Pasta Primavera with Creamy Avocado Sauce

Yes, the avocado tree continues to please me with a bounty. While I would probably never tire of avocado toast, guacamole, or just sliced avocado with lime and salt, I have been inspired to experiment. I don’t eat a lot of pasta, but every once in a while (like today after a run…or slow jog, if I’m being totally honest), I will indulge. This dish tastes incredibly rich, but is actually quite healthy. I used a spelt pasta, but any pasta would be great. For the vegetables I used zucchini, mushrooms, some kale and some cherry tomatoes, but absolutely any veggies would be great. This dish is vegan, but you could add chicken or shrimp if that suits you. Start to finish, this dish took about 25 minutes; it’s a great weeknight dish. (Serves 4).

INGREDIENTS:

• Pasta of choice (about 200 grams)
• 1 Medium size Ripe Avocado- peeled and pit removed
• 1/4 Cup Basil
• 3-5 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Lime
• About 2 Cups Chopped Vegetables of your choice (broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, spinach or other greens, red peppers, tomato or any combination)
• Olive Oil
• Water
• Salt and Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to boil, and cook pasta according to package direction. In the meantime, in a large saucepan, saute the vegetables and 1-2 cloves of garlic in about 1 TBS. of olive oil.

Note: saute vegetables in stages starting with the garlic and and vegetables that take the longest to cook (broccoli, coarse greens); finish with with more tender vegetables like mushrooms and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. As the vegetables cook, prepare the sauce. Add 1-2 cloves of garlic, the basil, and a drizzle of olive oil to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the avocado, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Process again until smooth- add water a little bit at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency ( I like it a little thick). Taste and add more salt if needed.

When pasta is cooked, drain and add to saucepan with cooked vegetables, add avocado sauce and mix to combine.

Alternatively, you could just plate the pasta and top it with the vegetables and sauce, but I like everything well combined.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	320
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14.9g	19%
Saturated Fat 2.8g	14%
Cholesterol 37mg	12%
Sodium 30mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 41.1g	15%
Dietary Fiber 6g	22%
Total Sugars 5.6g
Protein 8.9g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 49mg	4%
Iron 3mg	15%
Potassium 882mg	19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet.2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.