Avocado Spinach Pesto Pasta with Portobello Mushrooms (Vegan)

• 1 pound spinach fettuccine 
• 2 large portobello mushrooms, chopped into small chunks
• 1 bunch basil leaves (about 2½ ounces)
• 1 cup spinach or arugula
• 1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 1 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into small chunks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Garlic salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add spinach fettuccine and cook as directed on package. 

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in skillet. Sauté 1 garlic clove and mushrooms in olive oil for 4 to 6 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked.

While spinach fettuccine cooks, in a food processor blend together basil, spinach, pine nuts, avocados, lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, and 2-3 tablespoons olive oil until it turns into a smooth mixture. Add garlic salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the spinach fettuccine. In a large serving bowl, immediately combine hot fettuccine, avocado spinach pesto sauce, and the sautéed portobello mushrooms. Toss together and serve immediately!

Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry & Walnut Muffins (vegan)

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup soy milk or almond milk
1/6 cup canola oil
1/6 cup softened Earth Balance butter or Smart Balance Light butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1/4 cup chopped walnut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease 12 muffin tins.

Mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda. Add soy milk, oil, butter, and vanilla. Lightly stir together ingredients--lumpy batter is okay! Fold in strawberries and walnuts and pour batter into muffin tins. Place in oven and cook for 15 – 20 minutes. Pull muffins out and insert toothpick to test for doneness(if done, the toothpick will remain dry once you remove it from the muffin).

Let muffins sit for at least 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Black Bean Salad Fiesta!!!

• 1 avocado, chopped into small pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 lime
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 1 cup tomatoes, diced
• 2 ears of corn
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt to taste

Boil water in large pot. Place the ears of corn into the pot, cover, and boil for 5-7 minutes. Remove corn from pot. With a knife, cut the corn’s kernels and set aside.

In a large bowl, add the diced pieces of avocado and the juice of the lime. Using a fork, mash the avocado and stir in the lime juice. Add cilantro, black beans, spinach, tomatoes, corn, pepper, garlic clove and mix ingredients until evenly coated. Add salt to taste. Serve immediately.