Gnocchi with chicken & courgette sauce

When I made this beauty for dinner last night it didn't cross my mind that I might jinx the beautiful weather we've been having over the past couple of days - it still felt like summer. But this morning when I woke up the autumn has finally arrived with it's grey sky and rain. So in hindsight I'm actually quite happy that I've got three more portions of this lovely and filling pasta left to eat over the next couple of days. I've put two portions of it in the freezer and will let you know whether it turns out alright or not.

I decided to make this because for the couple of days before, all I could think about was that I really-really want something with courgette in it. I probably spent a good couple of hours trying to find that something that just popped out and made me rush to the store. However as I did not manage to find that something special I decided to experiment and I had no idea how it would turn out. And oh my did it turn out well, even if I do say so myself.

It's easy and quite quick to make and I love that the portion sizes are really generous. It's really filling and warming, but at the same time no too heavy. I was really surprised that I did not have to add any water or chicken stock as the courgettes helped to keep it liquid enough throughout the whole process. This is definitely something that I'll make again over the coming months to keep the grey and cold from getting to me.

Ingredients
(Serves 4)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 500g courgette, cubed
- 380g chicken breast, cubed
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- Parmesan cheese
- 500g gnocchi
- Fresh basil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Mixed italian herbs

Directions
Heat the oil in a thick bottomed pot and fry the onion and garlic for around 10 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the chicken and fry until seared on all sides. Then add the courgette and fry for another 5 minutes unit it starts to soften. Then add the chopped tomatoes and season with salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Bring to simmer and place the lid on the pot and simmer for 30 minutes or so.

Then add some torn basil, a bit of parmesan cheese and the gnocchi and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Place on a plate and serve immediately with some basil, fresh pepper and parmesan.

Inspired by the BBC Good Food recipe "Tomato & Courgette stew"

 

Egg white omelette with feta & sundried tomatoes

I once again try to go unnoticed in the law library as I put up this post, feeling slightly guilty that I'm using my study time to do that. The good news is that I will finally get my internet up and running this Friday so there should be no more long pauses between my posts. I have to admit that the month or so that I've been without internet access at home (I still get my emails through to my phone and stuff so I haven't been totally cut off from the world) I have been incredibly productive with my studies. I literally have been so bored that there's nothing else to do apart studying. But in all honesty, I'm happy my time without internet is coming to an end. 

In the meantime I have prepared a handful of dishes that I'm dying to share with you. I always feel that during weekends (or when I have mornings off) I have a nice reason to treat myself to a lovely breakfast instead of just making something quickly and eating it even faster. One of the things that I've wanted to try for quite some time was an egg white omelette. I'm a huge fan of omelettes for breakfast and to me they are something that one should eat slowly, savouring every bite. But as I'm usually in quite a hurry in the mornings, the idea of chopping things up is out of the question. As I had a Friday off a week or so ago I finally got around making the omelette. 

What I really love about this omelette is that it kept me full until lunchtime and I did not get any cravings. In addition, it is simple and relatively quick to make and can be adjusted to any tastes. Have it whatever cheese, veggies or meat you want and you are guaranteed a warm satisfying breakfast. I was tiny bit afraid of just using egg whites, mainly because I thought it would end up as a runny and soggy egg mass, but to my pleasant surprise everything looked very presentable (hence the reason it's going up here). So if you're looking for a tasty and filling breakfast and want to try out something new, give this one a go. Feel free to change the ingredients, load it up with different vegetables or serve with some crusty bread instead of the salad. But I can promise you that even if you don't change anything, this one is still a treat. 

Ingredients

(Serves 1)

- 100g egg whites

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 5 sundried tomatoes, chopped

- 50g Feta, crumbled

- Handful of basil, chopped and some to serve

- Handful of mixed salad leaves

- Black pepper, to serve

Directions

First chop up the tomatoes and basil, crumble the Feta and mix all together. Heat the oil in the pan and add the egg whites. When they start turning opaque add the mix on top of. Once it is almost done, roll the omelette and fry it on each side for another minute or so until cooked thoroughly. Serve immediately with a handful of mixed salad leaves and some freshly ground black pepper.