Quick Avocado, Lemon & Basil Pesto with Raw or Cooked Noodles

Make the noodles

• Raw version: make the noodles with your peeler or spiralizer. Peel down the length of the courgette. Set aside. Make them just before using otherwise they will start to leak water and go all soggy.
• Cooked noodles: boil the kettle and pour the hot water into a saucepan. Add a little salt and cook the pasta on a rolling boil until just tender, according to the packet directions. When ready, drain and set aside.

Make the pesto

1. If you want the flavour of toasted nuts, gently roast them in a non-stick frying pan for a minute or two, stirring constantly as they catch and burn otherwise. Remove from the heat and transfer into a bowl (the heat from the pan will continue to cook them otherwise).
2. Alternatively, use the nuts raw.
3. Remove about a quarter of the basil from the pack/bunch. Snip it into smallish rough pieces with scissors and set aside.
4. Place the nuts, garlic, avocados, lemon juice, olive oil, yeast flakes and three quarters of the pack of basil into the food processor or blender. Add in the extra greens if using also.
5. Do this for about 30 seconds but use short blasts to pulse the ingredients and scrape down the sides with a spatula each time. This stops the nuts from turning into paste! If the mixture becomes too thick to move in the blender, add a splash or two of water and turn on the machine again.
6. Stir in the snipped basil and lemon zest. Mix in.
7. Toss the noodles in the pesto and serve.