When A Sweet Cheek Feels Rotten, This Is What She Does!

GIVE UP SUGAR!!!!!!!!!!  We are in full swing of the 2013 Sweet Cheeks No Sugar Challenge!  Today is day 6 and I don't know about you guys, but I'm feeling fantastic.  It has been way too long since I've been without sugar.  I'd forgotten how energized, productive, fresh, glowing, bouncy, brilliant, sexy, unstoppable, happy and all other things great and amazing it makes you feel!  Seriously, sugar effs you up.  Eff sugar.    

Pumpkin Pesto Spaghetti Squash

2 cups unsalted pumpkin seeds
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
1 spaghetti squash

Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin seed, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt.  Spread the pumpkin seed out on a cookie sheet in a thin layer.  Bake the seeds until they begin to pop and puff, about 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven to cool.

As the seeds are cooling you can cook the spaghetti squash.  Wash the squash.  Using a large knife (and being super careful!), cut the squash in half.  Scoop out and discard the seed and strings in the  middle.  Add an inch of water in the bottom of a 9'x11' pan.  Place squash cut side down in water.  Cook in oven for 35-45 minutes until tender and squash can be scooped right out of the shell like spaghetti!

Once the seeds are cool, add them to a food processor.  Add in the water, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro and 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, then process until paste-like.  Add salt and pepper to taste and process a little bit more.

In a big bowl add the spaghetti squash and the pesto. Break up the pesto and combine it with the squash.

Enjoy!!  I love this pesto.

Recipe Adapted From Whole Foods Market.