Gnocchi with Shrimp, Asparagus, and Pesto (7 WW pts)

Hubby and I like to cook together. On Friday night we decided to try a recipe I had torn out of a Cooking Light. Neither of us had ever made pesto from scratch. I was surprised at how easy it was!! This meal was amazing and very easy to make. The recipe says it makes 4 servings, but it was definitely 6 for us. And it’s great reheated.

Gnocchi with Shrimp, Asparagus, and Pesto – from Cooking Light July 2007 (pg 216) – makes 6 servings – 7 WW pts2 quarts plus 1 Tbsp water, divided
1 (16 oz) package vacuum packed gnocchi
4 cups (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 1 pound) – I used 1 bundle from the grocery store1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp, coarsely chopped
1 cup basil leaves
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted – Ours weren’t toasted2 Tbsp preshredded Parmesan cheese – I used Veggie Grated Parmesan Cheese Alternative2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp bottled minced garlic – I used 3 garlic cloves, minced4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Bring 2 qts water to a boil in a dutch oven (I just used a regular pot). Add gnocchi to pan; cook 4 minutes or until done – they will rise to the surface. Remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl.

Add asparagus and shrimp to pan (that gnocchi just came out of); cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done. Drain and add shrimp mixture to gnocchi.

To make the pesto sauce (we did this while the gnocchi and shrimp were cooking): Combine 1 Tbsp water, basil, pine nuts, cheese, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping sides. Drizzle oil through food chute with food processor on; process until well blended.

Add salt and pesto to shrimp mixture; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information (please double check with your ingredients and serving sizes – I use this recipe calculator)

1 serving: 333.5 Calories, 6.7 g Fat, 147.3 mg Cholesterol, 343.8 mg Sodium, 439.8 mg Potassium, 43.4 g Carbs, 3.6 g Dietary Fiber, 1.5 g Sugar, 24.8 g Protein WW POINTS = 7