Zucchini Pasta with Avocado Mint Pesto
I was almost hyperventilating when I first tasted how good this turned out. It feels like I have discovered (personally, not the first person in the world) this hidden gem!! The sauce for this pasta is so fricking creamy, it feels like it could be the healthy sister to the old “heart attack on a plate” carbonara. Alright alright, it doesn’t have the bacon but still – same sort of family – it takes all types! Even my husband finished his bowl and filled it up again, and not because I told him he had to.
Although I made this on zucchini pasta as I was coming off THAT cleanse, this sauce would also be really good on gnocchi or perhaps some bow tie pastas.
Honestly people, I couldn’t get over how yummy this is. And how many healthy goodies you get from it! Good fats from your avocado and brazil nuts. The brazil nuts provide a healthy dose of thiamin, vitamin E and magnesium, and tons of selenium which is a good cancer fighting mineral (especially breast and colon apparently – eat up!) And avocados… do I really need to sell you on these?! They are like the Queen of all fruits! (which I eat like a veggie).
I added cherry tomatoes to the sauce but you could add mushrooms, spinach, peppers, grated carrot – whatever floats your boat.
INGREDIENTS: (serves 2)
1.5 – 2 avocado (save the other half for your morning smoothie)
handful of fresh mint leaves
12 brazil nuts
1/2 cup of water
juice of 1 lemon or lime
big handful of kale leaves
3 zucchinis
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
Using a spiralizer, if you have one, or a normal vegetable peeler ~ peel the zucchini into long strips. Place the brazil nuts in the food processor and blitz for 30 seconds. Add the avocado, mint leaves, lemon/lime juice, kale and a bit of water – mix again for about 1 minute until the mixture is totally smooth (you may need to add more water – you judge how much you need to reach desired consistency)
You can either mix the zucchini and sauce, and tomatoes and serve cold as salad OR what I did is…
Heat a frying pan to medium head and add a small amount of olive oil, add the cherry tomatoes and zucchini until they slowly begin to warm. Now add the sauce, slowly mixing everything together. You may need to add more water here. Keep in mind you are trying to actually cook the zucchini – just heat the dish through so it is a warm and tasty pasta dinner.
Enjoy this minty fresh and deliciously healthy dinner!!
