Chill out this summer with this....Chilled Chili Spiked Avocado-Lime Pasta Salad with Roasted Tomatoes

I must apologize for the lack of posts lately, but my MIA status is warranted, I promise!  Ryan and I are preparing for our first baby!  With that said, there have been some alterations around the household and within our daily lives.  I cannot wait to meet our little munchkin....October/November can not come any faster! 

Of course, being pregnant, I have had my fair share of cravings, food aversions and crazy indigestion.  I have realized that sure, you can read all the prenatal meal planning you desire; What you should be eating, when you should be eating, how you should be eating.  But, lets be honest, everyone is different!  Whether you are pregnant or not, these guidelines are not going to work for everyone!  I have realized it is really crucial to listen to your body.  You are truly the only person who knows how you feel and how to cater to those internal needs.  For instance, I have realized eating large meals three times a day simply is not going to work for me and my little P.  With that said, my baby and I love munching on healthy vegetables, vegan "beef" jerky, nuts and peanut butter....lots and lots of peanut butter.  As long as you are obtaining all your crucial vitamins and nutrients, don't change what works for you!

We are now into our second trimester and mommy is started to feel better, more invigorated and a bit more inspired to start posting some delicious and inventive recipes I have whipped up lately....starting with a Chilled Chili Spiked Avocado-Lime Pasta Salad!

I particularly like this recipe because it is different than any other pasta salad I have had before.     Lets be honest, you cannot go wrong with anything avocado....especially in the summer heat!  Making the "sauce" or "dressing" from a beautifully ripe avocado and vegan yogurt is smooth, luscious and won't weight you down!  The fresh herbs and lemon and lime juice really brighten up your everyday pasta salad and the addition of roasted cherry tomatoes gives it a splash of color and an additional burst of flavor.  But, the kicker is the diced jalapeno!  This inclusion really gives the chilled pasta salad an extra bite to it!

And, I know what you may be thinking:  Will this pasta salad last more than one day or will the avocado oxidize and turn brown?  Honestly, that oxidation is a heart breaker and has happened too many times to a killer batch of guacomole.  But, this did not happen with the pasta salad.  I had leftovers refrigerated in an air tight container for two nights, and each day the color was still a beautiful pale green.

Chilled Chili Spiked Avocado-Lime Pasta Salad with Roasted Tomatoes

 

Ingredients:
4 servings cooked pasta of your choice (I used gluten free rigatoni)
1 ripe avocado
1/4 plus 1 tbsp vegan plain greek yogurt
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp chopped basil
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and diced
1 small garlic clove, minced
s+p to taste
10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 tbsp evoo


Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.  Toss halved cherry tomatoes with evoo and roast them in the oven for about 15 minutes or until they begin to "prune".

If you have yet to cook your pasta, do so now according to package instructions.  Set pasta aside to cool. (HINT: toss with a touch of evoo so the pasta will not stick to each other)

In a blender, take the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT for the diced jalapeno and puree until smooth.  If you need the sauce to be "saucier", simply add more lemon juice or a touch of water until you reach your desired consistency.  Season to taste and toss the avocado-lime.  Sprinkle in the diced jalapenos and mix thoroughly.  When cherry tomatoes are done roasting, toss them into the mix to finish off the salad.  Transfer to refrigerator and chill until serving time.