Gnocchi-Meatball Casserole

It's wintertime and it's cold outside.  We all like to have something nice and hearty to warm up to when we come home in the evening.  This recipe came out of Diabetic Living magazine, so it's low in sugars and fat.  It has 217 calories per serving (3/4 cup) and 15 g of protein!  I've never cooked with gnocchi before, so this will be a first for me. :)

Ingredients:

1 (16oz) package shelf-stable potato gnocchi

1 1/2 cups light or no-sugar-added tomato-based sauce

12 oz extra lean ground beef

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 Tbsp egg substitute (or 1 egg lightly beaten)

2 Tbsp dry whole wheat bread crumbs

1/2 tsp crushed, dried oregano

1/2 tsp crushed, dried basil

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

2 tsp olive oil

8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella (2 oz)

Directions

Lightly coat a 2-quart rectangular basking dish with nonstick cooking spray. 

Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain.  Transfer to a large bowl and stir in pasta sauce.

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, the finely chopped onion, egg, bread crumbs, oregano, basil, garlic powder, and fennel seeds.  Shape mixture into 24 equal-sized balls.

In a large skillet heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat.  Add mushrooms and sliced onion.  Cook about 7 minutes or until tender.  Add to gnocchi and pasta sauce.

In the same large skillet, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat.  Cook the meatballs, half at a time, about 6 minutes or until cooked through, turning occasionally.  Transfer meatballs to bowl wit gnocchi and vegetables.  Stir gently to combine.

Pour gnocchi mixture into prepared baking dish.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle cheese on top and back uncovered about 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted and golden brown.  Serves 8.