Cucumber Roll ups

I’m a sucker for all those cheesy and fried appetizers I’ve been seeing especially with Superbowl Sunday coming up this weekend. I wanted to share an option like these Cucumber Roll Ups that are easy to do that offers a healthy option and can also feed those who are gluten free, vegetarian, even vegan.
Slice cucumbers the long way to make cucumber roll ups for a healthy, vegetarian, gluten free bunch of bites for a party Slice cucumbers the long way to make cucumber roll ups for a healthy, vegetarian, gluten free bunch of bites for a party

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Green Beans with Walnut and Feta and Mint Vinaigrette

When I realized that I had way too much feta from my Costco order which I had delivered via Instacart (which I’ve raved about before for bringing me needed items at the last minute right to my door – and I don’t need a Costco membership), I immediately thought of this recipe for Green Beans with Walnut and Feta and Mint Vinaigrette for the next potluck at work in order to help use it up.
Recipe for Green Beans with Walnut and Feta and Mint Vinaigrette, an easy salad to serve cold or at room temperature for a potluck or get together that is vegetarian

I had the recipe idea pinned from The Kitchen is My Playground for a while, with it’s intriguing promise of fun textures of the firm green beans, walnuts, and feta while highlighting a fresh mint vinaigrette.
Recipe for Green Beans with Walnut and Feta and Mint Vinaigrette, an easy salad to serve cold or at room temperature for a potluck or get together that is vegetarian
Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-2 inch or so pieces
  • 3/4 cup of diced red onion
  • 1 cup of chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
  • 3/4 cup of olive oil
  • 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of minced fresh mint leaves
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt or to taste
  • 1/2  teaspoon of  black pepper or to taste

Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the cut 1 1/2 pounds of green beans and cook for only 3 minutes –  we want it to turn bright green only. Drain the hot water and immediately plunge the green beans into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and pat dry with paper towels.
    Trimmed green beans to length of 1-2 inches, which is enough to be a forkful without having to figure out how to fold it into your mouth!
  2. In a mixing bowl set the dried blanched green beans. Add the 1 cup walnuts, 3/4 cup diced red onion, and 1 cup crumbled feta; toss to combine.
    1 cup walnuts, 3/4 cup diced red onion
  3. In a food processor combine the 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1/4 minced fresh mint, 3 cloves worth of minced garlic, salt, and pepper for 30 seconds or so.
    To make the Fresh Mint Vinaigrette, In a food processor combine the 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1/4 minced fresh mint, 3 cloves worth of minced garlic, salt, and pepper To make the Fresh Mint Vinaigrette, In a food processor combine the 3/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 1/4 minced fresh mint, 3 cloves worth of minced garlic, salt, and pepper
  4. Add the dressing to the mixing bowl and toss everything. Chill for about an hour before serving.
    Easy vegetarian recipe for a potluck or group meal, healthy Green Bean Salad with Red Onion, Feta, Walnuts in a Fresh Mint Vinaigrette

So this salad was definitely great for lunch for a couple days… great for the potluck for a group as it was easy to transport to work and leave out. For later lunches it was a nice crispy side of veggies and nuts with a bit of acid to balance out a grilled cheese sandwich.
Easy vegetarian recipe for a potluck or group meal, healthy Green Bean Salad with Red Onion, Feta, Walnuts in a Fresh Mint Vinaigrette

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Lemony Spinach and Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta

At work, I organize a quarterly potluck for my team in Oregon as a way for us to have time to decompress from our normal lunch routines and work day by socializing together, talking about how our projects are going and how our lives are going to connect professionally and personally. So, I’m always looking out for dishes that I can contribute that can be prepped at home the day before, can be cold or room temperature, and can be vegetarian and nut-free to accommodate some dietary restrictions. This Lemony Spinach and Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta Recipe is one I prepared last time.
Lemony Spinach and Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta Recipe: very easy to make and quick to prepare the day before, and substantial enough to feed a group and can be cold or room temperature, perfect for a potluck recipe

So I can definitely tell you from experience that this dish is very easy to make, quick to prepare, and substantial enough to feed a group when you don’t know what everyone else is bringing. In this case I used vegetable pasta, but you can use regular pasta if you wish or gluten-free pasta, and you can use a variety of pasta shapes.

If you want to make this dairy-free as well you can cut out the feta for chopped olives instead to still have bit of slight salty kick and Mediterranean feel. For me, I served the feta on the side so people could choose whether to add it or not. You can also consider adding slivered almonds for texture, or if you want protein some diced grilled chicken.

Lemony Spinach and Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces pasta – penne, rotini, elbow, farfalle shapes all would work well, a shape you can stab with a fork
  • 4 cups baby spinach (approximately – I used 4 handfuls!)
  • 3 1/2 cups heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved – I like using both red and yellow tomatoes here. Alternately, you could use red tomatoes and for yellow add in some bell pepper.
  • 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
  • 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately a juice of a large lemon)
  • 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. First, cook your pasta in a pot of salted water until al dente and drain. Immediately rinse with ice cold water to cool the pasta, drain well and place in a large container that has room to toss in the other ingredients. I honestly had to use 2 mixing bowls, and then my final serving vessel to take to the potluck was a big 13×9 casserole dish from my mother-in-law.
  2. Now, add your 4 cups of baby spinach and the 3 1/2 cups of halved heirloom cherry tomatoes. You can also add in your 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese now, or hold off and serve the feta on the side as an optional addition.
    Lemony Spinach and Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta Recipe: very easy to make and quick to prepare the day before, and substantial enough to feed a group and can be cold or room temperature, perfect for a potluck recipe
  3. In a bowl, whisk the 7 tablespoons of olive oil, 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of whole grain mustard, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 2 teaspoons of grated lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
  4. Pour the dressing and now toss everything! Now you can put this in the fridge and you are all set to take it to your potluck or gathering the next day, and you can serve this cold or room temperature.
    Lemony Spinach and Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta Recipe: very easy to make and quick to prepare the day before, and substantial enough to feed a group and can be cold or room temperature, perfect for a potluck recipe

I like how the dressing has the brightness of the lemon, but a bit of bite from the garlic and bit of spiciness from the mustard. The bursts of cherry tomatoes and creamy slight salt from the feta make this a good flavor combination. The colors of the green, red, yellow and white looks great, and it’s healthy to make up for the inevitable stack of sweets that show up at a potluck, am I right?

Lemony Spinach and Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta Recipe: very easy to make and quick to prepare the day before, and substantial enough to feed a group and can be cold or room temperature, perfect for a potluck recipe
This recipe is adapted from one on Epicurious for Lemon Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Feta, but I added the spinach and ignored the bell peppers as I was upping the cherry tomatoes instead. Other versions I have seen include a Lemon Pasta Salad recipe from Food Network by the Neelys that use the same dressing but add asparagus, peas, and dill leaves instead of the spinach, so this is a very versatile pasta salad recipe.
Lemony Spinach and Pasta Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta Recipe: very easy to make and quick to prepare the day before, and substantial enough to feed a group and can be cold or room temperature, perfect for a potluck recipe

I bought my cherry tomatoes, spinach, and feta from Costco – which meant I now had the unexpected consequence of a LOT of feta since the container was so large. I chose to use the feta in another potluck dish I’ll share in a future post.

Do you have a go to recipe for a potluck? What do you make?

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Ravioli with Corn Sauce Recipe

I can’t believe it’s already November. I haven’t posted a recipe here since August! I admit though, I haven’t been cooking as much at home and have been dining out a lot because of my hectic days in September and October. And now, here we are approaching the holidays. Honestly though as soon as it turns November I think I am in holiday mode. It’s the time of year that people all reach out to their family and friends to try to connect and celebrate, which means it’s great rationalization to try new recipes out.

At the farmers market there is still some corn left, and so I hurried to make this recipe. The use of corn here is the main sauce, almost like a pesto recipe but using corn instead of basil (although there is still plenty of basil, just not in the sauce itself!). F really liked this dish because it wasn’t super cheesy, and I liked celebrating corn while it’s about to finish its season. It also takes advantage of the last of the cherry tomatoes before it’s time to batten down the hatches.
Ravioli with Corn Sauce Recipe with Basil and Grape Tomatoes. The corn sauce is almost like a pesto but with corn and toasted almonds instead

The original recipe comes from Lillian Julow in Gainesville Florida that I saw in Taste of Home. That original recipe includes bacon and uses bacon drippings with fettuccine, so you might want to check out her version if you are not vegetarian and that intrigues you.

But to make it vegetarian instead I swapped it out by using grilled corn kernels. If using fresh corn is too time consuming for you, use thawed frozen corn and roast it in a skillet with a little butter until the corn just begins to brown.

I love the colors of this dish too.
Ravioli with Corn Sauce Recipe with Basil and Grape Tomatoes. The corn sauce is almost like a pesto but with corn and toasted almonds instead

Ingredients:

  • 20 ounces of refrigerated ravioli (I used Giovanni Ravioli Caprese Duet, in your refrigerated section, this one is stuffed with either basil pesto or caprese and mozzarella, and offers two colors, green and white! I’m a fan of the various ravioli of this brand as there are many options, such as also their artichoke, mushroom, chicken rosemary and more)
    I used Giovanni Ravioli Caprese Duet, in your refrigerated section, this one is stuffed with either basil pesto or caprese and mozzarella, and offers two colors, green and white! I'm a fan of the various ravioli of this brand as there are many options, such as also their artichoke, mushroom, chicken rosemary and more
  • 4 cups fresh corn kernels after being grilled in the husk (or you could use thawed frozen corn as well)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dill weed
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus additional to taste
  • 1/3 cup unsalted toasted almonds (I recommend toasting them yourself as it tastes better and makes the house smell wonderful. Always make extra because you will snack on some)
  • 1/3 cup olive oil for the pasta sauce, plus an extra drizzle on the pasta
  • 1 cup of fresh basil chiffonade (see here how to chiffonade a basil leaf)
  • Two handfuls or so of grape tomatoes, cut in half
    Almonds, Basil, and Colorful Grape Tomatoes for a Corn Ravioli Recipe

Directions:

  1. Cook the ravioli in boiling water for a couple minutes and then drain from water and toss with a quick drizzle of olive oil so the pasta does not stick. Reserve at least a cup or so of the pasta water to marry the sauce later.
  2. In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. After removing the corn from the cob after grilling it, or after thawing your frozen corn kernels, add it to the melted butter along with the 3 minced garlic cloves, salt and pepper, and dill. Stir over medium-high heat until everything is well incorporated.
  3. Remove 3/4 a cup of the corn mixture to reserve for later. With the rest of the corn mixture, add it to a food processor, along with the 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, toasted almonds, and 1/3 cup olive oil. Process until well blended. You’ll notice here that for this corn sauce, it essentially is like a pesto in using corn, olive oil, and toasted almonds (instead of pine nuts). I personally always do the olive oil glugging last so that I can continue to taste it and get it to a consistency I like (although keep in mind some of the pasta water will also be added to marry the sauce with the pasta). F is not a fan of pestos that have too much oil, which is why I only used 1/3 but if it had just been me I might have added more.
    Recipe for a corn sauce for pasta, which is much like a pesto in using corn, olive oil, and toasted almonds (instead of pine nuts)
  4. Return the processed corn portion to the skillet and add the reserved 3/4 of the unprocessed corn mixture and heat until everything softens. Then add the pasta and 3/4 cup of the chiffonade basil to the skillet and mix. Add a small bit of the pasta water at a time until the sauce is the consistency you want- I kept mine pretty thick and used maybe 3/4 cup of pasta water.
    Making a corn sauce for a pasta dish for my recipe of Ravioli with Corn Sauce Making a corn sauce for a pasta dish for my recipe of Ravioli with Corn Sauce
  5. Add the halved grape tomatoes and toss. Top with the remaining Parmesan (optional) and basil and serve!
    Ravioli with Corn Sauce Recipe with Basil and Grape Tomatoes. The corn sauce is almost like a pesto but with corn and toasted almonds instead Ravioli with Corn Sauce Recipe with Basil and Grape Tomatoes. The corn sauce is almost like a pesto but with corn and toasted almonds instead

This dish serves four.
Ravioli with Corn Sauce Recipe with Basil and Grape Tomatoes. The corn sauce is almost like a pesto but with corn and toasted almonds instead Ravioli with Corn Sauce Recipe with Basil and Grape Tomatoes. The corn sauce is almost like a pesto but with corn and toasted almonds instead

Although it’s almost time to say goodbye to tomatoes and corn, I know we are saying hello to so many squashes, romanesco and beets and other root vegetables.

What winter food are you looking forward to?

And what do you think of those refrigerated raviolis? I don’t mind making pasta myself if it’s just plain (like fettuccine, or spaghetti) but when it comes to stuffing them like tortellini or ravioli, I’m all into convenience, and there are so many interesting flavors out there! Do you have a favorite kind?

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Avocado Pesto and more Avocado Awesomeness

Today is June 30, which marks the last day of June and therefore the last day of California Avocado Month. Of course, just because it’s the end of the celebratory month doesn’t mean you can’t keep using and enjoying avocados, particularly since California avocado season runs approximately from the middle of April through the middle of September. So you have plenty of time STILL ahead to enjoy the awesomeness of avocados.

As part of the celebration of California Avocado Month, the California Avocado Commission (CAC) worked with 15 chefs across the country to help inspire more ways to incorporate avocados in your meals. In Portland, the chef on this list is owner and chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother’s Bistro.
The World's Most Popular Avocado is a California Native, banner courtesy of California Avocado Commission (CAC) California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with  a demo of cutting avocados and making the Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab Cocktail California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month

I was lucky enough to be invited to a dinner where Chef Lisa was creating a dinner menu with every food item featuring avocados in some way. More on that in just a little bit. I need to share how much I adore avocados.

I’m a big fan of avocados – I’ve shared recipes on this blog before for various versions of guacamole (the “gateway” to avocados and great for those who are just being introduced to avocados), as well as an avocado mac and cheese that included other green things like lime and jalapeno and green onions and cilantro matched up against Beecher’s Cheddar.

Guacamole from Food Network chefs:  The Rick Bayless Recipe- Sundried Tomato Guacamole Guacamole from Food Network chefs:  The Bobby Flay Recipe- a spicy guacamole and in the back The Alton Brown Recipe- a tomato guacamole Recipe of Green Mac and Cheese for St Patricks: Avocado Mac and Cheese, using cheddar and many green things like avocado, green jalapeno, lime, green onion, cilantro

Yet another recipe you might consider for this summer is Elote Pasta Salad that upgrades pasta salad with roasted corn, cotija and avocado. Or try Vegetarian Hummus Avocado Tomato and Greens Sandwich and/or a Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Salad with Avocado and Greens Sandwich, both which I packed for a picnic!

Elote Pasta Salad recipe, vegetarian, summer recipe, easy recipe, pasta salad, picnic recipe Vegetarian Hummus Avocado Greens Sandwich Buffalo Chicken Salad with Avocado and Microgreens Sandwich

And of course, I’ve enjoyed avocados made by others in many wonderful ways, varying from sushi, slicing them and including them in a wrap (even a DIY Vietnamese summer roll) or at breakfasts via the traditional way as part of Eggs Benedict or with a Mexican breakfast dish that could be a breakfast burrito or in this case, Migas (a flour tortilla stuffed with 3 chipotle-cumin scrambled eggs, chorizo sausage, Tillamook cheddar, fresh basil, homemade salsa and sour cream and then served with fresh avocado salsa). Yum right??
From Bamboo Sushi's House Signature Roll section: Green Machine Roll (vegetarian) of tempura fried asparagus and green onions topped with avocado and cilantro sweet chili aioli. Amazing. Do It Yourself Vietnamese rolls Portage Bay Cafe, Migas, a flour tortilla stuffed with 3 chipotle-cumin scrambled eggs, chorizo sausage, Tillamook cheddar, fresh basil, homemade salsa and sour cream and then served with fresh avocado salsa, breakfast, Seattle

And avocados are always welcome in a large variety of sandwiches or salads… Possibilities are endless.
Steamboat Rock BLT- Thick sliced apple wood-smoke​d bacon layered with vine ripened tomatoes, mixed garden greens and basil aioli served on whole grain toast, Oak Creek Brewery, Sedona, Arizona salad, arugula, roasted corn, spring onion and roasted tomatoes with avocado in a grilled lemon dressing, Picnic House, Portland, picnic restaurant

And then, of course, there was this incredible Avocados Dinner by Chef Lisa Schroder to promote California Avocados that I attended. The menu included

  • Lucy Brennan’s Avocado Daiquiri
    California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Lucy Brennan's Avocado Daiquiri California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Lucy Brennan's Avocado Daiquiri California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Lucy Brennan's Avocado Daiquiri
  • Hors D’Oeuvres of Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab Cocktail and also Guacamole-filled Cherry Tomatoes!
    California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Guacamole-filled Cherry Tomatoes California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Guacamole-filled Cherry Tomatoes
    For the recipe for the Pink Grapefruit Avocado Crab cocktail, check Je Mange Le Ville’s avocado post from this event. Also for tips on using avocados check out the blog of Urban Bliss Life for her avocado dinner coverage which includes a video of Lisa demonstrating how to cut avocados!
    California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab Cocktail California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab Cocktail California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with  a demo of cutting avocados and making the Avocado, Pink Grapefruit and Dungeness Crab Cocktail
  • Butter Lettuce, Avocado and Green Onion Salad with lemon vinaigrette
  • Entree of Grilled Chicken Breast with sauteed onions and peppers topped with avocado and salsa, served with a Macaroni and Cheese with bacon, avocado, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and topped with cotija cheese and green onions
    California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Butter Lettuce, Avocado and Green Onion Salad with lemon vinaigrette California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with an Entree of Grilled Chicken Breast with sauteed onions and peppers topped with avocado and salsa, served with a Macaroni and Cheese with bacon, avocado, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and topped with cotija cheese and green onions California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with an Entree of Grilled Chicken Breast with sauteed onions and peppers topped with avocado and salsa, served with a Macaroni and Cheese with bacon, avocado, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and topped with cotija cheese and green onions
  • Dessert of Avocado Lime Pie in a graham cracker crust topped with fresh Oregon strawberries and whipped cream
    California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Dessert of Avocado Lime Pie in a graham cracker crust topped with fresh Oregon strawberries and whipped cream California Avocado Commission and Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro & Bar celebrate June California Avocado Month with Dessert of Avocado Lime Pie in a graham cracker crust topped with fresh Oregon strawberries and whipped cream

Clearly I have been enjoying avocados for a while, though I don’t think it was until I went to college that I first tried them. I remember when I first moved out on my own after college, I even bought a special avocado slicer (though that has since been lost among many moves. My relationship with avocado has prospered without it.)

Some people say that it is a texture thing with the avocados, which is why they don’t like them… but maybe I partially don’t believe that this can’t be conquered. I have rallied to have people try tofu or blue cheese before in recipes successfully, and I think I can do the same with avocados.

One clever way might be this Avocado Pesto recipe I threw together with one of the avocados generously gifted to me by the California Avocado Commission. One of the bunch of avocados was already ripe, and this is a 1 avocado recipe so you don’t have to shell out a lot to try this out. And, it whips up together in minutes with a food processor making the sauce so that by the time the pasta is cooked, you are ready to eat!

In this pesto pasta recipe, the avocado feels creamy, almost like a light alfredo sauce or cheese sauce, but MUCH MUCH HEALTHIER. After all, an avocado contributes nearly 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients while being sodium and cholesterol free and a source of the good, monounsaturated fat that helps lower your LDL cholesterol levels.

Avocado Pesto Recipe

Avocado Pesto, vegetarian and easy to make, has a feel sort of like an alfredo or mac and cheese sauce but much healthier! Avocado Pesto, vegetarian and easy to make, has a feel sort of like an alfredo or mac and cheese sauce but much healthier!

Ingredients:

  • 1 box of pasta (about 14 ounces). I picked vegetable macaroni pasta here, but you can use spaghetti or any kind you’d like
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 3 small garlic cloves
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon, about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1/4 cup of freshly cut basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper or to taste
  • 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated, plus optionally more for serving
  • 1/4 cup of milk
  • 1 pinch – 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)
  • A few pinches of cheddar cheese for topping/serving (optional)

Directions:

  1. Boil water and cook your pasta until al dente as you normally would. This usually means for me boiling a pot of water with a pinch of salt, and then once it is boiling I add the pasta and a quick drizzle of olive oil. This cools the water and I wait for it to come to boiling again and once it does so, after a few minutes I check to see whether it is al dente.
  2. While the water is coming to a boil/the pasta is cooking, in a food processor mix in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic. Process these together first until the garlic is basically chopped.
  3. Now, add in the lemon juice, spoon in the avocado (leaving out the skin and pit), the 2 tablespoons of basil, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Process everything until smooth.
  4. Finally, add the milk and process again until fully mixed. Depending on the size of your avocado or your taste, you may want to adjust the salt or pepper or Parmesan until the flavor is to your liking. I know my avocado was large, and I added more Parmesan.
  5. When the pasta is ready, drain the water from the pasta and then mix in this avocado pesto sauce and optionally the red pepper flakes until everything is well combined. Top optionally with cheese of your choice and enjoy!

I added 1 teaspoon of red pepper to my pasta so I could enjoy a little heat, but you can feel free to add just a pinch instead, or ignore all together. Optionally, you can also top with freshly ground pepper and a few pinches of cheddar to reinforce the “cheesiness” of this creamy pasta dish/trick someone into eating avocado. You can also get inspired like the Mac and Cheese of the Avocado Dinner and add textural and flavorful fun with bacon!
Avocado Pesto, vegetarian and easy to make, has a feel sort of like an alfredo or mac and cheese sauce but much healthier!

When you go out to purchase Avocados, look for the sticker and that the word “California” is on the label that proves the avocado is from California rather than from overseas. A few interesting facts:

  • Did you know that California produces approximately 90% of the nation’s avocado crop?
  • California avocados are hand-grown on approximately 5000 small family farms throughout central and southern California
  • There are 7 varieties of avocados in California, with Hass accounting for 95%: the rest of the avocado varieties are named Bacon, Fuerte, Gwen, Lamb Hass, Pinkerton, Reed, and Zutano.
  • The Hass tree was actually patented (the first patent on a tree) but the patent had run out by the time Hass avocados started to become popular.
  • All the Haas avocados are descended from one original Hass Mother Tree from the 1920s. Check here for the story of the Hass Mother Tree!

California Avocado Commission and the sticker for California Avocados California Avocado Commission and their website with recipes, californiavocados.com

For more on avocados, check out the California Avocado social media channels on Facebook California Avocados, Pinterest CA_Avocados Boards that are chock full of recipes, Instagram @CA_Avocados, Twitter handle @CA_Avocados, or the Youtube channel California Avocados.

Disclosure: I attended a complimentary dinner and demonstration promoting California Avocados by the California Avocado Commission and Mother’s Bistro. They did not require I write this post and I have been loving avocados way before this dinner. I will always provide my honest opinion and assessment of all products and experiences I may be given. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are entirely my own.

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