pasta

AVOCADO-KALE PESTO PASTA (VEGAN) / January 31, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i used to love making dinner on a whim. looking inside my refrigerator for something that inspired me to make meal. i wish that were the case these days, sadly it’s not. if i’m honest, sometimes i mourn the simpler days where life wasn’t constantly feeling like a hustle, but i know that things will inevitably shift, and that perhaps i may look back on this period in some nostalgic way. i have a feeling a lot of you can relate. whether that’s because you have a family, a demanding job, or just don’t find cooking all that fun.

this is why this dinner recipe comes in clutch! i’ve made it countless times now, and i love its heartiness, you may be asking: what’s the difference between this pesto pasta versus any other pesto pasta. my resounding answer is: AVOCADO! i don’t know about you, but every time i eat pasta for dinner, i end up grabbing a snack about an hour later. i’ve been adding more healthy fats, protein, and fiber to my meals to help keep my blood sugar in check, and ever since doing so, i’m less likely to be likely to noshing on something i’m not even hungry for.

so let’s talk avocado-pesto. there’s an entire avocado mushed up in this recipe which adds richness, and also a good amount of healthy fat. you may be curious if this is just mushed up avocado flavored with basil, or if it even resembles pesto. in the traditional sense, no, this is not your grandmother’s pesto (but we’re rolling with the times, and building off classics to make new classics - amiright!?). we add a cup each of basil and kale, they’re blended up with toasted pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. we reserve some pasta water to thin it out a bit, which dilutes it a bit, but not too much that it doesn’t perfectly cover every strand of fettuccine. true love in the form of green pesto pasta sauce! i really hope you get the chance to make this one :)

big love! xo

avocado-kale pesto pasta | v & gf

there are so many ways to go about making pesto. if kale isn’t your thing or don’t have it on hand, add spinach, arugula, or more basil. you could even swap the toasted pine nuts for walnuts. there are a variety of ways you could go about making this pesto - just don’t skip the avo!

print the recipe!

| serves 2-4 |

pesto

1 ripe avocado
1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
1 cup torn kale (from about 3 big leaves), packed
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

pesto pasta

1/2 cup avocado-kale pesto
1/4 cup pasta cooking water
1 package gluten-free pasta of choice (i personally love capello’s fettuccine)
1/4 cup baby arugula
handful toasted pine nuts

method

in a food processor fitted with a metal “s'“ blade, combine the avocado, basil, kale, pine nuts, lemon juice, and 2 garlic cloves. cover with the fitted lid, and blend; with the processor on, drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated. stop the machine and scrape down the sides, add salt and pepper to taste and blend again until smooth and creamy. taste and add more salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice if necessary.
cook pasta according to the instructions on the box until al dente (don’t forget to skim 1/4 cup of pasta water from the pot before you drain the pasta). drain the pasta and run it under cool water. while the pasta is draining, whisk together the 1/2 cup of pesto with the 1/4 cup of pasta water in a serving bowl until combined. add the pasta and toss until completely covered in the pesto.
taste and add more salt if necessary, top with arugula, and pine nuts, then serve while hot. (store leftover pesto in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 4 days.)

more pasta recipes:

crusty baked .vegan alfredo w/ caramelized shallots & kale

creamy garlicky pasta w/ charred broccoli & figs

Summer Squash Vegan Mac 'N' Cheese w/ Herb Pesto / August 17, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Summer Squash Vegan Mac 'N' Cheese w/ Herb Pesto | dolly and oatmeal

we're coming off of a pretty hectic week. frank just returned from a trip upstate (do you californians call northern california upstate?), and i've been trying to keep it together working and taking care of amesy. admittedly, when time gets tight, and there aren't enough hours in the day, my diet suffers. no matter how many veggies are in my fridge, preparing myself high-vibe meals always falls short at the end of the day. i like having options, or go-to's, so that isn't the case all the time. because if i think about it enough, every day feels a bit chaotic in one way or another. stocking my fridge or pantry with easy-to-put-together ingredients and halfway prepared meals is just where i'm at in life, and i'm kind of just going with it at the moment. whether that's buying a pre-made protein and adding a salad to it, buying prepared vegetables and cooking up something on the side, or buying a box of mac 'n' cheese to have on hand.

there aren't many store-bought mac 'n' cheese brands that cater to my gluten-dairy-free diet, while also having good, wholesome ingredients. i'm so grateful to companies like Annie's that have options that appreciate different diets, and lifestyles, and that they're so readily available to all families at stores like Target. i've been eating their mac 'n' cheese since i was young, and it's nice to come back to an old favorite when they came out with their vegan and gluten free variation. it's a brand that has always been transparent, and i can trust it to feed my family in the right way.

it usually depends on how i'm feeling, or what the weather is like, but most times i prepare a big salad on the side, or add veggies to the the pasta itself. this time i blended up some herbs i had leftover in my fridge to make a quick pesto, and sliced a couple of summer squash to sauté with garlic. alone the mac 'n' cheese is tasty and super delicious, the cream sauce is made with pumpkin and sweet potato mixture that's ready to go when added to your plant-based milk of choice. it all makes for a quick, fresh, meal that basically feels homemade ;)

big hugs, all! xoxo

Summer Squash Vegan Mac 'N' Cheese w/ Herb Pesto | gf

| serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side |

herb pesto

1 packed cup mixed herbs (i used a combination of parsley, sage, thyme, and oregano)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove
2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

summer squash mac 'n' cheese

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large summer squash, cut in half lengthwise and sliced thin
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
fine sea salt & freshly ground pepper
2 boxes Annie's Organic Gluten Free Vegan Elbows & Creamy Sauce

method

for the pesto. combine the herbs, oil, garlic, and lemon juice in food processor or blender. season with salt and pepper, and refrigerate until you are ready to use it, or 1 week. alternatively, the pesto can be made 1 week before using it.
for the squash and mac 'n' cheese. heat a skillet over medium heat. once it's hot, add the olive oil and garlic, stir and cook for about 45 seconds. then add the squash and let it cook for about 4 minutes without disturbing it, letting it get a little brown. turn them over and let the squash cook for another 4 minutes, until lightly browned and tender. remove the squash from the heat.
make the mac 'n' cheese according to the instructions on the box.
in a large serving bowl toss the mac 'n' cheese together with the summer squash. dollop the top with pesto blobs, and give it all a stir. serve with more pesto on the side.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Target & Annie's. The opinions and text are all mine.

similar recipes:

Crusty Baked Vegan Alfredo w/ Caramelized Shallots & Kale / December 8, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Crusty Baked Vegan Alfredo w/ Caramelized Shallots & Kale | dolly and oatmeal

when i was little my mom attended college full time. she went back to school after having my brother and i to change careers and fulfill her desire of becoming a psychologist. i know it couldn't have been easy with two little ones at home, especially during the week when my dad was at work. dinners were generally comprised of a prepared meal my mom had picked up, or some concoction of food my dad was going to make. but the few nights my mom had time to cook, she would occasionally make us her grandmother's macaroni and cheese recipe. like all good mac n cheeses, it started with a roux. from there, plenty of good-quality cheddar cheese was melted into the pot to make the creamiest, dreamiest mac n cheese which she finished with a dash of nutmeg. if there's a flavor i specifically remember from childhood meals, it's this one. it reminds me of warmth, love, and most importantly - ultimate coziness.

so when i was testing recipes for my book, my goal was to make a plant-based version of my mom's mac n cheese for an alfredo dish i wanted to include. after a bunch of recipe bummers i made finally nailed the right ratio of chickpea flour to water to soaked cashews for the velvety and silky texture, and cheesy flavor i had always cherished. frank and i love the recipe so much that it's become a dinner staple, especially as the weather has gotten colder. we usually dig in to one big bowl of it, with a fork for each of us, all cozied up on the couch with blanket. (that's how we get down winter-style.) but for the past few weeks i had been seeing a bunch of baked mac n cheeses on pinterest that were literally making me drool every time i saw them. initially i was scared to try a plant-based version, as i thought the sauce would get too dry, but i bit the bullet and gave it a shot.

i ended up doubled my original alfredo recipe, caramelizing some onions, sautéed some kale, threw some breadcrumbs on top, and baked it until it was slightly crisp and browned. and, guys, it was crazy good! hence, the recipe you see here today :) there are a few steps in making it, but ultimately it's a super easy recipe. and i've saved you a step by sautéing the shallots and kale in the same pot that the pasta bakes in. i used KitchenAid®'s oven-safe saucepan to sauté and bake, and it was a dream! it has an inductive bottom that makes for even cooking, which, for somebody who's lived in apartments with funky stoves/ovens for a while now, these are the only pots and pans that have provided even cooking and i couldn't recommend them more! all in all, this is a really snuggly dish, a hug in the form of food, essentially :)

wishing you cozy times! xo

this post was created in partnership with KitchenAid® Cookware. all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own. thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that keep dolly and oatmeal going!

crusty baked vegan alfredo w/ caramelized shallots & kale | gf

| makes 6 servings |

sea salt
freshly ground pepper
12 ounces brown rice pasta (i like tinkyada fussili)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5-6 medium sized shallots
1 bunch kale, chopped (about 5 cups)
1/2 cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs (i like aleia's)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

alfredo sauce

1/2 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 4 hours, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup chickpea flour
2 cups filtered water

method

preheat oven to 350°F.
cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente (see notes). drain and rinse under cold water to stop the pasta from cooking. set aside.
while the pasta is cooking, make the shallots, kale, and breadcrumb topping. in an large oven-safe saucepan with 2-inch sides (alternatively, you can use a casserole pan or any large oven-friendly dish with sides), heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium. once the oil is hot, add the shallots and cook, stirring every now and then until the shallots are soft and caramelized, about 8 minutes. add the kale and saute until soft and wilted, about 4 minutes. remove from the heat and set aside. combine the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, a few pinches of salt, a couple grinds of pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. set aside.
make the alfredo sauce. place the cashews, oil, nutrtional yeast, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to taste in the container of a high-speed blender and set aside.
in a small pot, whisk together the water and chickpea flour until completely combined. place the pot over medium-low heat and continue to whisk every now and then until the mixture is thick and shiny , about 6-8 minutes. remove the mixture from the heat and carefully pour it into your blender. blend on high for 1 minute, until completely smooth and creamy. taste and adjust any seasonings, if needed.
run the pasta under water to loosen it. add the pasta and hot alfredo sauce to the saucepan with the shallots and kale, gently toss until everything is mixed and covered in sauce. evenly sprinkle the surface with the breadcrumb mixture and bake for 18-20 minutes, until the browned and crusty on top. serve hot and garnish with parsley (optional).

notes: because the pasta is cooking in the oven for an additional 18-20 minutes, you want to undercook it. i would say to cook it about 2-3 minutes under what you normally do to prevent the pasta from being mushy.