Brown Rice Pasta with Creamy Avocado Pesto Sauce and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Avocado, Pesto Brown Rice Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Brown Rice Pasta with Creamy Avocado Pesto Sauce & Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

There was an avocado pasta recipe going around Facebook this summer and wouldn’t ya know, I just now got around to making it for dinner today? Anyway, I read it so many times, I think I got it right? So… this is my rendition of it from what I could remember.

I have two issues with this dish: 1) It’s not very photogenic and looks kinda gross 2) And it gets cold fast, needing reheated often throughout dinner.

Although it’s very tasty, I think this recipe is best for true summer days when it’s hot outside and you’re interested in a cold pasta salad and not the end of summer time in cooler temperatures when you want a hot pasta dinner.

And… if the color green weirds you out, this might not be the recipe for you. Unless you’re thinking of Halloween and then… well… you’re my kind of person. 😀

Ingredients:

1 box – brown rice pasta – I used Glutino

2 avocados – one for the food processor and one to cut in to slices or chunks

1 pint- cherry tomatoes, drizzled in olive oil and kosher/sea salt and roasted

1/3 cup Fage plain yogurt

1 handful- organic spinach

3 tsp. – store bought pesto (I used Classico)

1- lemon, juiced

Directions:

Put oven on Broil.

Wash and chop cherry tomatoes in half, drizzle with olive oil and kosher/sea salt and roast about 5 minutes. (some will brown on the edges- that’s o.k., it gives it a rustic look and makes it tastier.) When done, set aside.

While tomatoes roast, start water for pasta… bring to a boil

Add pasta and cook according to package directions. (Mine took 8 minutes)

While waiting for pasta water to boil and then pasta to cook…

Cut, peel and seed 1 avocado and put into your food processor, add 3 tsp. pesto sauce, your handful of spinach, 1/3 yogurt, drizzle of olive oil, juice of one lemon and pulse until smooth, adding more oil of necessary as you go. (Mine looked like a green version of stirred up ricotta cheese.)

When pasta is done, rinse with hot water, add to a pasta bowl, top with creamed avocado, spinach and pesto sauce and stir into pasta.

Add in roasted cherry tomatoes and the other avocado sliced or cubed and eat immediately. Top with cheese.

Reheat your plate as needed or eat as a room temperature/cold pasta dish in the summer. Do not save any leftovers as the avocado will turn brown.