Pasta With Creamy Avocado Pesto Sauce Food

CREAMY AVOCADO PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse pepitas and garlic until finely chopped. Halve avocado, discard the pit and scoop out flesh. (You should have about 3/4 cup, or 5 ounces.) Add avocado flesh, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to food processor and pulse until chunky.
• Add cheese and basil to food processor. With motor running, drizzle in 1/2 cup water, then drizzle in oil until well blended, scraping down sides as needed. Transfer 2 cups of pesto to a large bowl. Refrigerate any remaining pesto for another use.
• Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain pasta. Add pasta and pasta water to pesto in large bowl and toss until pasta is nicely coated in sauce.
• Divide pasta among 4 bowls. Top with more pepitas, cheese and basil.

CREAMY AVOCADO PESTO - DELISH!

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in penne, and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mostly cooked through, but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes. Add shrimp to boiling water and cook until shrimp are bright pink on the outside and the meat is no longer transparent in the center, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain penne and shrimp; transfer back to empty pot.
• Blend avocado, lemon juice, basil, 2 tablespoons Romano cheese, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a food processor until smooth. Add olive oil and pulse until creamy. Remove blade from food processor and stir diced tomatoes into the creamy pesto. Transfer pesto to pot with pasta and shrimp; stir to coat. Serve with about 2 tablespoons Romano cheese, salt, and black pepper.

AVOCADO PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut avocado into cubes and put into food processor.
• Wash and dry basil, cutting off stems and roughly chop before adding to avocado.
• Place remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
• For option #1, julienne zucchinis and either place in a colander for 10-15 minutes or on paper towels and squeeze gently to remove any excess moisture. You can add a sprinkle of sea salt to taste and toss to coat (optional). Add bacon fat/oil to a frying pan over medium heat and let it melt. Add the zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes until al dente.
• For option #2, cook pasta per packaged instructions. Add a tablespoon of sea salt to taste (optional). Cook until al dente. Drain in colander and return to sauce pan on medium heat.
• Add sauce to either option #1 (zucchini noodles) or option #2 (pasta) and toss to ensure all noodles are coated in sauce. Cook for another 2-4 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, the sauce can be heated separately and served on top of the noodles/pasta.
• Serve immediately with or without chicken. Enjoy!

CREAMY AVOCADO PESTO

Steps:

• 1. Combine avocado, basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor or blender. With machine running, slowly stream in the lemon juice, olive oil, and water as needed to achieve a smooth pesto. Puree until completely blended and creamy.
• 2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 3. Use immediately or keep, refrigerated, for up to four hours.

PASTA WITH CREAMY AVOCADO "PESTO" SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Sauce: Remove avocado from skin and place in a small bowl. Mash with a fork until fairly smooth - it doesn't have to be perfect. Stir in lime juice, mayonnaise, onion, almonds, salt and pepper. Blend well.
• 2. Cook pasta according to package directions.
• 3. Drain and return to pot. Drizzle with melted butter. Mix to coat the pasta then serve up each individual portion.
• 4. Spoon on a generous dollop of avocado sauce and gently mix. (The heat from the pasta will "melt" the sauce much like any other pesto), sprinkle with parmesan and enjoy.