Sweet Potato Gnocchi

    It comes that time of year where we all tend to want to splurge on various comfort foods, but this winter try being kinder to your body while still enjoying the abundance of food this season has to offer with a few vegan recipes. This vegan sweet potato gnocchi was altered from an amazing recipe I found on Instructables.com which has step by step instructions with pictures on how to make it. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

     This wonderful recipe is traditionally made with mashed potatoes, but this fall try spicing it up by making sweet potato gnocchi. You can also make it using pumpkin or butternut squash instead.

Ingredients

Gnocchi:                                                  Sauce:

3 medium sweet potatoes                        1 can of diced tomatoes

1 ½ cups of flour                                     2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp of salt                                              A handful of pitted black olives

½ tsp of nutmeg                                       One small celery stalk

                                                                 One small onion, diced                  

                                                                 3 basil leaves, roughly torn

                                                                 2 tablespoons of olive oil

                                                                 1 teaspoon of oregano

    

     Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 and bake the sweet potatoes whole for 45 to 55 minutes or until very tender (they should start to ooze a little out of the skin). After they have slightly cooled cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the pulp with a spoon into a mixing bowl. Put in the freeze to cool for about 30 minutes.

    Step 2: Once the sweet potatoes have cooled mix in the flour, salt, and nutmeg. Turn the dough onto a flour covered surface and continue to knead the dough. Separate the dough into 1 inch tubes and segment them into half inch pillow shapes. Put to the side.

    Step 3: Sauté the onion, garlic, celery, and olives until tender. Add the diced tomatoes and spices. Simmer until it is a saucy consistency and most of the tomatoes chunks have been broken down which should be about ten minutes.

     Step 4: When the sauce is almost done boil a large pot of lightly salted water. Once it is boiling add the gnocchi (make sure they don’t stick together). Continue to boil the gnocchi for 2 to 4 minutes. Once they are done the gnocchi will float to the top. Drain the gnocchi in a colander and return them to the pot. Add the finished sauce and they are ready to be served.

(Serves 4)