Celebrating a great annual physical report with this healthy bean-and-spinach skillet meal

The results are in, and healthy eating won big! Residing in my in-box yesterday were the results of my bloodwork from my physical exam two days ago. My squeals of satisfaction could be heard all the way to downtown Dallas as I read that my triglycerides were down six points from last year, my bad cholesterol also was down six, and my good cholesterol was up eight (UP is good, in this case). All other results (including blood pressure and weight) were excellent throughout, the doctor reported in his email to me. Something truly to be thankful for, since in the gently aging, such as myself, those readings often go the opposite direction. HOORAY! I credit it all to (besides the Good Lord, of course) dietary changes. Maybe I should credit The Newfangled Country Gardener, since writing this blog keeps me honest about my food choices. Fruits, vegetables, fiber—tweaking the diet with a healthy eating plan—does deliver what it promises.

To celebrate I prepared a recipe I’ve been holding onto from HealthMonitor, the little magazine that our local hospital mails out to the community. (Recipes also can be found at www.HealthMonitor.com.) Like the previous night’s, it was another skillet meal; the contents were absolutely scrumptious; one serving amounted to only 327 calories. (HealthMonitor stated that it reprinted the recipe from the book, EatingWell 500-Calorie Dinners by Jessie Price, Nicci Micco, and the editors of EatingWell Magazine.) White beans, tomatoes, and spinach leaves poured in the health on top of the shelf-stable gnocchi (soft dumplings). A mixture of two cheese on top was the crowning touch to this good recipe.

Is bypassing the fast-food lines and taking time to put healthy food on the table worth it all? You betcha, when the Moment of Truth time arrives and the annual-physical report turns up good in the inbox!

Skillet Gnocchi with Spinach and White Beans

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 (16-ounce) package shelf-stable gnocchi

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup water

6 cups spinach, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes (or 2 1/2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes)

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add gnocchi and cook, stirring often, until gnocchi is plumped and starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining teaspoon of oil and chopped onion to the pan; cook over medium heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and water. Cover and cook until the onion is soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until spinach starts to wilt, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the gnocchi and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes more. Makes 6 servings.