Smoky chili kielbasa and chickpeas with avocado mint zucchini noodles - VEGAN

This was an unusual creation, whose existence I blame on the fickle weather. It's winter. And then it's spring. And then it's winter again. And then it's summer for a day. Now back to winter. So do I want something warm and hearty or do I want something light and cool? I don't know anymore. Here's both! Bonus: the cool avocado offsets the intense smoked chili. It takes a couple of bites to get used to, but then is quite tasty. At first I wasn't sure whether Justin liked it, but then he went back for seconds.

Ingredients:

4 zucchinis, julienned into long strips (noodles)

1 onion, sliced thin

8 oz portabella mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced (divided)

1 package Tofurkey kielbasa (or other veggie sausage if you can't find this)

1 can chickpeas

3 smoked, dry chilies, sliced thin or crushed

Additional chili powder, to taste

Pinch cayenne

Few drops liquid smoke

2 avocados

2 TBS miso

1 TBS tahini

Handful of mint leaves, finely chopped

2 TBS lemon juice

Salt, to taste

Directions

In a large saute pan, cook the onion over medium heat until starting to brown. Add zucchini and a pinch of salt, stir, and continue cooking until the zucchini just starts to wilt. Remove from heat and put a lid or plate over it to keep warm.

In another pan, saute three of the garlic cloves with the mushrooms until the mushrooms start to release their water. Add the kielbasa, chickpeas, chilies, chili powder, cayenne and liquid smoke. Stir and continue cooking until everything is cooked through.

In the mean time, combine the avocados, miso, tahini, mint, lemon juice, salt, and reserved clove of garlic in a blender. Puree. Add a trickle of water at a time and continue to pulse until it thins out enough to make a sauce.

Pour avocado sauce over zucchini noodles and mix. Put onto plates and top with kielbasa mix. This makes about six servings and reheats well. The avocado puree does not turn brown immediately either, so you can keep it in the fridge in tupperware up to about 3 days.