Kitchen Korner: Avocado Pasta Salad – Two Ways

This is my take on pasta salad. I make this pasta two ways served cold and served warm the ingredients remain more or less the same.

To make this salad I use;

One cup boiled fusilli pasta – (to cook boil the pasta in salted water till tender but not mushy drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process)

One green bell pepper cubed or thinly sliced lengthways

One medium sized carrot shaved

About three stalks chopped spring onions

One medium sized tomato cubed

Half a medium red onion diced

One teaspoon oregano or mixed herbs as long as it has oregano in it I am good

Quarter teaspoon black pepper

One tablespoon olive oil

Juice of half a lemon

One tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar or white vinegar

Quarter teaspoon cayenne pepper

Half a medium Avocado – cube last just before adding to the other ingredients

Note: Wash all the vegetables before chopping

Method One – serve cold

Toss all the ingredients in a bowl apart from the avocado

Mix until perfectly combined

Add cubed avocado and gently fold into the mixture

It is ready to serve or you can leave to chill in the fridge for 10 – 15 minutes if you prefer it chilled and serve. If chilling in the fridge don’t worry the lemon juice ensures the avocado does not discolour before serving

Method Two – serve warm

Please note: This method omits the ACV/White vinegar and lemon juice

I must admit this is my favourite way of having this avocado pasta salad.

In a wok or deep frying pan pour in the olive oil and add all the chopped vegetables, oregano, cayenne and black peppers

Let them sauté or stir fry if you like for 5-7 minutes on medium heat until tender but crunchy

Turn off the heat and add the pre boiled pasta and mix until well combined

Pour in a serving bowl and gently fold in the chopped avocado and serve.

I sometimes add aubergines (eggplant) and/or courgettes (zucchini) if I have them at the time to the “serve warm” recipe; I just add them in at the same time as the other chopped veggies. This recipe serves one; you can adjust to suit your needs.

Both salads can be eaten on their own or with a grilled meat/chicken or fish accompaniment. The avocado is a great and healthier substitute for mayo #teamfitfam:)

Kitchen Korner is a series on the blog that features food prepared using ingredients that can also be used on the hair; double food hair products I like to call them. Today’s major double food hair ingredients are avocado, olive oil and ACV/White Vinegar.