Gnocchi Spinach White Bean Stew

There is no better way to incorporate a variety of vegetables into a dinner dish than in a stew or soup. I recently came across a couple of stew/soup recipes that sounded pretty healthy so I took pieces from each and came up with my own Gnocchi Spinach White Bean Stew.

My youngest son loves white beans, so this recipe was perfect.

Gnocchi Spinach White Bean Stew

Ingredients:

17.6 oz Whole Wheat Potato Gnocchi Homemade Style* or White Potato Gnocchi
1-2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp
1 medium onion chopped
1 large carrots chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 cup of homemade vegetable broth or store-bought
3 cups of spinach chopped
1 15 oz can of no salt Italian tomatoes
1 15 oz can of Cannellini beans
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring very often, until plumped and starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes (I had to use 2 tablespoons of olive oil because my gnocchi was sticking). Transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, onion and carrots 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.

Add spinach and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and salt/pepper and bring to a simmer for a few mins. Stir in the gnocchi.

Place stew in bowls and top with parmesan cheese. Serve with a fresh salad and homemade bread sticks.

* I found the whole wheat gnocchi at Trader Joe's for under $2