Happy Mother’s Day! If you’re a mother, I hope you’re spending it relaxing and not lifting a finger. If you’re not a mother, I hope you’re making some mother out there feel special and loved.

Moms are the best, they really are. Of course, my mom is the world’s greatest mom. Don’t try to fight me on it, it’s true!

I mean, check out this picture of her photo-bombing my Dad and I… how could you NOT love her?

I attribute most of my personality characteristics to my mother. My father definitely gave me my work ethic and my focus. No doubt. Not that my mom’s a slump, but my father is a hard-working entrepreneur who rarely falters.

Oh, and don’t be alarmed by his face. He does that from time to time, like here…

Or here…

But my mom. You know when you see those really corny greeting cards? The ones that you skim just for the heck of it – they’re in a really spiral-y cursive and there’s all sorts of butterflies and swirls. Yes, those.

Well, as corny as they are, my mother is ALL of those corny descriptors- she’s caring, loving, honest, genuine, supportive and understanding. She’s my best friend and regardless of what kind of mood I’m in, she’s always there for me… and our whole family. Family photo below, sans my older brother.

She’s taught me so much in my life about being a woman and growing up and coming into my own. Most importantly, she told me to never compare myself to others and that there’s a solution to every problem (something her father taught her.)

My mom is so affectionate. Every time I hold on to Lu during a hug for one extra second and he starts to wiggle out, I think of my mom – she used to squeeze me so hard (in a I-love-you-so-much-I-could-squeeze-you-until-your-eyeballs-pop-out way.)

Anyway, Happy Mother’s Day to everyone today. If you’re coming back after spending the day with your mom, here’s a seriously flavorful pasta dish that won’t take you much time. It’s all in one pot, so don’t worry about the cleanup.

The cubed pancetta works so well with sweet potatoes, because pancetta itself is a bit sweet. Add olive oil, basil, and garlic to that and you’ve got a dreamy bowl of pasta.

I love baby spinach – it’s not as overpowering as regular spinach and is perfect for small side salads or a dish like this, where you want to fit in some greens but don’t want them to overwhelm the other flavors.

How did you spend your Mother’s Day?

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION AND RECIPE

Garlic Sweet Potato Noodles with Pancetta and Baby Spinach Yields 2 10 minPrep Time 15 minCook Time 25 minTotal Time Save Recipe Save Recipe Print Recipe Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil

1 large garlic clove, minced (about 1.5 tsp)

1/2 cup diced white onions

1 pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 cup cubed pancetta

1 large (350g+) sweet potato, peeled, Blade C

1/4 cup chicken broth

4 large basil leaves, chopped

3-4 packed cups of spinach Instructions Place a large skillet over medium heat and add in the olive oil. Once the oil heats, add in the garlic, red pepper flakes and onions and cook for about 2 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add in the sweet potato noodles and pancetta and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and let cook for a few minutes (about 2) and then add in the chicken broth and basil. Let fully reduce and then cook for 2-3 minutes or until sweet potato noodles are cooked through (taste to test.) Towards the end, add in the baby spinach and let cook for about 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. When done, divide evenly into bowls. 7.8.1.2 200 https://inspiralized.com/garlic-sweet-potato-noodles-with-pancetta-and-baby-spinach/ Inspiralized LLC