Green Goddess Pasta

I have decided to take a look back at some of my first recipes that ever made it to Clean Eating Goddess. I can’t believe I’ve been working on this blog for almost three years. It has been SO much fun and a great hobby. Now that spring is finally here, I was reminded of this green goddess pasta I made years ago.

I reworked the recipe slightly to include a chickpea pasta, shaved zucchini and asparagus tips for the perfect light dish. The pasta is loaded with protein on its own so there is no need to add any meat or fish. When buying pastas made from beans, be sure to look where it comes from and that the only ingredients are the bean flour itself.

Of course, you can do this with store bought pesto, but making it yourself cannot be beat! I leave out the cheese and add a little extra salt, lemon zest and a handful of spinach for bright fresh flavour as well as a vibrant colour. The cheese is mostly added for a salty component and really isn’t missed when left out. By adding the pureed avocado, you achieve the same creamy texture without the added dairy. I ate it cold, but would work wonderfully warm as well. I hope you love this new revamped recipe! It is full of protein, good for you fats and of course LOTS of flavour!

Serves 3-4

Pesto Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups tightly packed fresh basil
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (you can set some extra aside for garnish as well)
• 1 small garlic clove
• zest of 1 lemon
• juice of 1/2 lemon (about 3 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 large handful of fresh spinach
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Pasta Ingredients:

• 1 package chickpea pasta (230 grams)
• 1 ripe avocado
• 4 tbsp frozen of fresh peas
• 12-15 asparagus tips
• 1 zucchini (shaved, I used a vegetable peeler)
• 3 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts (I used a mix of both)
• freshly ground pepper (for serving, optional)

Directions:

1. Lightly toast the your pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until oils start to release. (3-4 minutes)
2. Place all of the pesto ingredients except for oil in your food processor. Pulse. Slowly incorporate the oil while the machine is running, until a smooth paste has formed. Continue blending for 15 seconds to thin the sauce out.
3. Remove pesto from processor bowl and set aside. Now add your avocado flesh into the bowl and process until smooth. Place in a bowl and mix with fresh lemon juice so it does not brown.
4. Cook pasta according to directions. When the pasta is 2-3 minutes away from finishing, into the same pot, add your asparagus and peas. This avoids having to clean an extra pot! Drain and rinse with cold water to keep the the bright green colour.
5. For a warm pasta, put pasta back into pot on med-low heat. Add 2 heaped tbsp of pesto, mashed avocado, half of the peas, shaved zucchini, asparagus and nuts. Toss until creamy and combined. For a cold pasta, mix in a large bowl.
6. Plate and top with remaining nuts, peas, and asparagus. Finish with a fresh squeeze of lemon and some freshly ground pepper.