheese. It had an addicting force over me and I knew it was holding me back from achieving my health and weight-loss goals. So, at the start of 2012, I decided to stop eating cheese in any form, becoming totally plant-strong! (Since Jan 1st, I've already lost another 15+ pounds!).

It's working for me!

Fresh is Best

Most days I try to eat a salad full of fresh veggies and leafy greens. To do this I have to keep a variety of fresh ingredients on hand.

Tonight I was craving a salad, but also something warm. So I sliced up a large sweet potato, tossed it in a bit of olive oil and roasted it in the oven while I prepared my salad.

 

Into my salad spinner went a couple handfuls of baby spinach and spring mix - both organic. After a good rinse and a spin...

 

...I loaded up 2/3rds of my dinner plate with the greens and topped them with sliced cucumber, green pepper, broccoli slaw, cherry tomatoes, a sprinkling of sunflower seeds, a tablespoon of feta cheese and added a drizzle of Annie's Natural organic salad dressing: Papaya Poppy Seed.

The other 1/3 of my plate held the perfectly roasted sweet potato chunks (25 minutes in a 375deg oven).

 
Yum! Tasty and fresh!

Stuffed Roasted Red Peppers

Food is never boring since I started eating a mostly plant based diet more than a year ago. I can honestly say that I've discovered some wonderfully interesting foods that have definitely enlightened my taste buds!

Recent recipe discovery: Ancient Grain Stuffed Red Bell Peppers.

 
Some foods that I eat these days I had never even heard of, or at least wasn't familiar with a year ago. I found this recipe in the sale flyer from Whole Foods (Jan/Feb 2011) and it sounded so impressive, yet very simple. It also gave me the opportunity to try something I've never eaten before: a sea plant.
Arame is a mild sea vegetable, very similar to kelp. Arame is high in calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, and Vitamin A. It does take some getting use to, but if you're a fan of sushi or other seafood, you'll probably like it.

Stuffed Peppers

1/2 c. uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1/4 c. uncooked amaranth
1 c. frozen edamame, thawed
1 c. arame seaweed, soaked in cold water for 15 minutes, drain well
6 green onions, thinly sliced
3 carrots, grated
1/2 c. roughly chopped fresh cilantro, dill, or parsley
2 T. brown rice vinegar
4 red bell peppers, tops removed and reserved, cored and seeded

Preheat oven to 350deg. Put grains and 1-1/2 cups water into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low; cover and simmer until liquid is gone and grains are tender, about 15 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl.
Toss edamame, arame, onions, carrots, cilantro, and vinegar.
 
 Stuff peppers with mixture and arrange in a baking dish, pour 1/4 cup water into dish. Place tops on peppers, cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until tender, 20-30 minutes more.  Serves 4.

**I only used 2 bell peppers cut in half, so I had extra "stuffing" leftover. This might be good in a wrap or pita for a portable lunch. I also left out the cilantro because I didn't have any, but added black pepper and a couple dashes of curry powder for some extra flavor.

I shared this meal the first time with Emilee. Tonight I had a leftover pepper and topped it with some crumbled goat cheese - even better!

This meal was loaded with protein (about 20g per serving) and so colorful!
 
It's great to try new foods - new flavors!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Pear Feta Sauce

Before I get to this awesome dish I wanted to share something disturbing I heard tonight at the gym - a conversation between two teenage girls in the dressing room.
When I went in to retrieve my bag from the locker after my walk I overheard two young ladies discussing "diets" and weight. One of them was lamenting that she was too fat and that her mom told her she wasn't. She said she's trying everything to lose weight, including only consuming 900 calories a day, like another friend had suggested to her. The other girl asked her what she ate to only get 900 calories a day and her reply is what shocked me. She said that she bought the "100 calorie" snack packs and counted out 9 packs a day and ate only those along with water! I wanted to say something to her, but didn't want to intrude on their conversation. Besides, would they really listen to an old gray-haired lady over their friends?
Overhearing this conversation and realizing the impact of an impending eating disorder can have on these girls' future bothered me greatly. How do we get the message out about healthy eating, balanced exercise, and nutritional knowledge? So sad... I wish I had more influence in this area.

 
I bought some sweet potato gnocchi at Whole Foods the last time I went and have been excited to try it. I've eaten regular gnocchi, which is similar to a dumpling most often made with potatoes. It can also be made with squash, cheese, polenta, or even sweet potatoes!

 
I found this brand in the area where the special cheeses are sold.

 
This package contains two servings and I shared it with Stephen, as he stopped by on his way home for a short visit.

For sweet potato gnocchi, I knew that this dish needed a special sauce - more fruity or sweet than savory. In browsing the internet and searching through blogs I found the following recipe a few months ago (but didn't record where it came from - I'm horrible about that :(

 
Sauce ingredients. Now, the soy milk and spelt flour can be substituted if those are not to your liking.

Pear Feta Sauce

1 T. Olive oil
1 medium Bartlett pear, cored & diced
1 c. plain soymilk
2 tsp spelt flour
2 T. butter
8 oz Feta cheese, crumbled

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add pear and cook stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes or until pear begins to carmelize.
 
This was one of my favorite parts - the aroma of the pear and olive oil as it cooked!
Remove from heat; set aside.
In same pan, heat milk and flour over medium heat, whisking together until well mixed. Add butter and stir until melted. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until liquid starts to bubble and reduce.
Add cheese and pear - cook, stirring occasionally until heated through.

 

Serve over gnocchi.

 
The sauce recipe made more than two servings (and it's also a little higher in calories than a basic marinara sauce would be).

This would also be good served over a butternut squash ravioli dish, too!

Let me know if you try this and what you think!