Along with what seems like everyone else in lockdown. I’ve was spending my mornings spidermaning and kangaroo hopping around my living room following along to P.E with Joe on Youtube.
It inspired me to dust off and crack open my old Veggie Lean in 15 cookbook. Written by the body coach himself, Joe Wicks.
Filled with wonderful vegetarian recipes however It’s his homemade gnocchi recipe that I will be talking about today.
This homemade, healthy, vegetarian gnocchi recipe is both easy and cheesy. It’s not just a basic gnocchi bake, but it’s grilled. Which gives the cheesy top layer a lovely crisp texture.
I love these kind of recipes. Easy, delicious and quick. No fuss about it. Joe wick’s hit the nail on the head with this one.
If you do have the time, this recipe becomes that much better when you make your own homemade gnocchi from scratch.
Healthy Recipe
For all of you who know Joe Wicks from his silly looking exercises (Thank god i’ve never been caught by the window cleaner doing Silly Billy’s around my living room) and motivating home workouts. You may be familiar with his cookbooks.
If you are unfamiliar with his cookbooks, you should give them a look into. He’s got around 7 cookbooks filled with healthy and delicious recipes.
The thing I enjoy most about his recipes are; not only are they healthy and guilt free, but they are quick to make. It’s in the name after all, “Lean In 15”. 15 minute healthy recipes.
The book I have, is his vegetarian lean in 15 book. Although I can’t say all the recipes in this cookbook are delicious, because I haven't made every recipe in there. What I can say, is that every recipe I have made from the book, has been delicious.
Recipe inspiration
Recently, I have been making my own homemade Gnocchi pasta from scratch, so when I was flicking through his cookbook and saw this recipe for Grilled cheesy gnocchi with leeks and mustard. I just had to give it a try. Homemade gnocchi? gnocchi recipe? Perfect timing! I was not disappointed.
It’s low calorie, but very self-indulgent. I mean, it’s a big bowl of cheesy pasta. That’s not something you would usually consider with “healthy” or “low calorie” and yet, it is. I would happily eat this every night if I could, without needing healthy motivation to do so. In-fact i’ve had it two nights in a row so far…
Why not have a full healthy eating, yet delicious eating day? Try swapping out your morning toast or cereal with this Greek yogurt and Granola recipe. Then have this Grilled cheesy gnocchi bake for dinner. Full day of delicious healthy eating.
Vegetarian Recipe
This recipe is a vegetarian gnocchi recipe. For those who don’t know the only meat I eat is fish, hence why you won’t see any meat recipes on this blog. Other than the occasional seafood recipe.
If you are a meat-lover. Don’t let this being vegetarian gnocchi put you off this dish. I promise you, you won't miss the meat.
So, it’s a healthy recipe? Tick, It’s a delicious recipe? Tick, It’s a vegetarian recipe? Tick. What else could make this dish better!? I’m glad you asked.
Quick Dinner Recipe
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, It’s also a super quick recipe.
That’s one of the most important things for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love long recipes. Spending a few hours in my kitchen making good food. Surrounded by food and delicious foodie smells.
It’s somewhat meditative. Just having this one thing to concentrate on. Try it out, next time you are feeling stressed, anxious or overwhelmed, just start cooking. See how you feel afterwards. How calm you feel (When it goes right)
However, the issue with all these longer recipes is that it’s unsustainable. just like most people, won’t have the time to be always in the kitchen.
From waking up, grabbing something to eat for breakfast then going for a 9 hour shift on my feet. Having to come home, clean, shower, maybe put a wash on. Finding 2 hours to spend in the kitchen is difficult.
Done in 15 minutes
Which often leads to unhealthy eating due to the quickness and ease of it. This gnocchi recipe is made in 15 minutes.
Anyone can find 15 minutes in their day to cook some food. 15 minutes is nothing. And I know I know, normally, when a recipe says 15 minutes, they actually mean 30 minutes prepping ingredients, 15 minutes putting the dish together, Then 1 hour cooking time. But that's not the case here. When I say 15 minutes I mean 15 minutes. It’s 5 minutes prepping, 10 minutes grilling and you’re done.
If you do want to make the afternoon out of this dish and you want that longer, meditative recipe. You can do that as well. Instead of using a bag of store bought Gnocchi, make your own! Homemade gnocchi is great.
Believe me, it’s easier than you think. So easy in fact, I have a recipe for making homemade gnocchi pasta from scratch here. It also includes a video to help you along. We will speak about that in a little more detail below.
Gnocchi
The main ingredient in the dish is going to be your Gnocchi pasta. What is Gnocchi you ask? Gnocchi, pronounced nyawk-kee or nok-ee. Is an Italian pasta, commonly a potato pasta, or as the Italians say Gnocchi di patate.
Basically, they are little fluffy pillows of delightfulness and heavenliness.
Gnocchi pasta is made very simply with flour, eggs, and mashed potato. 3 ingredient goodness. Once they are prepared they freeze very well and cook in around 2 minutes.
Another pro to making your own homemade gnocchi, is that it’s a hell of a lot cheaper then buying it from the shop. Store bought gnocchi might set you back £3 for a 500gram bag. You can easily make triple that with £3.
If you want to make your own homemade gnocchi from scratch (and I urge you to do so) I have a full post on how to do that at home, without any fancy pasta making equipment.
Ialso included a video so you can follow along with. You can find that post here.
So go to that post, make your own homemade gnocchi from scratch then return here for your grilled cheesy gnocchi with leeks and mustard recipe. I will see you in about 40 minutes.
Grilled Cheesy Gnocchi With Leeks and Mustard Recipe
Finally, we get to the bit that you’ve probably scrolled all the way down looking for. The gnocchi recipe. Easy to get ingredients and easy to follow recipe. If you prefer visual aid to follow along to, then prepare your ingredients and scroll a bit further down for my step by step photo instructions.
Step by Step instructions with photos
Below is a step by step instructions on how to make this. For the ingredients and full recipe card keep scrolling. Use this section as a reference once you’ve read over the recipe card.
Step one
Preheat your grill to maximum and bring a kettle of water to boil. Whilst the kettle is boiling, finely trim your leaks.
Step Three
Whilst your leaks are frying, pour your boiling water into a source pan and bring to a rolling boil. Drop in your gnocchi pasta and cook according to the packet instructions.
With fresh gnocchi, they should only take 2 minutes to cook. When you first add your gnocchi they will sink to the bottom of the pan. Once cooked they will float to the top. That’s how you know they are ready.
Step Five
Combine the veg stock, double cream and mustard. Mix together. Pour this mix over the gnocchi and leaks and scatter the mature cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
Step six
Grill until bubbling then allow the gnocchi to cool for 5 minutes before eating. Season to taste and Voila! 15 minutes, healthy, delicious, grilled cheesy gnocchi pasta with leeks and mustard.
