Cauliflower gnocchi – love it or hate it? It should be no surprise that my love saga for cauliflower continues with another hit from @traderjoes. Light and pillowy, these puffs of gnocchi were perfection when slathered in a sage butter sauce. Get the saucey dEATs below!

First there was rice, then there was pizza crust and now, cauliflower gnocchi? How do I love thee cauliflower? Let me count the ways…this gnocchi was legit pillowy perfection made with 75% cauliflower plus cassava flour, potato starch, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. Gnocchi, for those unfamiliar, is a soft doughy dumpling that is traditionally made from flour, potato and eggs. It’s an Italian dish that is most often a replacement for pasta. I’ve made gnocchi from scratch and it’s a time-intensive process that takes some trial and error to get the perfect soft texture. For that reason, this easy prep gnocchi was a major delighter – with the gluten-free aspect being another bonus!

The Trader Joe’s gnocchi comes in a 12 oz. frozen package for just $2.69 – a total steal, though you’ll want a substantial side. The package claims to serve 2.5, but two servings is more reasonable – maybe even 1 if that’s all you’re eating. There are three ways to prep the gnocchi, but I’d recommend the stove top for that perfect sear. It offered a nice crunch in contrast to the soft texture of the gnocchi. I served mine with a rich and flavorful sage butter sauce that was super simple to prepare, but this would also be good with a pesto or even a simple marinara sauce. You could also make this a more substantial dish with additives like asparagus, peas or roasted red peppers.

Sage Butter Cauliflower Gnocchi
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
– 1 package of Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
– 3 T butter (or ghee)
– 8 fresh sage leaves

 

Directions:

Step 1: Heat a skillet over the stove top to medium and empty the contents of the Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi into the pan. Add 1/4 C of water, cover, and cook until heated through and the water is evaporated – roughly 6 to 8 minutes.

Step 2: Add the 3 T of butter or ghee to the pan. Allow to sizzle 2-3 minutes or until the butter starts to brown and gives off a rich nutty scent.

Step 3: Remove from the burner and add the fresh sage leaves. Stir to combine and serve with your favorite side dish.

Bon appetit friends!

The post You had me at (cauliflower) gnocchi appeared first on The Shooks Life.

I prefer food drama over daytime drama, so go ahead and put away all the mayhem of Monday and saddle up to this twisted bowl of @traderjoes black bean rotini. No gluten and practically zero effort for 15 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber…from the black bean pasta alone! Dig in friends, we got quite a week to power through…

I love a big bowl of pasta like anyone else. While I’m not gluten intolerant, I like to get more bang from my pasta with ingredients like black beans, chickpeas and lentils, which can boost the protein and fiber content. The body digests beans slower than meats, so dishes like this can keep you feeling full longer. This black bean pasta (rotini) from Trader Joe’s is gluten-free, organic and easy on the budget too at $2.99 for a 12 oz bag.

The noodles are dense with an earthy black bean flavor, so I wanted to contrast it with something a bit lighter and fresh. I found inspiration from caprese salad, using heirloom cherry tomatoes, which provide a pretty contrast to the black pasta. Paired with some fresh mozzarella and a little greenery from spring peas as well as edamame (mostly because I had some leftover in the freezer), this came together in about 20 minutes and was perfect after a busy Monday. Bonus: it’s good hot or cold, so guess who’s having this for lunch too?

Black Bean Pasta Salad
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
– 12 oz bag of Trader Joe’s Black Bean Rotini
– 1 pint of heirloom cherry tomatoes
– 1 cup of fresh or frozen spring peas
– 1 container of fresh mozzarella pearls
– Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
– Optional add-ins: arugula, edamame, Parmesan.

Directions:

Step 1: Bring a medium pot of salted water to a bowl. Follow package instructions to cook pasta. If using frozen peas, add the peas to the water with the pasta. Drain.

Step 2: Slice the mozzarella pears and cherry tomatoes in half.

Step 3: Toss the pasta, peas, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella together with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Optional sprinkle of Parmesan to finish.

Three simple steps, 20 minutes or less. Because it’s Monday and ain’t nobody got time to make dinner. Happy Meatless Monday!

Product image credit of Popsugar. Recipe images my own.

The post Bean-anza appeared first on The Shooks Life.