Avocado Pesto Pasta

Avocado Pesto Pasta

1 ripe avocado

1/2 cup pesto - make your own or buy it!

Cooked pasta - I used a brown rice pasta (spaghetti)

Sauteed veges - we used zucchini, kale, and swiss chard

grilled/sauteed chicken breasts (or shrimp would be great, and so easy)

chopped basil

parmesan cheese

The chicken takes the longest, so I seasoned my chicken breasts and got them cooking.  I season with salt, pepper and garlic powder, and let them saute in a little olive oil over medium heat, about 7-8 minutes on each side (for larger/thicker pieces of chicken you can add a little water and cover with a lid, after you saute, until they are cooked through).  

In a large pan, I cooked my pasta (follow instructions for your specific pasta), drain and rinse in a colander and set aside.  While the pasta cooks I chop my vegetables.

Saute the vegetables (about 5-10 minutes depending on how crisp you like or don't like them) in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  (I use the same pan I cooked my pasta in).  When they're done, put in a bowl and set aside (I use the bowl I will eventually serve in).  In the same pan, add the noodles to a little olive oil and saute for a minute, then add the pesto and avocado (which you can mix ahead of time, so it's creamy all the way through or put the avocado in chunks, which end up mostly dissolving anyways).  This only takes a couple minutes until everything is evenly distributed on the pasta.  Add your veges back in, and toss.  

Add the chicken to the pasta mix or serve on top, garnish with fresh chopped basil and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese!

So easy!