Bacon's a Food Group... Right?

I know I'm not the only one out there that has a love affair with bacon... Is it one of my favorite foods? YES... Yes it is! There, I said it! (Hangs head in shame). In a world where dieting, healthy lifestyle and being fit is always on one’s mind, this is not the type of food all people (especially women) are willing to admit they love. Is bacon something I indulge in very often? Nope... And for obvious reasons that need not be talked about. While I'm not one who obsesses over what I eat, I do keep it in check... Usually¹. We buy turkey bacon from time to time...and it's an ok substitute... But nowhere near as yummy. So many people obsess over healthy eating to a point where they're depriving themselves of those small indulgences. And I can appreciate that dedication... on some level. But constant deprivation will sometimes lead to falling off the wagon all together. (Insert empty ice cream tub and chip bags watching Bridget Jones’ Diary image here). Sound familiar? (Now you hang your head in shame… Just kidding.) Give yourselves a break for heaven’s sake and enjoy the foods you love... in moderation. I guarantee you’ll be happier and mentally stable enough to continue your quest for the best beach bod. So, obviously, my weakness is bacon (hence the entire post dedicated to it)... Mmmm, Bacon! You just did that in a Homer Simpson voice, didn’t you? No? Ok, moving on...
 
So, I've never made a carbonara sauce, I've seen it made on TV and had it at restaurants before, but never really thought about making it at home… until I met Pinterest. (Stayed tuned for my next post about this horribly wonderful website). The thought of bacon, in a creamy dreamy sauce poured over pasta definitely peeked my interest, I’m not gonna lie. I gave it a whirl, making it up as I went along and it turned out fantastic! My husband who is not a pasta lover really enjoyed this dish and said it was the best he's ever had...  And that's good enough for me. So, bon appetite my fellow bacon lovers, bon appetite.

(¹And by “Usually” I mean about fifty percent of the time, I opt for a healthier version)

Creamy Chicken Carbonara

Ingredients:
6-7 slices bacon
1 tbsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. garlic, minced
2-3 cups Fettuccini noodles
2-3 Chicken breast, cubed  
1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
1 handful Spinach (sorry… still getting rid of the stuff)
1 cup Milk or cream
3 tbsp. flour
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup Fresh Parmesan cheese (not the fake Kraft parmesan )
 

Directions: Fry or broil 6-7 slices of bacon till crispy. Chop and set aside, reserving some for garnish. Boil pasta as per directions. In another large skillet, add olive oil and sauté garlic till browned. Add Chicken and cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Add tomato and spinach and continue cooking over med-low heat till vegies are softened.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour one tbsp. at a time and whisk frequently (about 1 minute). Slowly and add milk. After a few minutes this will thicken. Keep stirring until consistency is creamy. You may need to add more flour or milk to get the right consistency.

Mix all together with cooked noodles and top with reserved bacon.