Pumpkin Gnocchi with Kale Pesto

This is deceptively simple and quick. I've wanted to try a vegan gnocchi for a while and I cannot get over how Amazeballs this is.

I used about a cup of organic raw pumpkin, cubed, which I boiled until al dente. Then, I drained and put in a large bowl. Add between a cup and a cup and a half of spelt flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms, then turn out into a chopping board and knead some more.

I find the best way to make gnocchi is to roll it into long snakes and then chop into 1cm pieces. 

Put the gnocchi pieces into a bowl and refrigerate for twenty minutes until firmed up. Meanwhile, set a pot of water boiling and add some olive oil and salt. 

(My little helpers love to watch the cooking action)

Boil the gnocchi pieces for around 3-5 minutes and then strain.

 Serve with your topping of choice (I made a kale pesto with kale, walnuts, Parmesan, garlic, evoo). 

Home made Pesto Pasta

I know it doesn't look it, but this pasta is a super quick and easy dinner for mid-week. The only downside is it makes a few pots and pans, and nobody likes doing dishes, right? Still, the domestic disturbance of dirty-dishes is definitely worth it for the taste of this super divine dinner. 

Ingredients: 

a handful of basil/parsley - I used what I could get from my garden. 

about 50 - 100g parmesan cheese, roughly chopped. 

a handful of Brazil nuts and walnuts

1/4 cup organic olive oil. 

a cup of dried pasta - I used organic penne. 

Optional 'serving suggestions' - a soft poached egg on top, and a balsamic reduction on the plate beneath. 

Get two pots of water boiling (if you're doing an egg - one for the pasta, one for the poaching biz). Onc eit comes to the boil, add the pasta to one pot, and to the other, a dash of white vinegar then let it come back to the boil. 

Meanwhile, in a food processor (if you have one, if not, I've made pesto by hand for years, just by either chopping finely or with a morta & pestle), combine the washed herbs, parmesan, and nuts, and blitz on high speed, whilst drizzling olive oil in. You might need to stop to scrape down the sides a couple of times to be sure you've incorporated all ingredients. 

Once the pasta is cooked according to packet instructions (usually about eight minutes) strain it and return to pot. Add the pesto, and stir until combined. 

Leave to cool a little whilst you do the eggie. 

Crack an egg or two into the rapidly boiling water then put the lid on. Once it's about to froth and bubble over, turn the heat off (remove from heat if using electric). Remove the egg from the water using a slotted spoon and serve on top of the pasta. 

As for a balsamic reduction - I love this for it's sweet/sour nature. When you put balsamic in a pan and add heat, it quickly thickens and reduces, courtesy of the natural sugar content. It will be piping hot pretty quickly so handle with care!

Chicken Nuggets (Super Healthy!) GF, Dairy Free.

I was speaking to a friend of mine yesterday about the junk foods our kids have come to love (despite best efforts to steer them into making better food choices - kids are human, too!). My friend was saying that chicken nuggets are her daughter's weakness. Having eaten them once, she is smitten! Once I got off the phone, my own little brood were jumping up and down begging for nuggets - whoops. 

Fortunately, I had some free range chicken thighs in the fridge. I actually find these are a reasonably easy dinner to make. Not quick, but there's something quite methodical about the technique, so long as your little people are under control (mine were watching Frozen, aka, the ultimate distraction). The best thing about this recipe though is the hidden veggies. You can use whatever you have to hand to form the base and simply add the protein (if you're vegetarian, a fetta or cheddar is great). 

You'll need:

A mix of veg (I used 1 celery stick, 2 mushrooms, a whole zucchini, a whole onion, a whole carrot, a little cauliflower). 

1 - 1.5 cups spelt flour (rice flour will substitute)

2 small chicken thighs

rice crumbs or similar for finishing

Oil for frying (I always use organic extra virgin olive oil but coconut is fine too, just lower your temp a little). 

Preheat oven to 175'c fan forced. 

In a food processor, blitz all the vegetables until a thick paste forms. Add the chicken and continue to blitz until incorporated. 

Add the spelt flour, a half cup at a time, until you have a wet dough (don't worry that it IS wet - if it's too dry they will be tough). If your kids are older and into seasoning, add a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of nutmeg or some pepper. Don't salt them if you can avoid it. 

Transfer the mixture from the food processor to a bowl. 

Put the crumbs in a separate bowl. Take about a tablespoon of the dough and form into a ball. Place into the crumbs, coat both sides. 

Heat the oil in a large pan on medium high heat and place the nuggets in. Fry until browned on both sides (about five minutes). Finish on the oven - around 175'c for 25 minutes. 

Leave to cool then serve. These quantities made 24 nuggets, which would have been enough for three meals for my two children. If my husband hadn't eaten all the leftovers!!