Maybe it was a case of bad guacamole some time in my past that turned me against avocados but I did not like them at all. After reading about all the good nutrition this ugly little fruit contains I was convinced to give them a second chance. That turned out to be a good choice because now you wouldn’t find a time when I didn’t have at least one sitting on my counter waiting for me to find new and delicious ways to take advantage of their healthy goodness. Avocado mayonnaise is my latest obsession. How many ways can this mayonnaise be used? I’m not sure but this pasta salad is one of my favorites.
Kristy
Ingredients:
For the avocado mayonnaise
- 2 ripe Hass avocados, shelled and pitted
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 4 tbsp avocado oil or canola oil
- 4 tbsp unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tsp sea salt
For the salad
- 1 medium zucchini, quartered and diced
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 medium red onion, diced
- 1 cup diced mushrooms
- 1/4 cup kalamata olived, halved
- 1/2 cup diced red pepper
- 1 cup minced curly kale
- 4 cups cooked whole wheat orzo pasta
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1-2 tsp oregano (I like oregano so I use 2 but start with 1 and taste test before adding more)
Preparation:
- Place all of the mayonnaise ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Combine all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl. Spoon half of the avocado mayonnaise into the salad and stir to combine. Add more mayonnaise as needed until you reach the consistency you prefer. There will probably be some mayonnaise left over. See notes for additional uses.
- Chill and serve.
Yield:
Makes 8-10 servings
Notes:
Store leftover salad and any extra mayonnaise separately in an airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Use extra avocado mayonnaise to blend into the leftovers if it becomes too dry. Avocado mayonnaise is also good as a sandwich spread or just about any other salad where regular mayonnaise would be used.
