Cheesy Turkey Cauliflower Gnocchi Bake

Cheesy Turkey Cauliflower Gnocchi Bake is a hearty yet healthy dinner ready in 30 minutes! 

Books. 

Ugh. I want to love them again. 

Now that Charlie has a “bedtime” I suddenly have a bit of free time in the evening. At first I just wanted to sit on the couch and scroll the interwebs on my phone. After about two nights of that I was feeling a bit restless. Does that make sense?

So, I figured my brain needed a little workout. I posted a question on Instagram Stories last week asking for recommendations on entrepreneurial self growth books. I got a lot of responses on books that would be great. Here is what y’all recommended: 

Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
The End of Power by Moisés Naím
4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
Start With “Why?” by Simon Sinek
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
This Is Marketing by Seth Godin
Talking to Strangers by Malcom Gladwell
Atomic Habits by James Clear

I can’t tell you how excited I am to dive into these books. I’ve even thought about doing the audio version because let’s be real, I am known to start reading a book and fall asleep within 5 minutes. Have you had luck with audio books?

Since I will be using some serious brain powder to get through these books, let’s chat about nourishing said brain. Say hello to your new dinner idea: Cheesy Turkey Cauliflower Gnocchi Bake. My obsession with Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi continues. I swear it tastes better than regular gnocchi. 

BUT! The trick is not to follow the package instructions. For a full break down of how to make it read this POST. Other than that this recipe is very straightforward. This dish tastes like chicken parm, but wont’ be naughty to your waistline. Great meal to make to feed a crowd and let’s be real, you can’t go wrong with a spoonful of cheesy goodness. 

Okay that and a good book along with a glass of wine. 

Cheesy Turkey Cauliflower Gnocchi Bake

Ingredients:

  • 2 bags of Trader Joe’s frozen cauliflower
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 32oz jar marinara sauce
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
  • Fresh chopped basil, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-inch cash iron skillet with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Place the gnocchi on a microwave safe plate lined with a paper towel. Microwave the gnocchi for about four minutes on high. I would do one bag at a time. Once thawed, pat the gnocchi dry with a paper towel to get rid of any moisture. 
  3. Preheat the cast-iron skillet to medium heat and add olive oil. In batches saute the gnocchi until crispy about two to three minutes per side adding more olive oil as needed. Just be sure to not over cook because they will become rubbery! Place the cooked gnocchi in a large bowl.
  4. In the same skillet as you cooked the gnocchi cook the ground turkey. Add olive, salt, and pepper. Cook the turkey for about four to five minutes or until no longer pink.
  5. Add the cauliflower gnocchi to the skillet with the turkey. gently toss and then smooth into an even layer.
  6. Spoon the marinara sauce over the top and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until golden and bubbly about 25 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven and garnish with basil.
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In conclusion, our Cheesy Turkey Cauliflower Gnocchi Bake is a delightful fusion of flavors that brings together the richness of cheese, the lean protein of turkey, and the low-carb goodness of cauliflower gnocchi. A wholesome and delicious comfort food experience.