Black bean spaghetti with Brussels sprouts, mint and lemon pesto
Spaghetti aux haricots noirs, pesto de choux de Bruxelles, menthe et citron
I found those high protein, low carbs spaghetti. They’re made with black bean flour and water. I was very intrigued by those and obviously needed to try them. The same brand also sells edamame noodles, with the same concept, using edamame flour and water, which are as good with a little more chewy texture. The world of pasta has evolved a lot in this last 10 years, using all different kinds of nutritious flours.
This dish is vegan and gluten free, I am neither vegan nor gluten free, but sometimes I like to eat light nutritious vegan meals with lots of flavors and delicious that make me happy and energized, so here is one.
Besides I love the contrast of the black spaghetti combined with the light green of the pesto. Aside from the fact, that this is a beautiful dish to look at, it’s packed with nutrition.
You can play around with its texture, adding more broth, or make it more creamy by adding more almonds.
Ingredients for 2-3
- 180 g black bean spaghetti
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1/4 onion, chopped
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, finely sliced
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tbs silvered almonds
- 1 meyer lemon (juice and zest)
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- salt and pepper
Preparation
Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a pan. Add onion and let soften. Add Brussels sprouts and broth. Cover with lid and let cook for a few minutes. The sprouts need to be still vibrant green and still a bit crunchy. Remove from heat.
Divide the sprouts in two equal portions. Let the portion to be used for the pesto to cool.
In a mixer, mix half the sprouts, mint, almonds, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix until obtained a smooth consistency. If too thick add some broth. Add lemon zest at the end.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti stirring regularly and cook for about 6 minutes and still al dente. When cooked, drain and rinse under cold water.
In a large bowl, mix spaghetti with pesto, and add the cooked Brussels sprouts left aside.
Mix well and eat cold or lukewarm.
Where did you find these intriguing pastas? Could one possibly find them in France at ‘La Vie Claire’ or another health food store? I would love to try this wonderful dish you’ve concocted with the brussels sprouts. Looks absolutely lovely…appealing to the eye AND palate!