Cooking Creamy Avocado Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli for my Grandparents – My Life as a Carer

We’re sharing a simple recipe that we recently discovered and learned how to make for our grandparents which includes one of the worlds healthiest superfoods, the avocado. 

By Kyle Wilson | September 2023

Avocado Benefits

What makes avocados a superfood? Avocados are nutrient-dense meaning that they have a high vitamin and mineral content in relation to its weight. Here are some avocado benefits:

• Anitoxidants. According to recent studies, there is a link between diets high in antioxidants and a lower risk of developing dementia and improving cognition as we age.
• Carotenoids: they contribute to glowing skin, bright eyes, and shiny hair. 
• Vitamins: Source of water-soluble vitamins B and C. Source of fat-soluble vitamins A, E, and K. Good fats that improve heart health. 
• Source of protein.
• Lowers the risk of developing diabetes.
• Fights cancer cell growth.
• Full of fibre to help reduce overeating, snacking, and sugar addiction.

Discover more about eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet with the NHS Eatwell Guide.

Let’s Gather our Ingredients

1. Enough pasta for two people
2. 2x Chicken breast, cut into strips
3. 1/4 teaspoon of salt
4. 1/4 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
5. Enough Broccoli for two people (swap for your favourite veg)
6. 1x bell pepper (optional)
7. Handful of walnuts, finely chopped
8. 2 tbsp parsley, chopped 

For the creamy avocado sauce:

1. 1x ripe avocado
2. 1/2 cup of coconut milk
3. 1/2 cup water
4. The juice of one lemon
5. 1/2 tsp of salt
6. 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
7. 1 tsp of thyme

Let’s cook!

TikTok tutorial.

Total cooking time is around 30 minutes.

We sometimes like to cook this meal ahead of time and store it in the fridge for an even quicker meal on those busy week days.

1. Bring a pot of pasta to the boil, add salt
2. Prepare the avocado, then add to a food processor along with all the ingredients for the avocado sauce and process until smooth and creamy
3. Next, prepare your chicken and veggies
4. Add the chicken to the pan first over a medium-high heat and allow to cook for 5 minutes or until cooked through
5. Add the veggies to the pan with the chicken and cook for a further 3-5 minutes or until the veggies are soft
6. drain the pasta while you wait
7. Add the chicken and veggies to the pasta and stir through
8. add the avocado sauce to the pasta and stir through
9. After plating up, sprinkle a handful of finely chopped walnuts to give an added nutritious crunch

Let’s eat and share

And that’s all there is to it. A simple, nutritious, and tasty recipe for the whole family. As carers, we found this to be a great opportunity to involve family members in the cooking process. And by throwing in some walnuts we’re getting creative in how we add more nutrition to our diet, too.

Discover further nutritious recipes by NHS Tayside

NHS Tayside run a community health initiative called ‘Community Cookit‘ which focuses on making nutritious recipes accessible to local communities via trained ‘cookit coaches.’ Discover their recipes.

• Try the tuna and broccoli pasta bake recipe by NHS Tayside Community Cookit

Until next time, remember, sharing is caring.

Got a question, a thought, or an idea that you think might help Kyle and other carers? Share it with our community on social media or email us and we’ll do our best to get back to you.

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