Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans

Hello to all! I have a treat for you today. Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans is a quick and easy vegetarian recipe, ready to go in under 30 minutes. This wonder-meal is thanks to my colleague, Erica, who is today’s guest blogger. See what happens when you post a picture of a delicious meal on Facebook? I might just ask you to write and tell my friends all about it 🙂 Thank you, Erica, for saying yes!

********************************
“You want me to what?! Guest post on your blog? I guess I can do that. Not sure what that entails but I’m sure I could come up with something…”

That’s what I first thought when Julia responded to my posting on Facebook about a meal I had just made: Gnocchi with chard and white beans. As a working, pregnant mother with a toddler and a husband who is a meat and Rice-a-Roni kind of guy, it is always a challenge to veer from our regular dinners and include a variety of healthful vegetables and plant-based proteins.  Easy, fast, and familiar to the tastes buds is generally what I aim for when preparing something out of the norm.  The meals we often prepare are typical American fare like meatloaf with rice (brown if I’m lucky) and broccoli or baked, breaded chicken breasts with pasta and homemade tomato sauce which I load up with veggies.

In addition to being a mom and wife, I’m also a registered dietitian working in the community servicing adults with chronic mental illness. This means that simple, quick, inexpensive, and healthful is the name of the game there, too.  While at work one day, I was researching recipes for a cooking class I run when I came across this one and fell instantly in love.  Since finding it, I have shared it with a number of people, made it in my cooking class, made it at home for the family, and now I’m sharing it with you. This recipe is close enough to a classic Italian dish to cater to people’s palates yet hosts more unique ingredients than offer a plethora of nutrients including folic acid, vitamin K, potassium, fiber, and lycopene (that heart healthy antioxidant we sometimes hear about).

People’s response to this dish was surprising.

In my cooking class, the attendees hadn’t even heard of gnocchi and had never eaten chard. I actually thought it would be a tough sell since it was a more exotic dish. However, they gobbled it up and asked for more. My Rice-a-Roni loving husband was hesitant and served himself a cups’ worth in anticipation of disliking it because it has beans (oh my, not beans?!?!). However, he reluctantly admitted that it was good and in fact, better than the Italian dish he tried to make the night before. My son, however, took two bites and spit it out. I would have taken this personal except sometimes he just doesn’t eat much.

The flavor resembles a classic Italian pasta with sauce which disguises the flavor of the chard and beans really well.  The gnocchi and beans give this dish a meaty texture, too. It’s simple, inexpensive, chock full of nutrients, fast, and delicious. Win, win! I’m pleased to share this little gem with you and without further ado, here is Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans.  

Gnocchi with Chard and White Beans
Adapted from EatingWell

Prep time: ~10 minutes      Cook time: ~15 minutes

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1- 16-ounce package shelf-stable gnocchi, (see Tip)
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
6 cups chopped chard leaves, (about 1 small bunch) or spinach
1- 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
1- 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Add gnocchi to a medium pot of boiling water and boil until floating (about 5-10 minutes). Strain and set aside.

In the meantime, add oil and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, over medium heat, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pepper and bring to a simmer. Add chard (or spinach or both) and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes.

Tips:

Look for shelf-stable gnocchi near other pasta in the Italian section of most supermarkets. Serve with a mixed green salad with vinaigrette.