Grilled Avocado Pasta

Who said avocados can only be eaten raw? Try this delicious vegetarian recipe and bring your pasta to a whole new level.

Ingredients (1 portion):

• 1 cup cooked whole-wheat penne pasta
• 2 small zucchini (sliced)
• 1 medium red or yellow bell pepper (thinly sliced)
• 1 clove of garlic (finely chopped)
• ½ ripe fresh avocado
• 2 ripe tomatoes (chopped)
• 3Tbs hummus or 1 tbsp Tahini
• 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

* tsp: teaspoon, tbsp: tablespoon, g: grams

Instructions:

• Cook pasta in boiling water. Drain and cover to keep warm
• In a large roasting pan add olive oil and slightly cook garlic and bell peppers for 4 minutes and then add tomatoes for 2 minutes
• Add the balsamic vinegar
• Lastly add the zucchinis and cook for 1-2 minutes
• Grill the avocado in thick slices
• In a large bowl, toss together cooked pasta, vegetables, and place the grilled avocado on top
• Serve with hummus or tahini

Nutritional Value (per portion):

• Calories: 645 kcal
• Fat: 21.1 g (Polyunsaturated Fat 4.3 g, Monounsaturated Fat 11.5 g)
• Carbohydrate 102.3 g
• Dietary Fiber 21.1 g
• Protein 20.4 g

Vitamins and Minerals

• Vitamin A: 60.8 %
• Vitamin C: 695.2 %
• Folate: 40.4 %
• Iron: 34.3 %
• Magnesium: 26.8 %
• Manganese: 48.1 %
• Niacin: 24.0 %
• Thiamin: 23.0 %

Dietitian’s Tip: Do not over-cook the vegetables in order to retain most of their vitamins.

Eleana Liasidou

Clinical Dietitian- Nutritionist, MSc