A Sexy Spaghetti Squash Even Buzz Lightyear Will Adore

 By Harley May

My husband and I decided to try an ALL VEGAN DIET. You heard me. No animal based product. No cheese, no eggs, no food with a face. We don’t eat vegan all the time, but have found a few solid healthy dishes we can substitute for our not so healthy ones.

One of our biggest roadblocks is PASTA. It is vegan, my husband loves it, could eat it three meals a day and not gain a pound. Me? I cannot eat pasta with every meal and I wanted to find a side/filler dish that would go with everything (like pasta), but not be a starch that will stick to my thighs and taste like shame.

What we found? SPAGHETTI SQUASH.

Spaghetti Squash. It’s daring, surprising, and versatile. IT’S A SEXY VEGETABLE.

The sexy vegetable is fun to make and play with. I enjoy it most with pesto. You don’t have to be vegan to try it. Mix it in with shrimp, chicken, lamb, whatever your heart desires, and you’ve got an easy, healthy side that doesn’t taste like rocks. Be better than that. DON’T EAT ROCKS.

What you will need:

A spaghetti squash

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Pesto

1.     Cut the spaghetti squash in half and lay it seed side up on a baking dish.

2.     Scoop out all the seeds.

3.     Drizzle in olive oil and give it a good rub down.

4.     Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.

5.     Bake at 375 for one hour.

6.     Pull it out and let cool.

7.     Shred into pasta with a fork.

As for step number 7, I can see how it might be confusing, so I have a video for you to demonstrate. It’s strange and different at first, but after a while it starts to feel nice. You’ll like it.

 No stuffed animals were harmed in the making of the video.

Everything's Better With Bacon

by Patti Wigington

I’m pretty sure that in a previous lifetime, I was a dude. Unlike so many of my organic-grass-fed-free-range friends, I am of the philosophy that bacon makes everything better. And if one slice of bacon makes it good, Gentle Reader, then TWO slices turns it into a little bit of pork-flavored heaven.

Believe me, I understand that bacon is being a bit overdone right now. It’s everywhere, taking the place of the cupcake at the forefront of America’s collective palate. Maybe it’s a bit of a Bacon Rebellion, in response to all those years of people telling us that we need to scale back on our consumption, because it’s So Very Bad For You.

However, if it helps you feel better, you can rest easy knowing that bacon contains choline, which is a micronutrient that scientists say can actually help reduce cardiac problems. Of course, studies show that the average American consumes almost eighteen pounds of bacon each year, so in theory, none of us should ever suffer from a heart attack.

Anyway, one of the reasons bacon has seen a resurgence in popularity is the very simple fact that it’s delicious.

I know, I know. Take away my Girl Card right now. I should be daintily eating Yoplait, smiling at plates of salad, watching Hoda and Kathie Lee, and going to Pilates classes, but instead, I’m peering at the remnants of last night’s dinner, which of course would have been only half as amazing if it didn’t have bacon.

It’s super easy to assemble, because it only requires four ingredients - one of which is the aforementioned bacon. In fact, if I refer to this dish as Bacon Rosemary Garlic Chicken, I bet you can guess what at least one of the other ingredients might be.

Here’s what you need:

•  Chicken breasts

•  Sprigs of fresh rosemary

•  Garlic cloves

•  Uncooked bacon

Rinse the chicken breasts and pat them dry. Smoosh up a garlic clove (or two, if you love the stuff like I do) and press some into the top of each chicken breast. Lay a sprig of rosemary across the top of the chicken breast, and then wrap a couple of slices of bacon around each one to hold the rosemary in place. If you need to, slide a couple of toothpicks in to hold the bacon in place.

Toss your bacon wrapped chicken on the grill, cook on low to medium heat for about half an hour, or until the bacon is firm but not crispy. Before you eat them, slide out the rosemary sprigs (and the toothpicks, obviously).

Serve with your favorite side dish, and enjoy the bacony goodness.