Avocado’s are just incredible! We associate them with good fats (which is correct) but they are also a good source of pantothenic acid (VERY important B5), dietary fibre, vitamin K (blood clotting), copper, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin C… SJOE! They are basically nutrient powerhouses and its has been said (don’t you love that expression :-)) that you could survive on avocados completely on their own.
We have been eating avo’s for a VERY long time in fact archaeologists have found evidence of avocado consumption going back almost 10,000 years in central Mexico! Back then, humans were simply gathering and eating wild avocados. The name itself is rather strange “avocado” and when I looked into it, it is believed to be derived from the Nahuatl word ahuacatl, which means “testicle”, perhaps describing the shape of the fruit? This also refers to the fact that avocados are believed to have aphrodisiac qualities by some. Isn’t that all fascinating? The humble generous avo 🙂
I think the thing I love most about the avo is that its such a simple thing to prepare – smash it on some toast, chop it over a salad or simply cut it in half and squeeze some lemon juice and a dash of salt & pepper and you have a nutritious and delicious snack/meal anytime. Its not only filling but doesn’t upset your blood sugar and let’s be honest – it tastes GREAT! We are so lucky here in SA to get then at such a decent price for most of the year, In the UK you would never get them in packs of 6 as they are approx 2GBP for 1!! That’s 34zar!!
There are a multitude of ways you can use avocado and this creamy green pasta sauce is also a favourite of mine. Super fresh and easy to make you will be surprised at how the avocado lends itself so well to this garlicky, lemony and basil flavoured sauce. I like to use wholewheat spaghetti or linguini so the sauce gets into every part of the dish but I guess you could use penne too. If the robust flavour of wholewheat pasta is just too much then stick with regular. Of course the less refined options you make the better but this is a pretty healthy dish all-round anyway. It might seem strange at first to envelop warm pasta in avocado but if you like these things individually you will like them together! Oh and its vegetarian and vegan to boot for all you 100% plant based moguls.
This recipe feeds 4
INGREDIENTS:
200g Wholemeal spaghetti (or plain – or gluten free)
2 generous ripe avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
Juice & zest ½ lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup plum baby tomatoes, quartered
1 cup grated courgette – raw
Method:
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; make the sauce while the pasta is boiling, should be 8-10 mins.
To make the avocado sauce, combine avocados, basil, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor or blender and season with salt and pepper, to your taste.
Take the creamed avocado out the processor and place in a bowl and whisk the olive oil in until emulsified.
NOTE: You may ask why not add the olive oil into the blender – this can make it bitter as it aerates it and increases the bitter tasting compounds in it – so better to whisk!
In a large bowl, combine pasta, avocado sauce, cherry tomatoes and grated courgette.
Serve & slurp immediately 🙂
Love your food