“Eat Your Greens” Pasta
Pesto is typically made using basil leaves, and while we include those here, we also add in a couple of other green favorites: spinach and avocado. Adding these vitamin-rich ingredients helps turn an indulgence like pasta into a sneakily healthy meal. Who doesn’t love those?
- Serves: 4
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound regular, whole-wheat, or gluten-free fettuccine pasta
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 avocado
- ½ cup pecans
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1¼ cups of the pasta water, and return the pasta plus ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water to the pot.
- In a blender, combine 1 cup of the spinach, the avocado, pecans, basil, Parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and blend on high for about 3 minutes until smooth.
- Add the remaining 1 cup pasta water to the blender and blend on high for 1 more minute.
- Add the sauce to the bowl of pasta along with the remaining 1 cup spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach.
- Serve immediately.