Avocado Spinach Pasta

This Avocado Spinach Pasta is a quick and easy recipe that kids love. The no-cook sauce has a deliciously creamy texture and is packed with goodness.

Both my boys are big fans of pasta and given the choice I think they would eat it every day. They aren't fussy about the shape or sauce that it is served with, they just want pasta!  

For this reason, I find pasta a great vehicle for adding lots of veggies to their meal. This may be through hidden veggie sauces, or vegetables sitting loud and proud mixed with their pasta shapes.

Some pasta recipes they love are...

Why this Pasta Sauce is a Winner 

• Quick and Easy: The only cooking needed is for you to boil the pasta. No cooking is required for the sauce. All you need to do is add the ingredients to a food processor/blender, blitz, taste and season accordingly.
• Customisable: This recipe is very flexible. Don't have pine nuts? Then simply replace them with a different nut or miss them out altogether. Don't like basil? Replace it with some parsley or coriander. Want a saltier subtle cheese flavour to your sauce? Then add some freshly grated parmesan. Play around with the flavours and create your own unique version. 
• Full of Goodness: Avocado, Spinach, Basil, Pine Nuts, Lemon and Garlic. What is not to love about that ingredient list?  Healthy fats and packed with vitamins.

Ingredients and Cooking Tips

• Pasta: I have used spaghetti for these photos but any pasta shape will work. I found spiral pasta was great when my kids were babies as it was easy to pick up. 
• Avocado: Make sure your avocado is lovely and ripe or it will not blend properly to make the sauce smooth and creamy. 
• Spinach: You can use flat leave or baby spinach and there is no need to cook it beforehand. Just add it to the food processor with the other ingredients and blend. 
• Fresh Basil: The basil is for flavour and you can miss it out if you prefer. However, remember when cooking for babies and young children that it is good to expose them to lots of flavours when they are young. Don't shy away from herbs and spices because they are not perceived as "kid-friendly" 
• Pine Nuts: You can replace the pine nuts with different nuts such as walnut or cashew. If nut-free you can also miss them out.
• Pasta Water:  Pasta water is a great addition to the sauce. Start by adding a ¼ cup of the water to your sauce before blending. If you feel it needs more, add another ¼ cup. I usually add anywhere between ½ - ¾ cup. The starchy water helps to thicken the sauce and glue the pasta and sauce together.
• Seasoning: Now that my kids are older I do salt our food a lot more and you will find the flavour of this sauce and greatly enhanced with a little sauce. Remove your baby/young child's portion and then season this sauce up. 

Storage Instructions

This pasta dish is best eaten straight away. However, if you do have leftovers refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to one day. Due to the avocado in the sauce, it may turn brownish in colour. 

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