Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Serves 1

For the gnocchi:

• 1/2 a large (or 1 medium) sweet potato
• about 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, plus more for the counter and your hands
• 1 tbsp chia seed egg replacer (I'll explain below)
• a dash each of salt, pepper, and dried thyme

Poke holes in your sweet potato and place over a paper towel in the microwave. Microwave on high for four minutes, turn, and microwave for another four minutes, or until fork tender. (You can also bake your sweet potato, but I was too hungry to wait.) In the meantime, make your chia seed egg replacer. Combine 1 tbsp chia seeds with 3 tbsp water, and allow the mixture to thicken for 10-15 minutes. (This makes more than one tbsp, but you can use the rest in a smoothie or in some baked goods.) Once the sweet potato is tender, let it cool, and then peel and mash it in a mixing bowl. Allow the smashed sweet potato to cool to room temperature. Add 1 tbsp of chia seed egg replacer and the thyme, salt, and pepper. Add flour gradually, kneading with floured hands. The dough will be very sticky at first. Just add more flour until it's workable. A little stickiness in the final dough product is fine though. Flour the counter and separate the dough into two sections. Roll each section in between your palms until it becomes a long rope. Place on the counter and form the dough into a uniform 1-inch thickness. Cut each rope into small sections using a very sharp knife. Fill a pot 3/4 of the way with water and salt lightly. Bring the water to a boil and drop the gnocchi in. Once the gnocchi floats to the top, remove with a slotted spoon. 

For the sauce:

• 1/4 cup of your favorite vegan marinara (Trader Joe's tomato basil is awesome)
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 3 tbsp almond milk
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• dash of salt and pepper
• large handful of baby spinach

Combine corn starch, almond milk, and nutritional yeast in a bowl and mix until the corn starch is fully incorporated. Pour the mixture in a saucepan over medium heat and allow to thicken. Add the marinara sauce and baby spinach and stir until the marinara is incorporated and the spinach is wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the gnocchi to the pan to warm it and toss. Garnish with oregano or some vegan parmesan if you've got it. Serve immediately.