10-Minute Vegan Avocado, Lemon & Caper Pasta

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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Another quick & easy one.  I used salted capers soaked in water for a few minutes but I think, when I make this again, I will use the more sharply-flavored traditional capers in brine.   This dish takes only as long as it takes to cook your pasta.

10-Minute Vegan Avocado, Lemon & Caper Pasta

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb dry pasta of your choice

2 avocados – cubed

Zest & juice of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves – minced

2 or more TBS capers (depending on your taste for them)

olive oil

Basil – chopped

Parsley – chopped

S&P

Crushed red pepper – optional

Lemon wedges as garnish

DIRECTIONS

Cook the pasta.

While it cooks – heat a TBS or 2 of olive oil in a small pan.  Add the garlic, capers & 1 of the cubed avocados.  Stir & heat for 1 minute & add the lemon zest & maybe a squeeze of lemon juice.  Set aside.

Drain the pasta and toss with the warm avocado, caper & olive oil mixture & some S&P.  Add crushed red pepper for a little kick.  Garnish with the second cubed avocado & the parsley & basil and lemon wedges.

Grilled Romaine & Avocado Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2013

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Ok – this dressing is my amalgamation of several recipes I looked at.  I wanted to avoid using avocado in it so I could save that for grilling.  I wanted to lighten it up with yogurt so that it wouldn’t be so rich and I added a huge jalapeno in a final moment of inspiration.  The result? I was literally eating this stuff with a spoon.  It is just ridiculous.  I suspect this recipe is very forgiving & could stand a few ingredient substitutions if something in it doesn’t appeal to you or is hard for you to find.  A vegan mayo could be used for both the mayo & yogurt portions to make this vegan.  Beyond that – this is made simply by blending the ingredients in a food processor.

As to the grilled romaine & avocado – very easy if you have access to a grill.  This salad is delicious & sort of unusual & an easy way to impress your less than culinary guests.  My one issue was that I was starving last night (having only eaten two bowls of my Zero Calorie Pho all day) and I was impatient to eat it.  Therefore – I failed miserably in getting a pretty photo of this salad.  Please, do not be thrown by my poor documentation of the dish.  It really is delicious!

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Grilled Romaine & Avocado Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

INGREDIENTS

For the grilled salad

Romaine lettuce, ends removed & halved

Avocados – peeled & halved

Tomatoes – diced (for garnish)

olive oil for grilling

For the dressing

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 TBS tahini

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 garlic clove

10 mint leaves

1 cup fresh cilantro

1/2 cup fresh parsley

1 TBS lemon juice

1 large jalapeno – seeded (optional but delicious!)

1 tsp pepper

1 TBS olive oil

salt to taste

Grated or shaved Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

Blend all the dressing ingredients in a food processor.

Heat your grill to high.  Brush olive oil on the cut side of the lettuce & avocado.  Grill for a minute or two.

Place a wedge of grilled lettuce & half an avocado on each plate.  Drizzle with dressing.  Garnish with chopped tomatoes & Parmesan.

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