Soooo I just made this and totally DEVOURED it!!! I've been study for the bar all day (the bar exam is a mere 2 weeks away), and was craving somewhat of a decadent meal that wasn't super unhealthy. Turns out this meal was perfect. Despite the small pasta serving, it was still super satisfying and filling because I used whole wheat, pillowy gnocchi instead of regular pasta and filled up on a bunch of roasted brussels sprouts. If you're craving pasta but want to still eat healthy, this is certainly the way to do it! This recipe serves 4, but I made single servings for myself by making the meat sauce ahead of time and only using as much sauce as I needed for a single serving of gnocchi. I also saved time by using Rao's marinara, which is all natural and has no sugar in it!
INGREDIENTS
~Makes 1 serving of pasta and 1 large batch of sauce~
-1 serving whole wheat gnocchi pasta
-1 jar Rao's marinara sauce
-1 lb lean ground turkey
-Grated Parmesan
-1/2 bag trader joe's brussel sprouts
DIRECTIONS
1. Begin by preheating the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Prepare the brussels sprouts by cutting off the stems and cutting them into halves or quarters depending on how large they are. Place on a foil-lined sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix to evenly coat. Place in the oven for 15-17 minutes.
3. Next, prepare the meat sauce. Add a small amount of olive oil to a pot over medium heat. Then, add the ground turkey and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Break up the turkey with a wooden spoon and cook until browned. Once finished cooking, drain off any grease, and add the Rao's marinara sauce. Stir, turn to low heat, and simmer until the rest of the meal is ready. Stir occasionally.
4. When sprouts have about 5 minutes left to cook, bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the gnocchi. Cook until the gnocchi float to the surface of the water (about 2-3 minutes), and then drain with a slotted spoon.
5. Add the gnocchi to a plate, top gnocchi with a ladle of the turkey meat sauce (refrigerate or freeze the rest), and sprinkle Parmesan on top. Serve the crispy, roasted brussels sprouts on the side!