baneling bust gnocchi [ricotta gnocchi with basil pesto]

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When I started playing StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, I always feared the infamous Zerg baneling bust. I would religiously scout at 10 supply so I could catch the Zerg’s fast gas. The moment I saw that, I went into full barricade mode… PULL SCVS OFF GAS! BUILD MORE BARRACKS! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! 

I remember I held off a pretty fierce baneling bust and my opponent said, “Wow, you’re one of the first to hold that. GG”. Dang, that felt SO good! Getting a compliment from a complete stranger in a video game always boosts my ego.

However, most games did not go so smoothly back then. I’d get caught off guard and BOOM, my supply depots would just explode and my entire base would be covered in baneling pesto! Err, I mean baneling acid guts. I suppose the baneling’s acid looks suspiciously similar to basil pesto, right?

UNIT COMPOSITION

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FOR THE GNOCCHI

  1. salt
  2. 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
  3. 1 egg
  4. 1 cup of ricotta cheese
  5. 1 scoop of Quest Brown Rice Powder
  6. 2 scoops of Quest Multi-Purpose Mix Protein Powder

FOR THE BASIL PESTO

  1. salt
  2. pepper
  3. 3 – 5 cloves of garlic
  4. 1 tablespoon of pine nuts (reserve some for later)
  5. 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese
  6. 2 tablespoons of olive oil*
  7. 1/2 cup of basil

(you may end up with extra pesto!)

*you may need to add more to get a smoother consistency

BUILD ORDER

Adapted from The Splendid Table

This recipe takes about 20 minutes to prep. Cook time is <5 minutes. This makes about 3 servings.

Each serving contains: ~36g of Protein, ~26g of Fat, ~12g of Net Carbs

OPENING

  1. In a bowl, combine your ricotta cheese with your egg. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
  2. Sprinkle in 3/4 of a scoop of brown rice powder. Stir until combined.
  3. Add in your two scoops of protein powder, salt, and nutmeg. Mix until you get a doughy consistency.
    blog_banelinggnocchi_dough

MID GAME

  1. In a food processor, combine 1 tablespoon of olive oil, basil, pine nuts, garlic and parmesan cheese.
  2. Remove about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and set aside.
  3. Continue adding your remaining tablespoon of oil or until you’re happy with the consistency of your pesto.

LATE GAME

  1. Coat a clean surface with 1/4 a scoop of brown rice powder.
  2. Knead your dough into a ball.
  3. Cut this ball in half. Add 1/2 to a bowl and mix pesto into it to create the baneling’s acid sacs.
    blog_banelinggnocchi_mix
  4. With the other half, cut it into 4 equal sections and roll them into long noodles.Then, cut these noodles into smaller 1″ portions. You should get about ~12 of them.
  5. Then, take your pesto-infused dough and create small spheres for each of the gnocchi. This dough will be much more difficult to handle due to the pesto’s oil. Attach each sphere to the gnocchi. You can also add eyes to the baneling by carefully placing some extra green gnocchi dough on its face.
    blog_banelinggnocchi_baneling
  6. Take 4 pine nuts and place them into the sides of the gnocchi.These will become the baneling’s feet.
  7. Boil your water and season with salt. Carefully drop each gnocchi into the boiling water. The gnocchi will float to the surface when they’re almost ready (should take about ~2 minutes). I recommend cooking them in separate batches so they don’t stick to one another. Remove the gnocchi using a slotted spoon.
  8. Plate your gnocchi and serve with your pesto.
  9. Eat!

GG WP!

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Mine came out a bit more squished than I wanted (I crowded the pot too much!) … but they were still pillowy soft and protein packed! :)

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If you enjoyed this recipe, please check out another one of my Zerg-friendly Quest recipes: Spawning Pools!

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This recipe was created with support from Quest Gaming. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to learn more about how other gamers eat healthy and #CheatClean.

spawning pools [leafy greens quiche]

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Have you ever wondered why Zerglings are in such great shape? I mean, they run marathons around Marines and Zealots without breaking a sweat.

I’m sure the creep spread throughout the terrain helps, but I’m convinced that these little Zerglings have an incredibly healthy diet. Their brood mothers probably make sure they eat all of their veggies before storming the enemy base.

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I assume all the veggies are kept in the spawning pool… That’s why it’s green, right? It’s just pureed leafy greens!

Why else would Zerglings be so fast? Clearly, it’s diet and exercise! Perhaps they use Quest Protein in their creep spread?

UNIT COMPOSITION

blog_spawningpools_ingredients

  1. 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  2. 2 teaspoons of salt
  3. 1 1/2 tablespoons of coconut oil
  4. a handful of sliced almonds
  5. 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  6. 2 scoops of Quest multi-purpose mix protein powder
  7. 3 eggs
  8. 1/4 cup of milk
  9. 1/4 cup of water
  10. 1/3 cup of fontina cheese, shredded
  11. 1/3 of an onion, diced
  12. 1/3 cup of spinach
  13. 1/3 cup of swiss chard
  14. 1/3 cup of kale
  15. 3/4 cup of coconut flour (or almond flour)
  16. OPTIONAL: 1 tablespoon of beet juice

You’ll also need 4 ramekins.

BUILD ORDER

Prep time for this recipe is about 30 minutes. Total cook time is roughly 25 minutes. This makes about 4 – 5 servings.

Each serving contains: 23g of Protein, 10g of Fat, 21g of Carbs (12g of Fiber)

OPENING

  1. Combine your protein powder, 1 teaspoon of salt,  flour and 2 eggs in a bowl.
  2. Add in your beet juice. The beet juice is just to add color — this step is optional.
  3. Add in your 1/4 cup of water and melted coconut oil. and mix all the ingredients together until a dough forms.
  4. Place your dough on a clean surface that has been dusted by coconut flour (or the flour of your choosing)
  5. Knead the dough into a ball.blog_spawningpools_dough
  6. Divide the dough into four sections.
  7. Place each of the four sections into the ramekins. Mash the dough to fit the form of the ramekin.
  8. Place your almonds on the edges of the dough to make the “teeth” of the spawning pool.
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  10. Bake these ramekins in an oven set to 350°F for 10 minutes. This is just to get the dough to harden up before adding in the filling.

MID GAME

  1. Set a small pan on high heat. Once the pan comes up to temperature, add in your olive oil.
  2. Sweat your garlic and onions. The onions will become translucent when they’re ready.
  3. Add in your leafy green vegetables and cook for about 1 minute, or until they’re wilted.
  4. Place the cooked vegetables in a blender. Add in your milk and blend.
  5. Add in your egg and blend.
  6. Add in your cheese.

LATE GAME

  1. Remove the empty spawning pools from the oven.
  2. Pour your vegetable puree into each of the spawning pools.
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  3. Bake them in the oven set to 350°F for 15 minutes
  4. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
  5. Eat!

GG WP!

Now you’ve got a tasty little treat fit for the swarm!

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Enjoy these healthy snacks while watching the finals of the WCS!

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Or maybe the GSL Code S finals?

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It’ll be an eSports packed weekend for StarCraft II. But don’t worry, you’ll be prepared with these Spawning Pool Quiches. FOR THE SWARM!

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This recipe was created with support from Quest Gaming. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to learn more about how other gamers eat healthy and #CheatClean.