Quick and Easy Dinner: Pasta with Avocado Spinach Sauce

I like to switch things up every once in a while and try a different recipe.  When I saw this one, it was just odd enough to where I thought, "Hmmm, let me try this!"  This recipe is similar to one that I make which goes with chicken and tomatoes, but instead of olive oil, this recipe gets its richness from an avocado. This recipe is also super fast--just takes about 15 minutes!

Shrimp with Avocado Spinach Sauce

2 servings

 

 Ingredients

1/2 pound shrimp or chicken

1 t olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1/2 avocado

1 c spinach

1/4 t dried basil

salt and pepper

juice of 1/2 a lemon

zest of 1/2 a lemon

1/4 c pecans

2 oz. whole-wheat pasta, like linguine

Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil.  Add pasta to water, stir, and cook for about 10 minutes.   While pasta is cooking, add avocado, spinach, lemon juice, lemon zest, 1 garlic clove, basil, pecans, and 1/2 c water from the pasta pot to a blender and mix until smooth.  Chop the second garlic clove.  Heat non-stick pan over medium heat, add oil, add garlic, cook for about 1 minute, and then add shrimp or chicken.  Season with a dash of salt and pepper, to taste.  Shrimp will only take a minute or two, cook chicken until no longer pink.  Drain pasta, add sauce to the pasta and mix to coat.  Divide pasta and top with shrimp or chicken.  You can serve this with a side vegetable, but I just added some more spinach and wilted it down for just a minute or so.  Enjoy!