Recipe: Cauliflower Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Zucchini Ribbons

Post By Olivia Blodgett, Registered Dietitian and Owner

Hooray! It’s a blog post! It’s been awhile and if you have been following along with our business transition, then you know why. A friend recently posted something on facebook about how he was searching for a recipe and had to keep reading people’s enitre life stories on their blog posts in order to get to the actual recipe. I thought this was pretty funny and so true. Since so much of my life revolves around food and vice versa, it always seems natural to share what’s going on personally and how it relates to the food I am cooking.

But I get it, you people are really here for the recipes! So here’s the one line synopsis of why I am including this recipe that I have been making for personal chef clients: It’s easy, tasty and fast and it takes a Trader Joe’s product and turns it into a more nutritious meal. I’m busy, you’re busy so let’s get a little help form some store bought products. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you or prefer to just use regular gnocchi or any other pasta, that works too!

Cauliflower Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Zucchini Ribbons

(recipe adapted from eatingwell.com)

Ingredients

• 1 bag cauliflower gnocchi from Trader Joe’s
• 2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
• 2 medium shallots, chopped
• 1 pound zucchini, (about 3 small), very thinly sliced lengthwise (see Tip)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Prepare Gnocchi but don’t follow the instructions on the bag…they will get super mushy! Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a large skillet, add gnocchi in a single layer, cover and cook until they brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Melt remaining butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the butter is beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add shallots and zucchini and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, nutmeg and pepper and continue cooking, stirring often, until the tomatoes are just starting to break down, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and parsley. Add the gnocchi and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

• Tip: To make “ribbon-thin” zucchini, slice lengthwise with a vegetable peeler or a mandoline slicer.