Creamy Avocado Sauce over Black Bean Pasta
Creamy Avocado Sauce over Black Bean Pasta is the combination the world has been waiting for. Two soulmates who have finally found one another. A duo so perfectly paired there can never be another. Intrigued? Then this is the dish you MUST try this week! Seriously, SO tasty, healthy and easy! Also, it only takes a mere 10 minutes to chef up. What’s better than that? I literally feel like there are not enough minutes in my day for all that I do and try to get done. Ten minute meals are a slice of heaven for this busy soul of mine. Plus, my kiddo scarfs this shit down, aaand I hide spinach and white beans in the sauce – so that’s two for the win – Bam! I had mine with a margarita… naturally.
I’m obsessed with avocados. I eat 1/2 an avo/day. I blended spinach and small white beans plus a few more ingredients for this delicious Creamy Avocado Sauce. When I looked in my pantry and saw the black bean rotini it was a duh moment. Obviously, anything black bean is totally perfect with anything avocado. Thus began the sexiest pasta affair that man has ever known. You could swim in this sauce, bathe in this sauce, drink this sauce, and have a creamy avocado ‘mud fight’ in this sauce.
Remember, I have Heyoya now! Leave a voice comment instead of a written comment! Enjoy saucin’ yourself up! -FGG
- 12 oz black bean pasta (I used Trader's Black Bean Rotini)
- 1 large ripe avocado
- 1 C fresh cilantro
- 2 C baby spinach - loosely packed
- 1 Tbl lemon or lime juice
- 2 Tbl olive oil (you can substitute for water if you'd like)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3/4 C small white beans
- 1 Tbl taco seasoning
- Salt to taste
- While the pasta is cooking, put all of the other ingredients in a high-powered blender (I used my Vitamix) or processor and blend until completely smooth
- When pasta is done, pour sauce on top and serve immediately. Black bean pasta does not typically save well. If you want leftovers, use a different pasta.
- Beer - Pale Ales
- Wine - Sauvignon Blanc
Creamy & Cheesy Pasta Bake (Vegan)
Creamy & Cheesy Pasta Bake (Vegan) is crazy delicious and easy! Yesterday, I was by myself for about 2 hours, a total rarity in life, and decided to take advantage of this randomly awesome moment and shoot some amazing eats! I drank red wine and danced around the kitchen listening to Billie Holiday. I truly did this. And, it felt sublimely amazing. “You Go to My Head” is one of my all time favorite tunes. I put it on repeat. 😉 I need more of these moments in life for sure! Not to say I don’t love my little guy to the freakin’ moon, but mama needs a break sometimes, too. Some me time. So, yesterday was suh-weet!
This recipe uses an arrabiata sauce (homemade recipe coming soon), and creamy vegan cheese sauce. You can buy a creamy vegan cheese OR you can make it yourself. If you’re looking for a recipe, I used mine from my Creamy Vegan Mac n’ Cheese recipe. I used Lisanatti Almond Mozzarella Cheese and shredded it for the top of the pasta bake. This is a simple but incredibly flavorful recipe!
Side Note: Upon reheating, I put the pasta in a sauce pan on medium, added a Tbl of Tofutti Cream Cheese, dash of garlic powder, flick of the wrist of olive oil, and crisped that baby up! A pasta that actually tasted just as good, if not better, reheated! One for the win! Mangia, my friends. 😉
- 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti
- Approximately 24 oz arrabiata sauce (can sub out for marinara) - a garlicky option is best
- Approximately 24 oz creamy vegan cheese (I used my recipe from my vegan mac n' cheese)
- Approximately 1 C shredded vegan mozzarella (I used Lisanatti)
- Fresh basil to taste (chopped) and for garnish
- Boil pasta and preheat oven to 350f
- On the bottom of an oven safe pan, smear both sauces and add spaghetti
- Top spaghetti with both sauces
- Continue this pattern until pasta has run out
- Top the pasta with more sauce, shredded vegan mozzarella, and fresh chopped basil
- Cover pasta with aluminum foil for 25 minutes. Remove foil for the last 5 minutes
- Enjoy!
- Sangiovese
Crazy Creamy Mexican Pasta
Crazy Creamy Mexican Pasta was created on a complete whim whilst looking for left over items in my refrigerator. I had NO idea it was going to be as incredibly delicious as it turned out to be. This may be my best invention yet. So good in fact, that it may solve all of the world’s problems in just one measly bite. I’m talkin’ world hunger, war, elephant poaching, your boyfriend/girlfriend’s nagging ways, crappy drivers, and yes, even mother-in-law madness. Don’t believe me? Well, you’ll certainly have to chow down on this Crazy Creamy Mexican Pasta for proof.
I am currently on my Spring break this week. Amen, because my students were beginning to drive me crazy, and I was itchin’ for some fun playtime with my favorite wee one, G-man. I wanted to use the left overs in my fridge (waste not, people!) but wasn’t really sure what to create. I noticed I had some left over mole sauce and POW! It hit me. Thus the birth of Crazy Creamy Mexican Pasta. So go get cookin’ and get down with this dope chow! You’ll be drooling cheese for a week.
- 1 lb rotini pasta
- 2 C shredded cheddar
- 1 Trader Joe's Quinoa Cowboy Veggie Burger (or any veggie burger) - diced
- 1/2 C corn
- 1/4 of a soyrizo tube
- 4 oz Mexican sauce of any kind (I used a mole sauce)
- 1 C cooked lentils
- 1 avocado - smashed (I squeezed a bit of lime on this)
- 2 Tbl chipotle mayo
- 2-3 Tbl taco seasoning
- 1/4-1/2 C grapeseed oil
- Cook the pasta and strain. Return to pot and add oil and cheese with stove on low. Stir continuously until cheese is almost melted
- Add the chipotle mayo and taco seasoning. Stir
- Add the avocado & sauce. Stir
- Add the soyrizo. Stir
- Add the lentils & corn. Stir
- Add the quinoa burger and stir.
- Remove from heat and serve
- If I had cilantro in my fridge I would've added that as well.
- Corona and lime or a light beer, as this is a heavy dish.
One Pot Lightly Creamy Pasta To Die For!
One Pot Lightly Creamy Pasta To Die For! was going to be called “The Only One Pot Lightly Creamy Pasta You’ll Ever Need” until I quickly realized how incredibly easy, delicious, and amazing this dish is that I most certainly will be making many more one pot pastas in the near future! I’ve always been curious about this one pot pasta trend and didn’t have much faith in its alleged & wondrous glories. I am happy to report that despite my cynicism these can truly be incredibly flavorful meals. Woo-hoo! KISS factor on and topping out at the highest of tastebud scales! This particular one pot pasta dish features camembert, mushrooms, tomatoes, peas, and basil for a full on flavor explosion. Not to be missed, messed with, or frowned upon, I assure you. I’ll even stamp it with my 100% guarantee. Sold, or at least I certainly hope you are!
I had no basis for a recipe when coming up with this one pot pasta. All I knew, like I always know, is that I wanted a ton of flavor. I am not one for the bland. I am a flavor junkie for sure. Are all foodies this way? Who knows. Anyway, I pretend that they are. Hubby was away visiting his other most favorite person on the planet for the weekend (yes, he most definitely has a bromance with an English lad. Cheers to you, John. Miss you! Xx – PS- they would both HATE that I used that word) and doing a photoshoot with wee man G can be crazy at best. I took full advantage of his nap (though much later in the day than I would’ve liked for my natural light…sigh, can’t win ’em all!) and went to town, creating as I went. The result? Magic! Magic in one freakin’ pot! Top that! I dare you. I was delighted to learn that one pot pastas kick some serious a**! It was slightly creamy and exploding with flavors, especially from the mushrooms and basil. I can’t suggest a pasta dish for your next meal more highly than I suggest this One Pot Lightly Creamy Pasta To Die For! Mangia!
- 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti
- 1 wheel of camembert cheese - remove skin & dice
- Lg handful of basil - loosely chopped (about 3/4 - 1 C)
- 13 cremini mushrooms - sliced
- 10 small - medium ripe tomatoes - halved or quartered depending on size (should be about 1 1/4-1 1/2 C)
- 2 C frozen peas
- 1 shallot - diced
- 3 cloves garlic - diced
- 3 vegetable stock cubes
- Olive for pan (a healthy amount)
- 5 C water
- Sea salt & cracked pepper to taste (I'm not stingy!)
- Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Add olive oil to pasta pot, heat on low, and add shallot - 1 minute
- Add garlic - 30 seconds
- Add mushrooms, salt & pepper. Stir. Cook for about 3-5 minutes
- Add tomatoes & half of the basil. Stir. Cook for 1-2 minutes
- Add veggie cubes and stir frequently for 1 minute
- Add water and bring to boil. Then add pasta and stir
- With 5 minutes left in your cook time for your pasta, add the peas. Stir
- When pasta is done, turn off heat, add the rest of the basil and the camembert. Stir well
- Cover pot with lid and let sit for a few minutes. Stir again & serve!
- Garnish with basil & parmesan cheese
- This serves either 4 large bowls or 6 medium sized bowls.
- To reheat, add a smidge of veggie broth with a wrist flick of olive oil
- Red- Rioja or White- Unoaked Chardonnay
Brie & Basil Pasta
Okay, this is an amazing dish! It’s amazing because it’s delicious, quick, and super easy. Up until I was about 8 years old, my mother predominately cooked Italian food. She had me at a young age, didn’t know anything about cooking, and followed my grandmother’s (dad’s side) homemade cookbook that was comprised of recipes on index cards from the typewriter. Well, my mother most definitely mastered pasta dishes, and today, is an absolutely incredible cook. Honestly, I don’t think she even makes much pasta anymore. She cooks a wide variety of healthy and delicious meals. I never could’ve became a vegetarian at eight years old if she didn’t keep me so well fed. What 8 eight year old in 1989 was eating quinoa? No one had even heard of that grain at that time. My friends used to come over and ask what weird food we had that day. Not weird bad, just weird different. I remember her taking me to the local health food store when I was 9. The woman was holding a workshop about vegetarianism after the store closed for the night (1990- awesome, right?). She taught us how to make vegetarian jello, delicious grain dishes, and why it can be such an incredibly healthy way of life. In hindsight, this was so cool!
This Brie and Basil pasta was a VERY popular dish in my household when I was young. The smell of it today still reminds me of my childhood. It’s a tasty flashback indeed. This dish couldn’t be easier. If you’re looking for a quick and delicious pasta you’ve found your recipe here. Mangia!
Brie & Basil Ingredients
- 1 lb linguine pasta
- 1/2 C quality extra virgin olive oil (sometimes I add a splash more)
- 7 very ripe tomatoes - diced (preferably off the vine)
- 1 C fresh basil - loosely chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic- minced
- 1 1/4 lb brie cheese - diced (peel off outer layer)
- Salt & ground pepper to taste
- Optional: Sprinkle each bowl with some freshly grated parmesan cheese & additional cracked pepper
- In a bowl, add oil, tomatoes, basil, garlic, brie, and salt & pepper - stir well
- Cook your linguine
- Optional: Let bowl marinate for about 30 minutes to and hour
- Pour bowl of ingredients on top of pasta and stir
- Optional: Add the parmesan & extra cracked pepper now if you'd like
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves
- A fair amount of freshly cracked pepper is key for me in this dish. Also, you can toss a very small amount of recycled pasta water into this dish if you'd like!
Classic Baked Creamy Macaroni & Cheese
Creamy Mac n’ Cheese
- Approx 1 lb conchigliette pasta
- 1/4 C diced onion
- 2 Tbl butter
- 2 Tbl flour
- 1 1/2- 1 3/4 C milk
- 2 3/4 C shredded white sharp cheddar
- 2 3/4 C shredded smoked gouda (if you are not a fan of smoked gouda, 'sigh'- I forgive you, you may use regular gouda)
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (sometimes I use a Mexican blend to spice it up for a change)
- salt & pepper to taste
- Cook pasta.
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Heat the pan and add butter. Once melted stir in onion and cook for about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in flour. Stir continuously until a paste is created. This should be quick.
- Add milk and stir continuously until smooth.
- Add cheese and stir continuously until no bumps and completely smooth.
- Add salt and pepper and turn off heat.
- Slowly add pasta into the the pan of cheese. Be sure you are fully covering the shells before you add more.
- Once all pasta has been added to the cheese pour into a rectangular glass bakeware.
- Top with breadcrumbs and put in the oven for 20-30 minutes.
- *I often put tinfoil on the the first half of the baking time and remove it for the rest.
- Enjoy your glutenous cheesy comfort!
- I think mac n' cheese deserves a decent amount of pepper for those who pinch small! I usually grind some on each plate afterwards as well.
- Wear spandex style pants before indulging. 😉
