The Perfect Pair: Avocado Pasta and a Simple Summer Salad
I started to see recipes for avocado pastas pop up everywhere I looked...and I immediately knew that I needed to invite this combination into my life. Pasta? AND avocado? The perfect storm, I determined. Who doesn't (at least secretly) enjoy a thick, creamy pasta sauce? I immediately set out to create a healthy, dairy-free, version of my own.
Avocado Pasta
Combine 3 avocados, 2 garlic cloves, the juice of one lemon, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, 1/4 cup of pesto and fresh basil leaves in your food processor. Process until smooth. Let sit as long as possible at room temperature to enhance flavors. Mine sat for 2 hours before use.
Cut 3-4 roma tomatoes into eighths. Toss on a cookie sheet with a glaze of a combination of olive oil and minced garlic. Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes.
Cook whole wheat fettucini or whole wheat spaghetti al dente (7-11 minutes)
Stir tomatoes, avocado sauce and pasta together until all sauce and tomatoes are distributed evenly.
Serve immediately!
I paired my avocado pasta with a simple summer salad that consisted of:
romaine and spinach combination (to enhance nutritional properties)
caramelized onions (sweet onions cooked on low-medium heat with a touch of butter and brown sugar for 25 minutes, refrigerated to be added at a cold temp to salad later)
fresh tomatoes
fresh strawberries
roasted corn
fresh carrots
fresh radish
chickpeas
cucumbers
We used a champagne vinaigrette but any light, summery type of dressing will be divine.
Please let me know what you think if you decide to make either (or both) the avocado pasta and summery salad. I loved the alfredo-like consistency of the pasta sauce but with all of the added health benefits by using tomatoes, lemon, garlic and avocado instead of cream and cheese. Let me know what you think!
yum! i've made a similar pasta, but with noodles out of raw cucumber, zucchini, or yellow squash for a really nice cold summer pasta. you can use a spirooli noodle maker or just use a vegetable peeler to make long ribbons.
ReplyDelete-the veggie slicer i have is this one. i love it!
http://www.amazon.com/World-Cuisine-A4982799-Tri-Blade-Vegetable/dp/B0007Y9WHQ
I cannot wait to make this for Lily. I struggle with different pasta dishes for her. I think she would love it. I may also add tofu to the sauce for protein. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe made this tonight! We were starving and weren't sure what to make but had tons of Basil. We just chopped a fresh tomato and added a little Parmesan and it was awesome. I can't wait to use the leftover spread on a sandwich =).
ReplyDeleteNow we just need to try some of that Sangria!