Pesto Whole Wheat Gnocchi with King Oyster Mushroom-Kale Saute

Wow. It's hard to believe that this delicious, healthy meal truly comes together in just 20 minutes. And what's not to love about it? Gnocchi, one of the best foods on the planet. Fresh pesto. King Oyster mushrooms (I LOVE mushrooms). Superfood kale. This easy-to-prepare meal not only comes together faster than ordering take-out, but it's also full of nutrients and *may* even just satisfy the pickier eaters among us since gnocchi is really, really hard to turn down.


This meal does make use of some pre-existing ingredients, like you'll see among many of my other super-fast posts these days. It's true - vacuum packed gnocchi, even this whole wheat variety, has some flaws. Most brands have a decent amount of salt. It's definitely worth reading the labels and ensuring that you get the best of the options available. However, I see it this way... this is a 20 minute meal that is still, overall, quite healthy. It's certainly a lot healthier (and cheaper) than ordering take-out. Yes, you could make things from scratch (like I love to do and did often pre-baby) but most families won't have the time, or even the interest, in doing so. So give yourself a break and do your best. Putting out a vegetable-filled home-cooked meal for your family is a success in any form - and just moderate out the salt elsewhere (you'll see my pesto includes no added salt) to make sure you're staying in reasonable daily limits!

Time: 20 minutes


Pesto Whole Wheat Gnocchi
Time: 10 min

Ingredients:
16 oz vacuum packed whole wheat gnocchi (like this one)
2 c fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp pine nuts
1.5 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
1 garlic clove, chopped

Follow the directions on the package to cook the gnocchi. Watch out - they cut *extremely* quickly!

Place the basil, pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic in a food process. Process until finely minced, pausing to scrape sides as needed.

Toss the pesto with the gnocchi until evenly coated. Enjoy!

Make ahead:
If you have basil plants outside, as I do, clip all the leaves, wash them well, and squeeze out the moisture the night before. Wrap them loosely in paper towels and refrigerate overnight. Basil doesn't keep wonderfully in the fridge (it's slightly too cold) but this will make prep that much faster the next day and one night won't hurt!

King Oyster Mushroom-Kale Saute
Time: 15 min

Ingredients:
4 tsp sesame oil
1.5 tbsp reduced sodium teriyaki sauce
1.5 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
16 oz King Oyster mushrooms, sliced
16 oz Kale, cleaned and cut (can purchase this way or do it yourself)

Get a large pan heating over medium-high heat. Add half the sesame oil, swirling to coat. Combine the teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and garlic powder in a small bowl, whisking to fully incorporate.

Place the oyster mushrooms in the pan. Leave sitting flat in the pan for 2 minutes to lightly brown. Flip and let cook for another 2 minutes. Add half the sauce and saute for another 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

Add the kale to the pan. You may need to add half, let it cook down a little, and then add the remaining half. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring to ensure even cooking. Add the rest of the sauce and stir well to coat evenly. Cook or another 2-3 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and the kale is wilted. Enjoy!