Creamy Avocado Pasta

I was looking online for new recipes and saw one for a creamy avocado pasta. It sounded interesting, so I thought I would try my own version. I ended up adding way to much garlic, so I fixed the recipe and this is what you have. It's not something I would make all the time, but it is a fun pasta that is ready in 15 minutes and is pretty healthy.

Here's what you need:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), whole wheat pasta, lemon, avocado, granulated garlic (you can use fresh, but it's a little strong), onion powder (I pictured a raw onion, but I think the onion powder works better), salt and pepper

Half and pit two avocados and put them into the work bowl of a food processor.

Add 2 Tbsp EVOO

Zest 1 lemon (about a tsp)

Get only the yellow, not the white

Then juice the lemon (strain the seeds out)

Now you add the garlic. You can add a fresh clove, or granulated garlic. I tried it with fresh garlic, but I wish I had used the granulated garlic.  This sauce is not getting cooked and raw garlic hits my pallet the wrong way. Do what you like. Just one clove is enough (or 1 tsp of granulated garlic). If after you make the sauce, you taste it and want more, then you can add more. But you can't take it out once it's in there.

For demonstration purposes, if you use fresh garlic, grate it into a paste over the processor bowl.

Add 1/2 tsp onion powder and 1 tsp salt.

Process until smooth and then taste. Adjust the seasoning to your liking (more lemon, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, etc.)

My sauce tasted way too much like raw garlic (still wishing I had used the granulated garlic instead). So, I added another avocado, and processed until smooth again.

I put the sauce into a big mixing bowl,

and then tossed the pasta in the sauce to coat.

I added about 1 or 1 1/2 tsp of dry basil (fresh would have been better, but I don't have any right now).

Plate the pasta with a little sprinkling of lemon zest and some freshly ground black pepper.

 Here's the recipe:

Creamy Avocado Pasta

1 box (13.5 oz) of whole wheat spaghetti

2 fresh avocados, halved and pitted

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

zest and juice of 1 lemon (plus more for garnish)

1 tsp salt (to taste)

1/2 to 1 tsp granulated garlic (or 1 garlic clove, grated)

1/2 tsp onion powder

freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1 to 1 1/2 tsp dry basil (to taste)

Boil pasta in salted water until al-dente. Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, add the avocado, EVOO, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper and basil. Blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Put sauce into a large bowl and set aside. Drain the cooked pasta, and add to the sauce. Mix until all the noodles are coated. Serve warm with extra zest and black pepper for garnish.