blissful eats with tina jeffers: Creamy avocado pasta

In my opinion avocado makes everything taste better, so why has it taken me so long to top my pasta with it?  I found myself with some extra avocados this week and wanted some pasta so I decided to combine the two and see what I could come up with.  The avocado lends such an unctuousness to the sauce that I may never use cream again.  

I love fettuccine Alfredo but never eat it because it is so full of saturated fat and calories.  And while this dish is not exactly low in calories, it's full of monounsaturated fat which in studies have found to lower cholesterol and it is thought to prevent inflammation.  Avocados are also loaded with 20 vitamins and minerals including vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, fiber, iron and potassium, plus they taste amazing.  I don't believe in cutting out all the fat from my diet, what would I be left with to eat?  Rice crackers and fat free cheese do not appeal to me at all.  There is room in my diet for everything in moderation, I find if I stick with real food, not the kind that comes from a box that I can eat delicious, tasty food without feeling deprived and still be happy with the numbers on the scale.

This dish is perfect for a those nights when you are home late and want to get dinner on the table quick.  It comes together in less than 15 minutes and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand.  The jalapeno adds a nice touch of heat and the lime zest and juice give a nice bright finish to the dish.

Feel free to experiment with the recipe and make it your own.  I can't wait for summer so that I can add some fresh corn and cherry tomatoes to the mix.  For a twist, swap out the basil with some cilantro and top it with a little cotija cheese

If you are craving something rich, creamy and ultra satisfying without all the guilt, this dish is for you!

Creamy avocado pasta

Ingredients:

1 medium ripe avocado, pitted

½ lime

2 garlic cloves

¼ jalapeno

¼ cup packed basil

1 cup spinach

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan

1 pound whole wheat spaghetti

1 cup spinach

 basil leaves to garnish

Method:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until tender but still al dente 9 -11 minutes.  Drain and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water.  Put the cup of spinach in the bottom of a serving bowl and  place the spaghetti on top and toss for a few minutes to wilt the spinach.

While the pasta is cooking make the avocado sauce.  Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh from the avocado and place in a food processor.  Zest the lime and add along with the basil, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, basil, spinach, salt and pepper.  Blend until smooth. 

Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss everything together adding a little cooking water to loosen the sauce as needed.  Top with the grated parmesan and basil and serve.