Gnocchi with Homemade Pesto – Gruyere & Swiss Cheese and Soy Nuts

Recently I start buying living basil in the grocery store. It is much easier way of having fresh basil available and not to worry that will go bad quickly in the fridge or outside in the pot. It grows perfectly on the balcony, half shade in a bigger jar filled with water. Basil can last up to few months. Fresh Basil is one of my favorite herbs. It has amazing aroma and it is excellent source of vitamins and minerals: vitamin k, manganese, copper, vitamin a, vitamin c, calcium, folate, iron, omega-3 fats and magnesium. Basil has also anti inflammatory properties.

Since bunch was almost completely used I made fresh pesto sauce with soy nuts and grated Gruyere and Swiss Cheese. Taste was fantastic, creamy and simply wonderful! In my pantry I had package of regular potato gnocchi and leftover of sweet potato variety in freezer. Combination was a success, yummy!

Ingredients

1 cup  fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup soy nuts
1/2 cup Gruyere and Swiss cheese
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4  extra-virgin olive oil

Gnocchi packed, potato or sweet potato, fresh/packed or frozen

Equipment

Blender or food processor, cooking pot

Blend half the basil with the nuts, cheese, and garlic. Place 1/2 of the basil in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment or blender. Add the nuts, cheese, garlic, pepper and salt and process or blend until the ingredients are finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining basil. Process or blend until a paste has formed.

Stream in the olive oil. With the motor running, stream in the olive oil. Less olive oil will make a paste good for spreading on sandwiches and pizzas; more will make a sauce better for pastas.

Taste and adjust. Taste the pesto if you need to add more salt or pepper to taste.

Using and storing pesto. Pesto will darken and brown very quickly, but will still be tasty and fresh for several days. For best appearance, use it right away.

Using medium heavy bottom pot, boil the water with pinch of salt. Add gnocchi and cook until it floats to the top (about 1 minute). Do not over-crowd the pot with gnocchi and do not overcook.

Place 1/2 of cooked gnocchi in saute pan with prepared pesto. Stir together and cook until warm, about 1 minute.

Serve and enjoy!

Tip: Great lunch idea for quick and healthy meal during busy week days.

Advertisement

Green Tea Matcha Rice Pudding Pots

I am big fan of matcha, love the flavor and the texture either in frothy tea, smoothies, pastry or hot lattes, everything taste delicious!

Matcha is a type of powdered green tea. The green tea leaves are shaded from the sun for the last few weeks of their growth, increasing the chlorophyll content and creating a gorgeous green color. Then, the leaves are carefully ground with stone grinding wheels to produce a fine powder.

Matcha is amazing because it is packed with antioxidants. Some of the  benefits are:

• Boosts metabolism and burns calories
• Detoxifies effectively and naturally
• Calms the mind and relaxes the body
• Is rich in fiber, chlorophyll and vitamins
• Enhances mood and aids in concentration
• Provides vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium
• Prevents disease
• Lowers cholesterol and blood sugar

Today, I made rice pudding but instead of traditional ingredients like butter, vanilla or cinnamon I used coconut cream(light), extra virgin coconut oil and matcha powder.

This is Matcha Rice Pudding with Coconut, perfect balance of flavors!

I chose Arborio rice for my pudding because it gives me that smooth and creamy texture. You can use your favorite type of rice or any other available in your pantry.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup arborio rice
• 4 cups of water
• 2 tsp matcha green tea powder
• 3 cups unsweetened organic soy milk
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 2 tbs light coconut cream(optional)

Note: This recipe doesn’t contain any additional sugar.

Measure and rinse the rice. Using heavy bottom saucepan bring water to boil, add rice, pinch of sea salt and cook for approximately 20 min.

When water is almost evaporated but rice still uncooked,

add soy milk, coconut oil, coconut cream and continue to simmer.

Tip: It’s very important to scrape the bottom of the pot frequently so the rice doesn’t stick and harden.

When pudding is done add matcha powder and combine.

Let it cool for a few minutes.

Divide the rice pudding in the pots.

Personally, I love this pudding hot or warm but it tastes great when is cool too.

Aroma of this pudding is irresistible and texture, very creamy and super smooth.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Mini Rice Flour Donuts

Fresh, hot, homemade mini donuts. Just came out of the oven, dipped in semi sweet chocolate sauce. Most important thing- they are Gluten free, made with brown rice flour, so good.
Recently I decided to change some of my eating habits. Trying to switch and use more rice flour instead of regular flour, cut down the carbs.
Still love to bake and make all kinds of goodies but being more avare of ingredients. Less butter, use olive oil instead, less sugar, more enchanting ingredients like, almonds, vanilla or citrus zest and instead of cows milk, soy or rice milk. All this changes give amazing results and more energy. Nobody complains, everybody like it-:)

Yesterday I made bite size mini donuts using brown rice flour, olive oil, cinnamon and some semi sweet chocolate just to make them a little bit yummier.

Perfect when served with ice coffee or cold soy milk for the kids.

Ingredients:

Donuts:

1 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder, gluten free
pinch of cinnamon
1 large egg
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp plain nonfat kefir

Glaze:

1/2 tsp butter
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2-3 tbsp chocolate rice milk, as needed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Whisk together all dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg, sugar, oil and kefir well with mixer. Pour liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Grease the donut pan with non stick spray and fill each form half full.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan, and cool on a wire rack.
In a small saucepan or using double broiler, over low heat, heat butter and chocolate chips stirring constantly. Continue to stir, until chocolate is melted. Add few drops od milk if needed and stir till sauce is smooth.
Dip every donut in a sauce, lay on a serving plater and enjoy!

Now, for parties and celebrations you can make things even more fancy and adorable by adding totally cool decorations. Any party or celebration will be looking even better with cakes and cupcakes decorated with fantastic themed toppers.
For more info on super cute fondant toppers and decorations for occasions please visit my online Petit Fondant Creations store.

Thank you, and have a sweet day-:)

Chocolate Spicy Chilli Souffle

Souffle is amazing dessert. Cheese and chocolate are my favorite varieties. This time I decided to spice up a recipe. Since I had chili dark chocolate in my pantry I decided to use different chocolate combination as usual.
Taste is absolutely amazing. Sweet, spicy, creamy and wonderful.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 ounces chilli chocolate
2 tablespoons sweet cream butter
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon warm water
1/4 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
powdered sugar for garnish

Brush 4 ramekins with soft butter, then coat with sugar. Put the prepared ramekins in the freezer.
Preheat oven to 400F.
Put the chocolate and butter in a medium pan. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer, set the bowl over, but without touching the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla sugar. Set aside.
Combine the egg yolk and warm water in the bowl of a standing mixer with paddle attachment and beat until frothy. Add sugar and continue beating. Fold the yolk into the chocolate mixture.
Remove prepared ramekins from freezer. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on medium until frothy, then add the remaining sugar and increase speed to high.
Fold slowly egg whites into the chocolate until blended. Gently ladle or spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins and place on a prepared baking sheet.
Immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1 inch from the ramekins, about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven, dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.

Result is souffle with beautiful crunchy top and velvety cream inside.

This is also reduced fat and gluten free recipe.

Enjoy:)

Dry Blueberry Almond Bon-Bons:)

I wanted to make something sweet for a long time but wasn’t sure exactly what. Today I found and bought dry blueberries and idea was born.
I already had in my pantry almonds, which I toasted for extra aroma, petit beurre cookies, organic clementines, honey and a little bit of melted sweet butter. For the coating I used powder sugar/ sliced almonds….little variety.

Using food processor, ground almonds and cookies. Add all the ingredients from the list, clementine can be used for the zest and the juice. Pulse few times just to combine.
Let dough sit in the fridge for 20 minutes and then form little bite size bon-bons. You can use any coating that you like. Melted chocolate will work too but I wanted more natural, healthy, earthy & fruity flavor. Beautiful dessert for Holidays, Christmas or any other celebration. These Blueberry Almond Bon-Bons are gluten free.
Hope everybody will like them…Thanks for looking:)

Blueberry