Garlicy avocado pasta.. Can you say, Yummm!?

Mmm mmm mmm.. I made this pasta for lunch today and am still reminiscing over just how tasty it was.

Creamy Garlic Avocado Pasta (2-3 servings)
Adapted from: this recipe.
This pasta is decadently creamy & oh-so-delicious.The acid from the lemon, combined with the fresh garlic, adds the perfect kick to the rich avocado sauce. And to think it only took me under 20 minutes to whip up. Perfect for times when you're in a rush or lookin' for an quick, easy, and tasty recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium avocado, pitted & peeled
• 1/2 lemon
• 2-3 cloves garlic (I used 3 cloves. It was nice and garlicy, so if you're not as big of a garlic fan as me then I'd recommend 2 cloves)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 6 oz of your choice pasta (Spaghetti or angel hair varieties would work best)
• Dash of dried basil
• Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Note: I also added some steamed veggies for the extra nutritional boost! :)

Directions:

1. Heat a few cups of water in a medium sized pot. Bring to boil & add in pasta. Reduce to medium-high heat and cook pasta until al dente. Should take 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, while the pasta is cooking, combine the avocado, olive oil, lemon juice, basil, salt and garlic cloves in a food processor. Mix until consistency is smooth and creamy.
3. As soon as the pasta finishes cooking, remove it from heat and drain the noodles.
4. Combine the pasta with the sauce and mix well. Garnish with pepper & enjoy!

(Quick Tip: DON'T rinse the noodles after straining them. People do this to keep the noodles from sticking to one another, however it washes of some off the starch on the outside of the noodles that actually aids in helping the sauce stick to the noodles. Also, some of the nutrients from the noodles get washed off in that process too.)

I have a feeling I'm going to be making this pasta quite often from now on.

This sauce is a great alternative to your typical cream sauce. Avocado's are high in fat and calories, however, they contain mostly heart healthy "monounsaturated fat"-which actually helps to lower your bad cholesterol! Avocado is also GREAT for your skin and hair.

Another benefit: This is a great recipe if you are (or feel like you might be becoming) sick. Garlic is a great remedy for infections (in addition to being heart healthy). So eat up! =)