Creamy Avocado Pesto Zoodles

It’s weird for me to say this but “Enough with the cold weather!”
I've had it. You have, too.
A cold snap here or there, is OK.
But for two months and more?
Stop it, already. Seriously, it’s not even fun anymore.
I want spring to arrive, and finally be able to venture outside for my morning runs without freezing to death and risking my life on those icy sidewalks.
Is it too much to ask?


I’m sorry guys but today I’m upset and I needed to vent in some form.
You see, last night the ‘Parks and Rec’ finale aired on NBC, meaning that after seven (great) seasons, my favorite show has come to an end [Wouaaa Wouaaa...that’s me crying btw.]
At first, I didn’t even want to watch the finale — it was some sort of lame attempt not to acknowledge that the show was about to end.
Some sort of ‘TV bandwagoning’ (i.e., watching the finale of a show without seeing a single episode of the series.) On a side note, if you haven’t done TV bandwagoning before, please do it, it’s a lot of fun.

Anyways, after long debating with myself I decided to watch the finale, because it was the mature thing to do.
Loved it.
It beautifully summed up seven of the best seasons of sitcom television.
It's sad to say that I'm going to miss those goofy characters and, the brilliant, topical and hysterical writing.
To be completely honest with you I may or may not have sobbed through the episode. Probably not, but it totally felt like I was.

And today...today it’s still freezing outside and I’m Park & Rec-less. Major bummer.
In order to lighten up my mood and make my mind distract from what is currently happening in my life I’ve decided to pretend it’s summer. At least when it come to meal preparation.
I’m all about eating seasonally, but after months of cold, depressing weather and with no more shows worth watching on TV, I needed a change.

So I bought zucchini, avocados, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil at the local grocer, and made some super summer creamy avocado pesto to serve over zoodles.

And while I was eating, I pretended I was on a Caribbean beach, just for a moment.

Well this entire post has been pointless. Sorry about that. The whole point of it is that the creamy avocado pesto is to die for.
It makes for a great light but filling meal when you serve it over zoodles (though feel free to use with spaghetti, fettucini, or eat it by the spoonful if you like.)
Mmmmm creamy pesto and zoodles. Just sounds delicious. And it was. I ate all of it by myself.

Creamy Avocado Pesto Zoodles                                                                               Print this recipe!

Inspired by OhSheGlows

Note. Since avocados oxidize quickly the pesto is best served immediately. Leftover pesto can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Ingredients
Serves 4

6 medium-large zucchini

1 small garlic clove
1 large handful fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon pine nuts (or blanched almonds)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium ripe avocados, pitted
¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Ground black pepper to taste
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

In a food processor combine garlic, pine nuts, and basil and pulse to mince.
Add lemon juice, avocado, oil, and 1 tablespoon of water. Process until completely blended and creamy, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. If it’s too thick add more water, one tablespoon at a time. Take a taste and adjust seasoning.
Using a spiralizer create zucchini noodles (always read the directions for your spiral slicer as they vary by brand - I use this spiralizer.) If you don't have a spiralizer use a regular vegetable peeler to vertically peel long, thin strips of the zucchini. This will form more of a wider "noodle" from the zucchini, like fettuccini.
Place the noodles in a covered microwave safe dish and microwave them on high for about 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can cook them in boiling water for 2 minutes.
Transfer zoodles to a large serving bowl, add pesto and halved cherry tomatoes and mix well.
Serve immediately!

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 269 calories, 19 grams of fat, 25 grams of carbs, and 8 grams of protein.