Avocado Basil Pasta with Pine Nuts (Meatless)

This one is definitely going on the dinner menu calendar rotation. This tastes like it should be bad for you. I use organic angel hair pasta, but choose your favorite.  Here's the recipe for the sauce.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 avocado - smashed

5 leaves of fresh basil - chopped (reserve small amount for garnish)

3 cloves of garlic - finely chopped

1 TBSP - fennel seed

1 - 2 cups (consistency) - organic vegetable stock

1/4 cup - toasted pine nuts

Olive oil cooking spray

SNP - Salt and pepper

MEAL PREP: 10 MINUTES

You can boil the water for the pasta and slice a baguette during the time it takes to prep the ingredients. Cook the pasta to the package directions. Toast pine nuts and let cool.

In a bowl, smash the avocado.  Add half of the vegetable stock to thin out the consistency. Chop basil and reserve a couple of tablespoons as a garnish.

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan set to medium heat, spray cooking oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and fennel seed and cook for 5 minutes. Add avocado mixture and stir for one minute or until combined with the garlic and fennel. Add remaining vegetable stock, SNP, and let simmer on low. The pasta should be close to done as this is comes together rather quickly.  Toss in noodles and turn off the heat. Let the flavors marry for five minutes. Add pine nuts and basil garnish. Serve with french baguette and side salad.

Pasta Primavera (Meatless)

INGREDIENTS:

1 - whole yellow or red onion diced

2 - cloves garlic diced

1 - 14.5oz can fire roasted tomatoes

1/8 - cup kalamata olives diced

1/8 - cup capers diced

1 - cup button mushrooms sliced

5 - leaves fresh basil diced

3 - cups fresh baby spinach

1lb. organic pasta

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil cooking spray

1 - cup vegetable stock

DIRECTIONS:

Veggie Prep: 5-10 minutes of slicing and dicing

Pasta Prep: 10 minutes. Fill large pot and bring to boil. Add pasta when you're ready to start making the sauce. Cook the pasta to package directions.

In a large skillet, spray a thin layer of cooking spray. Cook onions on medium high heat for five minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another two minutes and then add the can of fire roasted tomatoes. At this point add a little pinch of salt and pepper. Add vegetable stock, mushrooms, capers, and olives. Cover pan with lid and let simmer on low for 5 minutes. Uncover lid and add spinach in batches as it wilts. Pasta should be done cooking at this time. Drain and add pasta to sauce mixture along with half of the chopped basil. When serving sprinkle basil on top.