Oh my gosh, y’all… I found the most amazing recipe.  It is amazing for so many reasons and I want to tell you all of them!

1. It is a pasta recipe but it isn’t all heavy and boring and doused in a sauce from a can or jar.
2. It is fresh and light and delightful especially in the middle of winter when sometimes you just need a break from heavy stews.
3. It makes for a great quick dinner when you don’t really feel like cooking something big but you also aren’t ready to give up on the evening by eating cereal.
4. Got kids?  They’ll love it.  Got babies? The sauce could easily be baby food — depending on your baby’s age and taste, you could stop at any point to take some out for him/her.
5. It could totally be a pasta salad or side dish… great for a barbeque or pot luck.
6. This is a recipe where you can follow directions the first time and totally wing it from there.

Ok ok!  So ready to hear what it is?!  Rrrrrright after this commercial break!

Kidding.

This pasta… is slathered… in…

AN AVOCADO SAUCE!  Amazing, right?!  Oh man, this is my new favorite weeknight meal. Fresh, healthy yet quick and delicious.  You know what… I’ll stop talking and let the recipe speak for itself.  (It is so good!)

Creamy Avocado Pasta

Originally from Oh She Glows

• 1 medium sized ripe Avocado, pitted
• 1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish (I skipped the garnish… we ain’t* Rockefellers!)
• 2-3 garlic cloves, to taste (I used 3 and it was good and garlicky…your call)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 cup Fresh Basil, (I guess this is optional but don’t opt out… just don’t)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• your choice of pasta (I suggest spaghetti or other long noodley type pasta)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.  While you wait for the water to boil or while the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.

Peel the garlic cloves and give them a rough chop just so they get a head start.  Chop the basil too.  Halve, pit and scoop the avocado.  Slice the lemon.  Zest it if you want to get all fancy-pants.

The original recipe added things to the food processor in stages.  I tossed it all in and it worked great.  Avocado, garlic, lemon juice, basic, a pinch of salt, a couple grinds of pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.  Whir until creamy.  Taste.  If it isn’t quite as creamy as you like, hold your horses.  I’ve got a trick for you that the original recipe left out…

When your pasta is almost done, take 2-3 spoonfuls (just a regular spoon, not a serving spoon) of the pasta water and add it to your avocado mixture.  It will thin it out just a tad making it more saucy and the starch gives it a little more body.  That’s a good trick to use when making any pasta sauce.

When the pasta is done cooking, drain and place it into a large bowl or back in the pot. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined.  I added a little sprinkle of grated Parmesan which gave it a nice saltiness.  Feta would’ve been great too. Serve and devour immediately!

Incredible, right?!  Who wouldn’t like that?!  Terrorists, maybe.  But they would probably love it too.

[Note: While I usually make meals that last for multiple nights to save time, I didn't with this... I just made it two nights in a row.  I was worried that the avocado might turn brown so I figured I'd avoid that.  It might have been ok, though.  Also, I can't imagine this reheats very well although it would still be delicious served cold. ]

*Sorry I said “ain’t.”  I won’t do it again.

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