Asparagus is a fresh, nutritious vegetable indicative of spring. It is bursting with a range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants but what really sets it apart is its inulin content. Inulin is a unique type of carbohydrate in that it doesn’t get fully broken down like other carbohydrates do. It makes it all the way to the large intestine and becomes food for the good bacteria. In contrast, sugar feeds the bad bacteria which can thrown off intestinal flora balance and lead to issues like candida overgrowth. Eating foods like asparagus, which also has a lot of fiber, helps keep the digestive system functioning well.
Avocado is a good, healthy substitute to create a creamy effect in both sweet and savoury foods. Whether hidden in baking or fully featured like in this pasta sauce it’s buttery texture enhances the whole dish and adds in lots of fiber and healthy unsaturated fats. Some lemon juice brightens up the flavour, keeping it light and giving it a summery feel.
Penne is a great option for pairing with thick, creamy sauces because it fits into all the ridges and sticks to the pasta well.
Soaking asparagus spears in a glass of water for a couple minutes gets all the dirt out of the nooks and crannies.
For a light, simple pasta like this a few toppings can go a long way. Here I used freshly grated parmesan, lemon zest, sliced basil and freshly cracked black pepper to liven it up a little.
- 1 400 g bag whole grain penne pasta
- 1 bunch asparagus, chopped (into around 1 inch long pieces)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped finely
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Avocado Sauce
- 1 large avocado
- 1 tablespoons meyer lemon juice (from ½ lemon)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4-6 tablespoons water
- Sea salt and pepper
- Toppings
- Fresh basil, sliced thinly
- lemon zest
- freshly grated parmesan
- Set up a large pot ⅔ full of water on the stove over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Add in the pasta and cook according to directions, probably for around 12 minutes. When there are 10 minutes left, heat up the oil in a large skillet and sautée the onion and garlic until the onion starts to turn translucent, around 4 minutes. Add in the asparagus and sautée for around another 5 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside. Once the pasta is done drain the water and add the pasta to the skillet with the asparagus. Blend the sauce ingredients together in a food processor or mixer on high speed and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw everything into a large bowl, toss to combine then grate lemon zest and parmesan over and top with fresh basil.