Refreshing Avocado-Lemon Pasta

Hi, there! Thanks for coming to my plant-powered food for thought. Odds are, if you’re reading this, you’re a good friend of mine, or a loyal follower of my plant-based Facebook album.

Or, maybe, you are a new pal (we’re all friends now, okay?) over here to get some plant-based inspiration, hear about my personal journey/ motivation, or to find a unique recipe. Regardless of who you are, why you’re here, or what you eat, I’m glad you’re here! Today, I'll be sharing with you how to make one of my all-time favorite, flavor-packed, and super healthy vegan pastas.

But first, in case you don’t know, I’m Kylie. Hello. Here two sentences of small talk.

I am a spunky, blonde who loves a sunny day of tennis (or any sport, really), a rainy day of euchre (S/O to my Indiana roots!), any day leading some group fitness, and an evening spent watching some scandalous show with my husband and two cats.

Our most recent kick has been the ever-so dramatic life of Annalise Keating in ABC’s How to get away with murder.

However, the things about me most relevant in this blog are my love for food, cooking, nutrition, vegan/vegetarianism, fitness, and overall wellness.

As we’ll explore, wellness is not exclusive to diet and exercise. I do have two minors (fancy, huh?) in psychology and counseling, but by simply having been in college surrounded by stressed out, depressed, and anxious people (myself being one of them), I can promise you that a holistically healthy life is not an easy 1+1. It is a complex equation worth daily effort.

So, this will not be your typical plant-based food blog. It will be a journey through what convinced this former meat-loving blonde to sacrifice her favorite foods and find new ones instead; a look at how food plays a significant role in the realms of health, environment, human rights, etc.; a dive into my personal barriers of surrendering meat/ other animal products; my changing beliefs; how my faith plays into my new lifestyle; and more.

Buckle up, and let’s hop on this Kayne-certified trend of plant-based living. Rest assured, this isn’t a fad blog, rather something I have had coming since I was a kid. Only recently have I had the courage to make the change.

More on this later, but I’m excited to have you here with me!

Today’s recipe will be a crowd pleaser, assuming you all love avocado (who doesn’t?). Since it’s summertime and fresh flavors sound good on a hot day, here is the recipe for Refreshing Avocado-Lemon Pasta.

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Serves: 2

Time: 15 minutes

What you'll need:

1 ½ cups pasta, your preference. I used veggie pasta.

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

1 cup corn

½ cup diced white onion

Optional: Fresh basil

For sauce:

1 avocado

1 squirt lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp plain, plant-based milk

1 tsp garlic

Salt & pepper to taste

Warm water as needed to find desired consistency. I used about two tbsp.

What you'll do:

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil; lightly salt the water
2. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes, and dice the onion
3. Once boiling, add the pasta and onion
4. Boil for 8-10 minutes, or until noodles are soft
5. Meanwhile, add the sauce ingredients to a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth; add warm water as needed to thin sauce. It’s okay if it seems a little thick. It ends up pairing well with the warm pasta
6. Drain pasta and onion, and return to pot. Add in sauce, tomatoes, and corn, and stir well
7. Dish the pasta out on plates. If you have fresh basil, dice it up and drizzle it over the top
8. After taste testing, feel free to add more lemon juice, salt, or pepper
9. Enjoy!