Creamy Avocado Spinach Pasta with Spicy Tempeh

Pasta often has the reputation of being an "unhealthy" dish because it is high in carbohydrates and is often loaded down with butter. Carbs are not the enemy, and are a vitally important part of our diets, acting as our main source of energy. However, the type of carbohydrate you choose is also important. Whole grain carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, and corn retain all the naturally occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed and deliver the most protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. When you shop for pasta, look at the ingredients label and make sure the only ingredients are the whole grain (or a mix of whole grains) and water.

Just a handful of ingredients makes up this delicious "supergreen" sauce. Healthy unsaturated fats from the avocado gives the sauce a rich, creamy consistency without weighing you down like traditional butter. I actually amazed myself at how many vegetables I was able to cram into this entire dish even though you only see the tomatoes!


Serves 1

You will need:

• 1 serving pasta of choice (I used 3/4 cup dry brown rice spirals)

For the sauce (it will make 3-4 servings):

• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1/3 cup green peas (thawed, if frozen)
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped
• pinch salt and pepper

For the Spicy Tempeh:

• 2 - 3 oz Lightlife Organic Flax tempeh
• 1 tsp coconut oil for pan
• enough paprika to cover tempeh strips

Directions:

For the sauce, simply combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. You may have to scrape the sides down a few times to get rid of all the chunks. 

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.

Heat a small skillet over medium high heat and melt coconut oil to cover the bottom. Cut your tempeh into small thin strips, place in the pan and coat with paprika. Cook the tempeh until both sides are browned and slightly crispy.

Mix the pasta with the sauce and top with tempeh and sliced baby tomatoes. 

Enjoy!