Pea & Avocado Penne

Preparation time: 25mins
Serves 4

Pea & Avocado Pesto

• 45g (1.5oz) pine nuts, toasted
• 2 cups baby peas
• 1 avocado
• 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• lemon juice

Pea & Avocado Penne

• 300g (10.5 oz) Penne Pasta
• 250g (9 oz) green beans, trimmed
• 1½ cups butter beans (tinned or cooked)
• olive oil

Directions:

Cook the penne pasta to the packet instructions, strain and set aside.

Bring about 3 cups of water to boil in a small saucepan, cook the peas for 1-3 minutes until just tender; strain, rinse and set aside.

Roughly chop the toasted pine nuts reserving a few for garnish.

In a bowl mash the avocado with the cooled peas, garlic, chopped pine nuts and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Mash well to get a nice creamy texture but insure not to squash everything to a pulp : ) then stir through the shredded baby spinach until well combined.

Steam the green beans for 3-4 minutes until just tender; set aside.

Heat about two tablespoons of oil in a large deep pan; add the steamed green beans and butter beans toss for 1-2 minutes over a medium heat. Add the cooked pasta and toss well.

Reduce the heat to low and toss through the pea and avocado pesto. Toss until well combined and warmed through.

Serve topped with reserved toasted pine nuts and a few baby spinach leaves. Great warm or cold; a perfect vegan pasta dish for dinner or your lunch box. 

Recipe found at: http://www.veggienumnum.com/2010/07/pea-avocado-penne/