Summer pasta with basil and avocado pea pesto

Serves 3-4

4-5 small-medium zucchini (yellow or green), ends trimmed Handful mint, torn Handful basil, torn Handful parsley, torn 2 handfuls sugar snaps or snow peas, sliced lengthways Handful rocket Handful baby spinach ¼ cup whole green olives (the Sicilian ones have a nice grassy flavour), slice the flesh off the stone after measuring 4-6 courgette flowers ¼ cup pine nuts, lightly

toasted 1 Spiralise the zucchini to make zucchini noodles. If you don't have a vegetable spiraliser you can use a peeler to cut the courgette into wide strips then julienne with a knife. Set aside. 2 Coat the zucchini noodles with the pesto (below). It should be reasonably easy to coat and not form clumps — if it does, add a little more olive oil or lemon juice to get things moving. 3 Gently fold through the herbs, sliced sugar snaps, rocket, spinach and olives. Serve topped with pine nuts and courgette flowers.

Basil and avocado pea pesto

½ cup freshly podded peas

(or use frozen) 1 clove garlic, crushed Pinch sea salt flakes 3 good handfuls basil and

parsley, leaves picked and chopped (you could use, just basil or a combination with rocket instead) 1 avocado, flesh finely diced 2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive

oil or hemp seed oil 1 Blanch the peas in hot water for 2 minutes. Drain and place in ice water. If using frozen peas, place in a bowl and cover with boiling water for 2 minutes. Pound the garlic with a little pinch of salt, the mint, basil and parsley in a pestle and mortar, then add the peas and continue to pound until they break down. Alternatively pulse in a food processor. Fold in the avocado and crush lightly with the pestle until combined but still with some texture. Turn out into a bowl and gently add oil — you need just enough to bind the sauce and get it to an oozy consistency. 2 Taste it for seasoning. It will need approx ¼ tsp sea salt flakes or a little more if the peas are really sweet. Pour in some more oil if needed and add bit of nutritional yeast if you wish. Add the lemon juice and a teaspoon of zest and mix together.