Avocado Kale Pesto Brown Rice Pasta

I have always been a pasta girl. When I was young, I would always eat the white stuff, but as I got older, and cared more about nutrition, I switched to whole wheat. Now, I've experimented more with alternative pastas like brown rice, quinoa, spelt, and of course the infamous zucchini noodles, which are my favorite. 

Now that I don't really include much cheese in my diet, I've really come to love pestos. They have that ooey gooey consistency that I love, and they contain a great balance of nutrients, from the healthy fats in nuts and olive oil, to the vitamins in greens like arugula, basil, and kale and the antioxidant-power of garlic, not to mention the immune-boosting power of the vitamin C in lemons. This pesto is extra creamy as it's made with avocado, and I have to say, I don't really miss those Kraft boxes of mac and cheese when I have this stuff.

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 3/4 cup brown rice fusilli, cooked
• For pesto:
• 1/4 avocado
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 large leaf of kale
• 3-4 basil leaves
• The juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Cook pasta according to directions. Rinse and drain.

2. Blend pesto ingredients together until smooth.

3. Put pasta back in pot and heat on low. Mix in pesto and warm for a minute or two.