Gnocchi or Italian dumplings is typically served with tomato sauce or pesto, butter and cheese. Even though most Americans are still hooked to pasta, gnocchi is especially popular in Brazil and its neighboring countries. It resembles tiny dumplings of potato and is a treat to your taste buds. 'Gnocchi' literally means 'dumplings' in Italian! And, it has been around since the 12^th century, long before pasta. There are so many varieties that are now available, like, gnocchi with chicken, spinach gnocchi, bread crumbs gnocchi, mushroom gnocchi and gnocchi in Gorgonzola sauce. Since there are many variations of gnocchi, each recipe has a different calorific value, depending on its ingredients.

Nutritional Value of Gnocchi
Name	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
Potato Gnocchi	32	11.7	4.4	250
Cheese Gnocchi	6	8.2	6.2	125
Spinach Gnocchi	38	0.5	4	170
Gnocchi Al Gorgonzola	25	11	7	230
Sweet Potato Gnocchi	30	11	5	240
Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina	30	2.5	6	170
Whole Wheat Potato Gnocchi	60	0.5	5	248

**As per 1 serving of about 10 gnocchi pieces. **All values are in grams. Is Gnocchi Healthy or Fattening? While this dumpling may not be entirely healthy, it is a far better option than your white pasta as it also contains potatoes that add potassium to its nutritional value. But, it mostly contains fat and carbohydrates, making it very calorie dense. It also tastes better than rice and pasta. Many people serve gnocchi with beef sauce, Alfredo sauce, ricotta cheese or sausages. This in turn, makes it even more fattening. If you don't want your dumpling to be fattening, you can cook it in chicken broth and add lots of steamed vegetables to it. Also, avoid using butter and go for tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese instead. If you are making your gnocchi from scratch, substitute white flour with wheat flour or semolina. And remember, carbs must be eaten in moderation. However, a healthier and low fat option would be to eat spinach gnocchi. Apart from being less fattening, it also contains iron and calcium. Preparing it at home will further reduce its calorific value, making it more friendly for your weighing scales. If you are buying it from the supermarket, go for a low-calorie option like the one from Trader Joe's, in case you are conscious about what you put on your plate. You could also try making a soup with it. That is another healthy way of eating it and here is a simple recipe. Spinach Gnocchi Ingredients:

• 1 cup steamed and chopped spinach
• 2 cup wheat flour
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, preferably low fat
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation: Knead the dough using all the ingredients. Make long rolls out of it, further cutting them into smaller pieces. They should be roughly half an inch long. Use the fork to make impressions on them. Now, boil them in water until they start to float on top. You can add your choice of sauce to it. If you have high cholesterol or diabetes, I would suggest that you avoid both the Italian dishes as they are high in carbohydrates and fat and do not contain much nutritional value, while, others should exercise portion control. Also, indulge in gnocchi less often. It is not a health food!