Vegan, Nut-Free Avocado Pesto Pasta

This pesto is vegan and nut-free, perfect for entertaining guests with dietary restrictions! This pesto also tastes greats as a dip for veggies, crackers, or as a sandwich spread. You can store the pesto sauce in an airtight container, refrigerate, and use within 3-4 days. Choose pasta that is made from whole grains and high in fibre – for this recipe we actually used rotini made out of chickpeas which are packed with protein, fibre, and are gluten-free! Did you know if you only cook your pasta to al dente (firm to the bite, with the white ‘bone’ in the centre), it actually lowers its glycemic index?

Ingredients:

Avocado Pesto

• 1 cup (packed) fresh basil
• 1 avocado
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1⁄4 cup hemp hearts
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp water (or more as needed)
• Sprinkle of red chilli flakes
• Salt & pepper to taste

Pasta

• 12 oz of your choice of pasta, cooked according to package instructions. I used Banza rotini noodles which is a high protein, high fiber, gluten-free pasta made out of chickpeas!
• 1-2 cups of cherry tomatoes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt & pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, process basil, avocado, lemon juice, garlic, hemp hearts, nutritional yeast, and olive oil. Add water through the top until the pesto is smooth.
2. Season with red chilli flakes, salt & pepper.
3. Toss cherry tomatoes in olive oil, salt & pepper. Place in a frying pan on high heat.
4. Cover the pan and stir tomatoes occasionally for a few minutes. The tomatoes are done if they burst open when pressed down with a spoon.
5. Toss cooked pasta with pesto sauce. Top with bursting tomatoes and additional hemp hearts and/or nutritional yeast if desired.
6. Serve hot and enjoy!

#healthyeating #vegan #nutfree #glutenfree #vegetarian