I am not going to lie, I am not a fan of pesto but I absolutely love this creamy Avocado Pesto variation The avocado really makes the tang of the garlic and basil more mild but also adds amazing fats to this great dish.
Ingredients:
5 Avocados
Basil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Avocado Oil
1 cup Parmesan Cheese
5-8 Zucchini or 1 Large Spaghetti Squash
Garlic
Grilled Chicken (optional)
Lemon Juice (optional)
Salt (optional)
Pepper (optional)
Prepping:
If using zucchini: Spiralize zucchini, place in colander an d let sit to drain.
If using spaghetti squash: Cut spaghetti squash in half, bake spaghetti squash till slightly brown on middle rack of oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. This may take 15-45 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil, about 6 medium leaves of basil and a clove of fresh garlic in a blender, blend (add more basil if you like basil). You can use a food processor but with the small amount, you won't really get a good mix, so I found using a blender to work better. Peel and de-seed avocado and add to mixture in blender. Add parmesan and blend. Taste. This is where I add salt, pepper, lemon to taste. Some days I like a little more salt, some days I like to add lemon for tang. If you'd like more basil, add more basil and more olive oil equally. I do not have exact measurements as everyone's palette is different so it's hard to pinpoint a good taste. You'll want a guacamole type consistency, not too thin, not too thick.
Cooking (for zucchini noodles only):
To a frying pan add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil or avocado oil and heat up. Add a handful of zucchini for a few minutes to heat. Please note that zucchini has a lot of water, if you put all the zucchini in at the same time, it will be a wet mess. I portion it out and cook it quickly on a higher heat.
Plate cooked zucchini or spaghetti squash and spread avocado garlic pesto on top. I top with grilled chicken but you can omit if you are a vegetarian, I also add cashews to the top for a little added crunch, this is a personal thing with me and texture and why I didn't add it to the ingredients list.
Please note any leftover Pesto Avacado will brown. Eat within a few days.
I hope you enjoy.
-V
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