Pesto Chicken and Spaghetti Squash

PESTO INGREDIENTS

2 Cups Basil

1/3 Cup Roasted Pine Nuts

½ Cup Avocado Oil

2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic

1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast

Himalayan Salt and Cracked Pepper to Taste

CHICKEN INGREDIENTS

4 Chicken Breasts

½ Cup Avocado Oil

1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic

½ Teaspoon Worcestershire

1 Tablespoon Dijon

½ Teaspoon Himalayan Salt

SQUASH INGREDIENTS

1 Spaghetti Squash Cut in Half Lengthwise, Discard Seeds

Avocado Oil

½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder

½ Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

TOMATO INGREDIENTS

2 Cups Grape Tomatoes Cut

1 Tablespoon Avocado Oil

2 Teaspoons Minced Garlic

¼ Teaspoon Himalayan Salt

¼ Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

ASSEMBLY

1. For the pesto. In a food processor combine basil, pine nuts, avocado oil, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.  Mix until smooth.
2. For the Chicken.  In a small bowl combine oil, garlic, Worcestershire, mustard, and salt.  Marinate Chicken for a minimum of 2 hours.  Place in a medium sized glass baking dish. 
3. For the squash.  Brush squash with avocado oil, top with garlic and seasoning.  Place in a large glass baking dish, cut side down.
4. For the Tomatoes.  In a small baking dish combine tomatoes, oil, garlic, salt, and seasoning.  Mix well.
5. Heat oven to 375° F.  Bake squash for 60 minutes, chicken for 45 minutes, and tomatoes for 10. 
6. When all ingredients are complete, scrape butternut squash with a fork to create ‘spaghetti’.   Place in a large mixing bowl. 
7. Add ¾ of pesto to the spaghetti squash and mix well.
8. Divide into 4 bowls, and top with tomatoes, chicken, and remaining pesto. 

HEALTH BENEFITS

Avocado Oil:  Rich in healthy fat, and it’s a good choice for high temperature cooking.

Basil:  A great source of minerals such as manganese, which is thought to increase the electronic transmitter activity in the brain which helps prevent cognitive degradation. 

Garlic:  Can reduce high blood pressure, and it also contains antioxidants.  Top food for gut health – it contains prebiotic fiber, plus it’s antiviral and antifungal. 

Nutritional Yeast:  Has cheesy, nutty or savory flavor which is often used in vegan cooking.  Nutritional Yeast contains high amounts of vitamin B12 which is important to maintain a healthy nervous system. 

Himalayan Salt:  One of the cleanest salts you can find. As opposed to conventional table salt that is heavily processed which removes its beneficial minerals.

Pine Nuts: Great for weight management. Pine Nuts contain pinoleic acid that stimulate the intestines to produce CCK which signals the brain to turn off the “Hungry Mode”.

Tomato: May reduce the risk of heart disease and several cancers. They are also considered to be beneficial for skin health and may protect against sunburns.

Chicken:  One of the highest rated sources of protein.