Pasta with Pea and Avocado Pesto

 Pasta with Pea and Avocado Pesto

 

By Namit Kathoria

 

Preparation time: 10-15 min

 

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:

200g wholegrain pasta

 

Pesto

1 avocado (using as much flesh from as close to the skin as possible)

1 handful of fresh basil (plus some more for garnish)

1 handful of fresh coriander

5 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves

Juice of ½ lemon

¼ teaspoon sea salt

4 tablespoons nutritional yeast

¼ cup oat milk

¾ cup toasted cashew nuts

⅓ cup toasted pumpkin seeds (plus some more for garnish)

⅓ cup frozen peas defrosted

 

Garnish with: fresh basil and toasted pumpkin seeds

 

Preparation:

1. Make the pasta according to the instructions and leave the peas to defrost in boiling water. Once the peas are defrosted remember to drain them.
2. Toast the pumpkin seeds on a medium to high heat for one to two minutes, stirring constantly. Separate some for the garnish at tue end and put the rest into the blender. Now toast the cashew nuts in the same way and add to the blender.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients for the pesto to the blender including the defrosted frozen peas and blend for about a minute, starting on a slow setting, then going up to a medium setting and finally at a fast setting. You might need to stop and scrape down the sides in between.
4. Pour the sauce on top of the wholegrain pasta and serve with some fresh basil and the toasted pumpkin seeds that you had put aside.

Where does your protein come from?

It comes from the wholegrain pasta, the nutritional yeast, the cashew nuts, the toasted pumpkin seeds and the peas - all of which are excellent sources of protein.

 

To get more inspiration for healthy plant-based recipes please see our new nutrition and recipe book “Life” which is due to come out in 2022.