Creamy Avocado Kale Pasta

My Bachelor watching group is a huge fan of this simple avocado cream pasta sauce recipe.  We've doctored it up all sorts of ways, including using basil instead of parsley, adding white beans, etc.  It has never failed us.

Seeing as there hasn't been a Bachelor season in a while, I was really missing this pasta.  (Not to mention seeing Zenie and Ashleigh on a weekly basis!)

I pulled out the old recipe the other night and put a bit of a new spin on it.  It turned out so creamy and delicious, I literally licked the plate (and the pan and the food processor).  Avocado + kale is the best combination.

Lemony Avocado Kale Pasta
Serves: 2

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 box whole wheat spaghetti

1 lemon

1 avocado, halved and pitted
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic

1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Plenty of salt and fresh-ground pepper

Directions:
1. Bring salted water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add in your pasta and cook until al dente. 

2. While the water heats up, make your sauce by combining one clove of garlic, juice of 1/2 lemon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, avocado, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor. 

3.  As the pasta is cooking, heat the other tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add in 1 clove of minced garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Saute until fragrant. 

4. Add your kale and the juice of the other half of lemon.  Saute for a few more minutes, until kale is soft.

5. When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in a strainer.  Toss thoroughly with the avocado sauce and kale.  Garnish with additional pepper, fresh Parmesan, fresh basil, etc.

Note: this pasta is REALLY lemony.  If lemon isn't your thing, it's probably not for you.  Also, it would be great with some white beans or grilled chicken mixed in for added protein.  

Stay warm out there!

Recent Happenings {Florida Vacation and Some Tasty Eats}

Hello!  Hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!

Jay and I just returned from our last trip of the summer.  We spent most of last week at my grandparents' house in Lake Worth, Florida.  It was a relaxing visit filled with games, swimming, and lots of family time.  My aunt, uncle, and cousin from New Jersey also drove down with their two dogs, so it was great to see everyone and catch up.

The dog beach is one of the happiest places on earth!  There are dogs everywhere frolicking in the water and having the best time.  I would love for Wendy and Oliver to go some day...they would be in heaven!

Now it's time to get into back-to-school mode.  Boo.  Jay starts preseason practices on Monday, and I'll be shopping and working in my classroom to get ready to go back the following week. 

And so it begins...

On another note, I managed to keep my head in the sand (literally) all week about what happened on the Bachelorette finale.  When our little group finally got together to watch it last night, we were all surprised with who Andi chose.  We loved the ending, but loved the drama that unfolded "After the Final Rose" even more.  OMG, Nick!

Ashleigh made the best vegan dinner that I can't wait to recreate.  

The pasta was tossed with a simple, fresh avocado cream sauce (recipe here) with a strawberry walnut spinach salad and fresh baked bread on the side.  Delicious!

I brought along some of my favorite no-bake chocolate brownie balls.  The base is made of just three ingredients - dates, walnuts, and cocoa powder.  I blended them up and rolled them in some raw cacao nibs for crunch.  

And my friend Zenie made wonderful strawberry/blueberry shortcake.  

It was a perfect summer meal!  

Happy Sunday!

Avocado Green Pea Pesto

I love pesto and I REALLY love avocados, so last night I decided it would be a brilliant idea to combine the two together.  I had seen some avocado pasta recipes floating around the Pinterest world, but most of them didn't seem hearty enough to serve as a stand-alone meal.  Since I wasn't going to be adding meat or cheese, I wanted to create a sauce that was super thick and filling.  I ended up pulling some elements from the avocado recipes I found online and merging them with a satisfying green pea pesto recipe I've used in the past.  I tossed in some fresh cherry tomatoes from our garden at the end, and the result was a delicious Italian-meets-guacamole masterpiece.

I didn't exactly measure everything out, but here is my best guess at the recipe:

1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup walnuts
3/4 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup green peas (thaw first if you use frozen)
1 avocado
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes to taste

Blend all ingredients in a food processor and toss with the pasta of your choice!  You could also add in additional veggies or meat and/or top with fresh Parmesan to mix things up.  

A word of warning...if you try to save any leftovers, they may not look so appetizing the next day.  I brought some to work this morning and found it to be quite an unpleasant shade of brown by the time I opened up my Pyrex at lunch time.  Fortunately it it tasted better than it looked!