Creamy pea and avocado pasta
- 15 mins
- 15 mins
- Serves 4
This pasta is a great way to get greens into the family. The avocado and pea sauce is packed with greens and herbs giving you the amazing benefits of chlorophyll and antioxidants with a satisfyingly creamy feel, while leaving you feeling light and refreshed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen peas 500g wholegrain or legume spaghetti
- 1 cup chopped broccoli
- ½ cup corn kernels (canned or frozen)
- 1 small avocado
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 handful of fresh basil + extra for garnish
- 1 handful of fresh baby spinach leaves (or kale or rocket)
- 1 cup unsweetened plant milk
- ½ cup homemade vegetable stock
- Juice and grated rind of one lemon
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
Optional garnishes:
- 8 button mushrooms, sliced and fried
- 4 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
Nutritional yeast crumble:
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup nutritional yeast flakes
- ½ tsp white pepper
Directions
- Cook frozen peas for 3 minutes in a saucepan of boiling water over high heat. Drain peas in a sieve over the sink and rinse with cold water.
- Cook spaghetti and broccoli in a saucepan over medium/high heat until pasta is al dente. If using frozen corn add this now too.
- Add the avocado, cooked peas, garlic, basil, spinach, milk, vegetable stock, lemon rind, lemon juice and nutritional yeast to a blender and process until smooth. Add pepper to taste.
- Drain pasta and cooked vegetables and place in a bowl. Add corn now if using canned rather than frozen. Stir in avocado sauce and baby spinach. Top with cherry tomatoes, more basil and optional garnishes.
- To make the nutritional yeast crumble, put all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until fine and crumbly.
- Sprinkle 1 tbsp nutritional yeast crumble on top of each bowl of pasta.
Chef's Tips
- You can really fancy this up to suit your taste buds. My husband likes to garnish his with sautéed mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. I like cherry tomatoes and extra basil.
- Spaghetti made from legumes (such as borlotti beans, chickpeas and lentils) is widely available in supermarkets, and offers a gluten-free alternative to wholewheat spaghetti. Being naturally high in protein it is also a filling option for active and growing bodies. Note that it is also higher in calories so best avoided if weight loss or maintenance is a goal.
- Creamy yet fresh, this pasta can be whipped up in under 15 minutes!
Dr Taisia Cech
