So before I start, a little prologue.

IN CASE you had any doubt. Yes, I read all of your comments and if PART 1 didn’t prove that, I don’t know what will .

Thank you all so much for reading along this season, sharing your thoughts, and the kind words. It honestly feels like have an open conversation with a couple hundred close friends. Haha. Is that weird?

…I didn’t think so.

The Finale!

I am going to be brief. And honestly, the three parts that interested me the most were: The Dump, The Proposal and Des as The Bachelorette. I am sure I am not alone in this interest level, but yea… I just didn’t see any other blog worthy material.

SO!

Here goes.

Lindsay getting the boot:

Truth be told, I didn’t watch the finale real-time. I was busy on Monday night and had plans on Tuesday that forced me to not be able to watch the show until late Tuesday Night/Weds morning. During those 36 hours I saw A LOT of comments on twitter, a lot of which, were focused on how well Lindsay handled the break-up.

When I did get to watch it, I can’t say I was terribly impressed… She DID seem genuinely blind-sided, and I obviously think the tears were genuine; I loved when she took off the heels, and I believe her when she said she was happy for Sean and Catherine… BUT. There was a lot of stuff she said that I didn’t care for. “This is unfair”, “Why did he do this to me?”, “I have felt this like 100 times”, “Why dangle everything I want in front of me?”, “This is like, really sad, like, really.”. I am SURE I am seeming insensitive here, but… it got a little whiny for me!!! RIGHT!?! Am I nuts?

YES, I feel bad for her! Yes, I think she got her heart crushed. I think she absolutely believed she was getting proposed to, not dumped! I understand the tears. But, I thought most of the things she said were a bit south of mature. Not a lot…but a little bit. He just fell in love with Catherine and wanted to marry her. THAT is what happened.

Lindsay’s reaction to that seemed sophomoric to me.

Catherine getting the proposal: Yea… I am 29. And a man. Hahahaha, I absolutely got choked up watching that proposal. Maybe it’s because I just had that exact same feeling 5/6 weeks ago. Maybe it’s because the words Sean said were so sincere and simple and wonderful. But, I think what really got me, was the amount of times that Catherine just GASPED and lost her breath. Haha. She literally couldn’t breath. It was just about the sweetest thing I have ever seen. Ohhhhh…. Ok… Hang on, I’ll be right back. I am going to go do 100 push ups…

…Ok I’m back. Yea, forgive me. But holy hell it was a super special moment.

I also, gotta be honest. It took me awhile to really “get it” with Sean and Catherine. I missed the mark for a few blogs there, and I just couldn’t believe how “in love” they seemed right from the start. My guess is there was A LOT that didn’t make it to air the first 3-4 weeks…. Right? I remember watching episode 3/4 and thinking…. WHAT is going on?!?! WHY are they saying that they like each other so much. When we hadn’t even seen them hang out!! Hahaha, it would crack me up every week seeing some of you (that read the spoilers) defend Catherine and what they had, and I was just NOT seeing it.

Obviously, towards the end… I did… and in my opinion their engagement was one of the most special moments on this show… 2nd only to Jake and Vienna’s engagement… OH!!!

Des as the Bachelorette: I LOVED her reaction to being The Bachelorette. She got tears in her eyes; she was at a loss for words. Super thankful, super happy. LOVED. I gotta be honest though, I am not excited for her to be the lead lady. I don’t know what it is. I can’t put my finger on it… Maybe it is remnants of her brother’s face swirling around in my memory pool, maybe it’s just that she was SO agreeable this season. Something just didn’t click to get me on the Des train. I am hoping my ticket gets punched in May when her season starts, but until then I am not thrilled about it. She does seem to be a fan favorite so I am sure I will get heat for saying it… But, yea… I don’t dislike the choice, and I don’t dislike Des… I just don’t think it will be good TV. Schmee Schmerr.

OK! Part 2 is short and sweet.

Thank you all for reading a long all season.

The Boston show at the House of Blues is STILL in the work. I’ll be headed to Edmonton in May to perform, and down to Texas this summer for a Women’s trade show…There are some other cool things on the horizon as well…make sure to visit: www.michaelstaglianomusic.com for information on booking, tour dates, Stag Swag…and all things #LoveLikeThis.

What I REALLY want to do is play song on the show. RIGHT!?! How cool would that be? They always have a musical guest I am going to throw my ticket into the lottery pool to try and get in there. Hahaha.

My love to you all.

WHAOW!

Sean’s family travels to Thailand to meet Sean’s girlfriends and decide which one they want to be stuck with for the next 6 months. I mean, 40+ years. What you all didn’t see this episode is that Chris Harrison got trampled by an elephant and his stand-in had to finish out the episode. That’s why he didn’t talk very much at the end. It wasn’t really him. Neil Lane stepped in as Sean’s advisor.

Catherine and Family: Take it away, Jay.

Here’s the deal…I already was obsessed with Sean’s niece Kinsley, because she is ridiculously adorable. Now I want to be her best friend. After hearing her laugh extremely hard at Sean because Emily dumped him, I feel like we would be best friends.

And how about this little guy? So adorable! His expression here cracks me up! It says, “Why are there always cameras and people standing around that don’t belong to our family whenever we meet Uncle Sean’s girlfriends?”

Sean’s dad reminds me of my own dad. He is so open and loving:) I remember how genuine he was on Emily’s season as well during their hometown date. When he told Catherine that he would love her like his daughter, I didn’t just get teary eyed, I actually made an unintentional crying noise. I get so embarrassed when I cry at reality TV. Thanks a lot, Jay. Anyway, Sean’s dad tells Catherine that there is something special about her and that she is the one. Lindsay doesn’t stand a chance!

Catherine speaks very highly of Sean to his mother and in a very serious tone. She is certain of her love for her son, and this makes Sean’s ridiculously, beautiful and young looking mom very pleased. Seriously, this family is a poster ad for perfection.

After Sean walks Catherine to her Elephant Taxi, he tells the audience that he can see himself marrying her. He then continues to state that he can equally see himself marrying Lindsay. I don’t get it. If he just spent the entire day with her, you would think he would be leaning a little more toward her? Or since he actually chose her, wouldn’t you think he would have stronger feelings for her at this point?

Lindsay and Family: Monkeys in Missouri

Right away, the family throws out an icebreaker to relax everyone by calling out Lindsay on wearing a wedding dress the first night she met Sean. I still think that is freaking hilarious. Lindsay admits she had too much champagne that night, and from the looks of it, she may have had a little too much before meeting Sean’s family as well.

Jay is always as stand out! His personality is light hearted and humorous, and his style is youthful and on point. I remember on Emily’s season, I think I may have given Jay the, “GetzStyle” award. For old time sake, he gets it again this episode. He is wearing a denim blue button down over a neon pink shirt with nice fitting pair of designer jeans. He is like a walking American Apparel advertisement for Dads. Seriously, he dresses better then 99% of the guys I know! Oh, right, he also had a lovely convo with Lindsay. Blah blah blah.

Lindsay and Sean’s mom really connect and I think this is where Sean’s mom gets conflicted between the two and worried for Sean’s decision.

Sean’s mom is absolutely right when she tells Sean that he shouldn’t get engaged because he is feeling pressured. Sean is going to propose marriage in 48 hours, but he doesn’t know which one he wants? He obviously isn’t meant to be with either of them. One would stand out like a sore thumb. Marriage is forever, and he is making that bold move of proposing when he isn’t even sure yet. Wow. I feel for Sean’s mom on this one big time! I wanted to point out that I thought it was really sweet of Sean to attempt to whisk him mom off camera when she started getting emotional. You can try to run from those camera guys, but they are freakishly fast. One was actually in the Olympics for sprints back in 09.

I’m very irritated that we didn’t get to see the ladies talk to Sean’s sister. That was important for me to see considering it’s just Sean and his sister, so the new wife would be like a sibling to her. Also, we didn’t get to see Sean talk to his dad alone. Sean’s dad is the best part of the episode and he didn’t get nearly as much airtime as I had hoped for!

Last Dates:

Lindsay’s grey-knotted tank and pink shorts combo is super cute and casual for an outdoors date in warm weather!

Did anyone else notice Sean pointing to Lindsay’s ring finger after she tells him she is nervous about getting his family’s approval? Jeez! He basically told her that he wants to spend forever with her and that he needs to make his mark on her body by putting a ring on it!

Lindsay states, “Sitting here, looking into Sean’s eye, I can’t believe this is our last date,” She was really thinking, “I can’t believe this is my last day in Thailand. I’ll never be able to afford this shit again. Wait, maybe Sean should dump me so I can be the next Bachelorette and travel the world.” Ok, fine. Maybe she wasn’t thinking that, but I definitely would be.

During the evening portion of the date, Sean tells Lindsay he is 6’3″ and then Lindsay tells Sean she is 5’1″. He thought she was 5’3″. I believe it was here where he made up his mind about breaking her heart. He wants to breed athletes and height concerns him. He informs her that even though she is tiny, she will still be a hot old chick. Things are getting weird and I love it.

Next, Sean enters his last date as a single man with Catherine, who he claims, is very excited about Thailand. She is freaking out about elephants and then, boom, out of nowhere an elephant arrives. To be honest, I would be a little freaked out to ride an elephant. It’s not something we see everyday and it would give me anxiety issues. Maybe it’s time I seek therapy or try prescription drugs? Anyway, the two ride this elephant and it makes me want to cry. In order to steer it, they have to kick and yell in it’s ears. Poor little guy!

Decision Time: www.NeilLane.com/sponsoredcommercial.freebling

Neil tells Sean, “I’ve got the best job ever.” Um, yes. You certainly do, Neil. You were already loaded rich, and now even richer by making rings for The Bachelor and traveling to exotic locations on someone else’s dime. Not to mention, if the couple doesn’t marry, you will get your ring back. Basically, Neil has only given away 4 rings that he hasn’t gotten back. Trista and Ryan, Jason and Molly, Ashley and JP, and Holly and Blake. This guy is makin’ out like a bandit!

“Pause, smile, and touch your earring. Neil will appreciate that.” -Producer to Lindsay, as she prepares for heartache.

Proposal: Chris’s stand-in looks just like him.

Lindsay not only looks stunning in this gorgeous gown, she handled herself with class. She was very crushed, but held her head high and told Sean she was happy for him and Catherine.

Catherine looks like one hot Oscar Trophy in a gold gown that fits her like a glove! I am so very happy for the two of them and I sincerely hope Catherine is strong enough to get through this. Watching the person you love fall in love with other people can’t be easy. Only time will tell and I wish the two of them a long life of happiness, love and snuggling:)

This has been swell, folks. See you next season, right here on TheBachelor.TV. Follow me on Twitter (@nataliegetz) for links to my new show, “Unzipped.”

X O X O

Natalie Getz

APPLY NOW!

A different format blog coming to you this week.

This is PART ONE…

As promised I have read ALL of the comments/questions from the blog last week and have responded to A LOT of them below. My blog about the Finale will be up later tomorrow, but I spent a lot of time on Part One and I wanted to get it to you guys hot off the press! WHAOW!

You can scroll down to find your Name: Question, and Answer… or read every one and be surprised to find your name! The choice is yours : )

Here we go.

Alicia: How does the interview/casting process work? Aside from submitting an application or video, what comes next? And do you know the deciding factors/qualifications to best get on the show?

I have heard that is different for everyone. It can be 6-9 months or people can get yanked off the street a week before filming!! In my case it was a 2 1/2 month process. There were phone calls, back ground checks, psych-tests, online questionnaires, video submissions, on-camera interviews, off-camera interviews… I don’t think there is a list of SINGLE qualities that someone has to have that get them on the show, it is a combination of things, different for every season and person to person.

Pamela B: Chris Harrison SHOULD BE the next BACHELOR and STAGS should Definitely HOST!

Thank you for the kind words. Chris would be AWESOME as The Bachelor and I would LOVE to host. A good idea all around : )

Sadie Grozier: what do I have to write to get you to answer my question but….Do you plan to come to NorCal anytime soon for music or visiting your awesome fans!!

Hahaha, all you had to do was write : ). I would LOVE to do a NorCal/Sf show. Know any good venues?

Shirley: (re: Sarah and Des as Bachelorette)
I think both seasons would be good. I am sure there would be some guys that would not like Sarah, but I think that happens on every season. 25 men/woman won’t ALL see a spark/connection with the same person. I think there would be LOADS of guys that see Sarah for what she is: A beautiful, smart, capable woman that is eager to find love. And same goes for Des. I think there will be some guys that don’t like her and some guys that do.

Jeff: AshLee is too unstable, the runner up is too immature…and no matter how “sweet” she might be, Sarah just isn’t happening. Question is, then who??

A DUDE!!! Hey, Jeff. Thanks for posting. I think it will be Des. Right!?!

Paige P: Which did you like doing better, the bachelorette or bachelor pad?

All three were very different shows. I would say that Pad is way more fun, but was A LOT more stressful. I am a HUGE nerdy, gamer… for serious… Like, I ACTUALLY play Dungeons and Dragons… Hahahaha. So. For me Bachelor Pad was SO MUCH FUN. Breaking down the mechanics of the game, competing in competitions…but, especially on BP2…it was HELLA stressful watching my ex fall in love with another guy. The Bachelorette was crazy fun because of the adventure aspect of it. The travel, the dates… There were really good guys on Jillian’s season that I really liked being around. And Jillian was awesome. And I was YOUNG! I was like 24! I had the whole world in front of me : ). It was a blasty blast!

Stephanie: Do the producers encourage them to share these things (past traumatic experiences) so America will become invested in them (because that does work!)

By date number 4 or 5 I think it is perfectly reasonable to share some pretty “traumatic” life experiences…especially if people feel like it is important to them. Very often those experiences are what shape them into the person they are today, so they feel like it is important to share that with someone they are getting to know.

Kelly: Anyway, don’t you think the comment Sean made to Des was because he already knows she’s the next bachelorette?

Nope. Sean would not be privy to that information.

Ashley Nishihta: I guess my question would be if you have made any big wedding plans? Picked a date or location OR not so much a question as it is a request but will you sing at your wedding?!?!?!

We have a venue picked out and it will be in Chicago next year sometime! : )… Hahaha, and I certainly have a few things up my sleeve for that day. I CAN’T WAIT!

Marisa Dolloff: I am nineteen and have never been to a concert in my life! ik right? I saw on your twitter you were coming to Boston! Please let me know when and where I hope love like this will be my first concert!!!

The BOSTON SHOW is going to happen. It will be at the House of Blues. I am doing everything I can to make it 18+ and I will post the announcement on twitter as soon as the information is finalized!!! : ) See you there!

LeAnn: I know that you are now happy engaged but were you ever in talks to be The Bachelor?

There were certainly talks about it. I was never officially offered anything, and after dating Emily for a few weeks I withdrew my name from the running anyway. I knew I already found the reason I would do the show in the first place

Marie.Nicole B/Ayo: My question is about life in the mansions and all the different cities: are the contestants free to do what they want in whatever city they are in or are y’all stuck in the mansion or room all day? If so what do you do to keep yourselves occupied? Do you ever get bored? So when you guys travel to cool cities, are you allowed to go out and explore them when it’s not your turn with the Bachelorette? Allowed to leave the mansion or the hotel your in to go sightseeing if your NOT on a date?*

We are NOT free to whatever we want and go wherever we want. NOT BY A LONG SHOT. Haha. We are treated VERY WELL, we just can’t go outside. So it easy to get bored, and get a little cabin fever-ish. We play a lot of card games, drinking games, and talk… a lot… Good question!

Toni: do you think that Lindsay would be a good Bachelorette?

Nope, I can’t say that I do. I like her a lot. I like her energy and her youthfulness… I think she would just be WAY TOO YOUNG to handle it well. *Wedding Dress.

Renee: (Re: Chicago Show)

Thank you for coming to that show! Hahaha, yes I was sick. And HOLY HELL. I got DRUNK! The whiskey I was drinking felt SO GOOD on my throat…after about 5 shots I was feeling AWESOME… a little too awesome. : ). I would love to play their again. Maybe Lincoln Hall….hmmm…

Katie: I know I’m young, and I’m staying positive, but here’s my question: what in the world am I doing wrong (if anything), and what can I do to up my chances of being noticed by guys?

Keep your head up! I promise there is no reason to be discouraged… and I can’t stress enough how important it is not to force it. Love will happen. IT WILL… I promise. And it is an easy think to fake, and force. DON’T. Katie, someone will notice you, and love you and care for you… and you will have to do NOTHING to make him act that way. Just be yourself, relax…and know that he is out there looking for you too. The big guy upstairs will have you guys meet when the time is right. Till then, enjoy yourself, and be happy… that way when he does see you… you will be probably be wearing a smile.

Catfish: I am a catfish. My first name starts with a B and I’m making a bunnyrabbit for dinner Michael. Call me.

Be right there.

June: (re: Mental Illness)

You’re right! I tried to comically walk the line between serious/joking. I did not mean to offend anyone and apologize if I did. Tierra DID say things that made her seem “crazy” to me… but I don’t think she is actually mentally ill.

Alice: How important is sex in a relationship? Is it okay to remain a virgin and have a healthy relationship?

I think that physical contact is incredibly important in a relationship. In my opinion it is one of the BEST ways on earth to let someone that you love, KNOW that you love them and care about them. It is ABSOLUTELY possible to remain a virgin and have a healthy relationship… Don’t let anyone tell you differently.

Samantha: What in this world do I have to do to become Chris Harrison’s co-host? I promise to match my dresses to his ties.

Hahaha. He has only had ONE co-host in 28 seasons of The Bachelor/ette/pad. And it did NOT go well. Unfortunately I think the ship he is riding is only fit for one. : ) Though I will put in a good word for you next time I see him.

Katie: would you still be able to watch Bachelorette if Tierra was the Bachelorette? Or would it be too unbearable?

YES! I think it would be REALLY good television! Hahaha

Jen: without the help of a reality TV show – what is your best advice on how to meet other singles? This single girl feels like she’s tried just about everything!

Haha. I know the feeling. I think the BEST ADVICE is to stay hopeful, keep on keeping on, and… someone told me this when I was in college and it has stuck with me ever since…. “Fish where the fishin’s good”… keep your head up, DON’T force it (please) and know that there is a guy out there thinking the same thing right now. You guys will find each other : )

Josefine: What can we know about Emily – and your future? I understand some things are private so whatever you want to share!
Also, I would really like to know how many hours per week Emily works out and her eating habits…

We are crazy excited and having a blast planning our wedding. We have a venue picked out, she has a dress and we will get married next year some time : ). She works out at least 2-3 times a week and I would say she is a good eater. Hahaha, I could talk about her all day. ARGH, she is AWESOME.

Martina Bubnjevic: How did you know Emily was the one so quick? Thank you so much for your blog, you are very appreciated!

Thanks for reading! It was certainly a combination of things, but I think the biggest one is that she made me understand the phrase, “you want to marry your best friend”. I would actually make fun of people for saying that before I met Emily. I just didn’t get!?! I had best friends, they were/are guys. And we hang out and it’s awesome. In the past I had just date “pretty girls” that I was attracted to, and NEVER felt like they were my best friend. Emily is SMOKING HOT, and INSANELY FUN to be around. I HAVE to marry her. Hahaha. She is that awesome.

Christine: since you claim you read all comments, let’s test this theory. hi Michael

Hi, Christine : )

Hilary: How much contact is there between the producers/directors/Chris Harrison and the Bachelor/Bachelorette concerning what is happening with the women/men of the house?

They know everything that happens on-camera and off-camera, but they only share a limited amount of information with The Bachelor/ette. Mostly because they want him/her to find everything out on their own.

Rebecca: Of the past cast members of the show, which girl would you love to see have her own season of the bachelorette, and which guy should be the bachelor? Why?

Michelle Money would be my pick for The Bachelorette. She is caring, kind, funny, beautiful… She has it all! I would love to see her with her own season. As far as my pick for the guy. Hahaha, all my buddies from the shows are in relationships, and I actually like the person they are with. Haha. OH! Kasey Kahl. Holy Hell that would be a train-wreck of a season!!! Wow… that was honest.

Mo: Who do you think should be the next bachelorette?

Sarah or Des. I think it will end up being Des.

Lelia: In the Bachelor(ette) house, do the contestants talk to each other about feelings for the one they are dating?

Cool name! Good Question. I am sure it is different guys to girls. But NO! The guys on Jillians season did NOT talk about feelings. We absolutely talked about dates and what we did, and/or who we thought was going to go home at rose ceremonies… but thats as far as we got. I am sure the girls talk about things much more seriously.

Heather: My question is do you think the bachelors/bachelorettes know who they are going to choose or at least the top 4 way early on? And do the producers influence who they send home?

Yep! I think that every Bachelor/Bachelorette has a pretty good idea of the top 5 before the 2nd episode. And I would imagine all of us could do the same! If you lined up 25 guys/girls and spent just 5 minutes with them… I bet you could pick out 5 or 6 that would want to seriously date…and the rest… ah…uh…not so much. But I KNOW that the Bachelor/ette has the final say…if they want someone to stay, then they stay.

GLink: Do you think there is a chance they will just pull from a new crop for the next Bachelor/ette?

Nope! They tried this with Jesse Palmer and it does NOT work. Here’s why: It is really hard to be the Bachelor/ette. I know it might not seem that way. BUT IT IS. You get NO SLEEP, you are interviewed constantly, you are away from everyone you know and love… and if you aren’t at least a little bit used to it going through a season as a cast member first… nothing can prepare you. I heard after 5 days of filming Jesse Palmer was like. “GET ME OUTTA HERE!”

Gina: (re: mention)

Yes! I read every comment! And here is your mention! WHAOW! #lovelikethis

Finale Night

The day has come, one of the biggest days of Bachelor Nation for 2013, Finale Night. Sean will be declaring his love for one of the two women left standing at his side, he could even be proposing… which I will assume that he did since it’s pretty much Bachelor protocol even if I disagree. So who will it be?! Catherine or Lindsay? I love them both for what we get to see on TV, I can tell that he has a special relationship with each woman…uh oh. Can you imagine how his chosen one is feeling right now watching? Ugh. That is one thing I was grateful for being the “runner up”, I had never imagined how hard it would be to be engaged and watch your significant others loves story unravel with other women while he was also falling in love with you. (Remember Emily mentioning how hard this was when watching Brad’s season?) So hard, but if they nourish their relationship right, they can make it and get through this and possibly even make it down the aisle.

I think Lindsay is sweet, funny, and they have a very “good” relationship, and they look very nice together- heehee… I know, that doesn’t matter. But I’m not sure that they have depth. I know they have romance, but there is a difference between romance and depth. I think that Catherine is very fun-loving, playful, and there seems to be the ability for depth… but I’m thrown off by his decision making a few weeks ago when he wasn’t sure if he wanted to keep Ashlee or Catherine around, however, he could have been madly in love with Catherine from day one and we could have totally missed it! I can’t wait to see who it is and what goes down. I really do think Sean is a good man and has been a solid and genuine Bachelor. I’ve enjoyed this season.

I’m also looking forward to the After the Final Rose. Unlike the Women Tell All, I did get to attend the ATFR. I’m looking forward to seeing the reunion between Sean and the “runner up” and seeing what is in store for her. I personally had moved on from Jake by the time we filmed the ATFR, but it’s crazy how when you watch that final episode for the first time in front of a live audience how it can bring back memories and emotions so quickly. I will be rooting for the girl that will be in the shoes I was once in as it’s a sensitive but good place to be. I will of course also be rooting and gushing with Sean and his chosen one as they celebrate their love publicly… finally!

Cheers to another season of the Bachelor and to Sean’s new love and their future! Cheers to the rest of the girls of this season, may they all find true happiness and love in God’s perfect timing! Thank you all so much for sharing this season with me through Twitter and Facebook and for letting me share my Bachelor Viewing party recipes with all of you.

Now to the Kitchen… another busy week and I’ve got a big gathering taking place this evening and haven’t prepared anything yet. I’ve decided to go to my favorite staples and I know that these choices will be a hit! I’ve also delegated a few items to others this evening to make it a bit easier. Definitely give a few of your friends a call and ask them to bring an appetizer, salad, some wine and focus on this simple, healthy, filling, delicious entree and perfect sweet bite to end your night! Remember, it’s 3 hours tonight, make sure you have some good food to keep everyone satisfied and happy.

*Because spring break is around the corner I’m making “healthier” options as often as I can to stay on track with the Lifestyle Plan that keeps me feeling good- so everything on tonight’s menu (even the wine) is “Nutrition Plan Approved”. You can feel good about these menu options tonight!

Your Recipes…

***

“Pasta-less” Spaghetti

This is one of my FAVORITE meals!! Spaghetti Squash is probably my favorite discovery in the last year, I can’t believe it took me so long to find out about it! Everybody loves italian food so this is a perfect healthy entree to build a menu around. You can of course make it vegetarian easily by not adding any meat to the sauce or even have two different sauce pans going (one meat sauce & one without). This entree is naturally gluten free – BUT please beware of Spaghetti Sauces if you need to cut corners and buy a pre-made sauce. Make sure it’s gluten free. Most sauces that are organic and have very simple ingredients (all which you should recognize) should be fine. Most sauces will actually say that they’re gluten free, so that’s your best bet!

WHAT TO DO:

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees

-Cut Spaghetti Squash in half, long ways

-Scoop out seeds and throw them away

-Spread grapeseed oil, garlic (or garlic salt), and ground pepper on the squash meat (I usually spread this mixture with my hands, massaging into the squash meat)

-Lay the squash rind side down, meat side up on a baking sheet and place in the oven.

-Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour

-Take a fork and scrape from one end to the other getting all of the meat loose from the rind. You will have noodle like squash being loosened from the rind. Once you have all of your spaghetti loose you can add the sauce of your choice just like you would any pasta dish. An organic tomato based sauce is best.

Tips on Sauce:

I use ground turkey for my choice of meat and brown that with some grapeseed oil, minced garlic (you can use garlic salt/powder), dried oregano, Italian seasonings (from my spice rack). You can also sautee onions and mushrooms separately and add into this mixture. Once meat is cooked I use an organic tomato sauce and add my cooked ground turkey to the sauce pan and bring to boil. I then add in more spices and garlic! You can play around with your sauce with all of the organic ingredients you want!

***

Easy Bites…

Caprese Skewers

*This photo does not belong to me*

This is a “piece of cake” appetizer! This is something I delegated to a friend because I knew it would be easy and it feels perfectly with our menu!

Simply stack cherry tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and buffalo mozzarella on a skewer or a fancy toothpick. Drizzle or dip in Balsamic vinegar for extra flavor!

***

Get Your Greens…

A big green salad is perfect to add to this menu. I have another friend bringing a salad, I recommended some dark greens (spinach, kale, etc), walnuts, avocado, and the ideas for a salad are endless- we’ll see what she comes up with! It’s always important to keep the dressing separate when hosting others for varying allergies and sensitivities. Many people don’t realize that many dressings contain gluten. I always keep my own special dressing handy and out for all to use! It’s a healthy, simple, and zesty option!

Simple Lemon Dressing

Find something to make your dressing in, I found this perfect little jar so I can shake it up and it looks nice on the table.

Squeeze tons of lemon juice straight from fresh organic lemons into your serving dish/jar/shaker add fresh ground sea salt and black pepper and shake it up! That’s it! So easy and insanely healthy and delicious!

***

Sweet Something…

Peanut Butter Bites

These peanut butter bites are always a hit! They’re a perfect sweet treat and are packed with some good stuff too! These are from the Nutrition Plan I live by! You’ll be making these all the time!

ingredients:

-1 cup Organic Creamy Peanut Butter (you can also use almond butter, this is how I’ve been making them lately)

-1 cup Organic Honey

-1 cup Gluten Free Oats (Gluten Free oats if you’re Gfree like me, otherwise these are not Gluten Free treats)

-1 cup Diced dried Apricots

-1 cup Sliced/slivered Almonds

-Cinnamon to taste (optional)

-Dark chocolate chips (optional)

directions:

1) In medium size pot, on lowest heat- warm up the Honey & Peanut Butter until texture is runny. You are not cooking it, just mixing around until it is smooth.

2) Mix in diced Apricots, sliced Almonds and Oats

3) Stir until all ingredients are well coated

4) Cool in fridge for at least 45 minutes

5) Roll into small bite sized balls (about 1 tbsp)

*Tips:

-If you are Gluten Free use G-free oats, these are not gluten free using regular oats

-I was in a hurry making my bites so I threw them in the freezer to cool them down, then I rolled them while they were still a little warm and then put them back in the freezer for them to chill quickly!

***

Something to say “Cheers” with…

This evening is all about enjoying the three hour show with your closest friends. Sit back with a glass of red wine which would pair nicely with your entree, appetizer, and salad! Then say cheers to Sean and his lucky lady with a glass of champagne! I’ve delegated drinks this evening to my guests to bring, so I’m sure we’ll have an assortment!

Of course, drink responsibly!

Again, it has been an awesome season and I have loved sharing it with all of you! Now… who will be our bachelorette?!

CHEERS!!!

Happy Bachelor Finale Viewing!

FOR MORE FUN AND HEALTHY RECIPES COME VISIT ME AT www.sweetandfreelife.com

Everyone knows that I’m the Bachelor’s #1 biggest fan. But last night’s Women Tell All left me with less closure and AshLee Frazier and Sean Lowe.

Now, I’m not saying that the Women Tell All told me not to worry about any of the other bloggers who recap each episode.

But clearly it did.

I think it’s fair to say that many of the women on the Women Tell All improved on this season’s fashion. With more Herve Leger bandage dresses than Victoria Grayson’s closet, I’m pretty sure Sean Lowe’s ex-girlfriends were as interested in impressing me as they were in impressing Sean. Maybe more so, because Sean seems to easily forget.

Whereas I never do.

One of my early fashion favorites was Amanda. With her “The Ring” inspired hair and vacant stare, Amanda was still easily one of the top three best dressed of her season. And last night she didn’t disappoint in her peach dress by L’Agence. What did disappoint is that we as viewers never got to hear Amanda’s explanation for her creepy behavior. Did anyone die three days after watching her video? If I say Bloody Mary 3 times will she appear in my Bathroom Mirror? Did the ladies need a Shaman to come to the house to cleanse it of her evil spirits? Or would a regular exterminator do the trick?

Speaking of people with unresolved issues, how was it possible that they glossed over Kacie B? After feeling like she was “punched in the face” and departing in her Body Glove wetsuit, fan fave Kacie Boguskie returned to little fanfare. I would have loved to hear if Kacie regretted coming back for Sean? Did she ever find love? And, most importantly, if she ever connected with Katie about the Keratin treatment.

Katie who, you ask? Remember Yoga Katie whose hair was the only thing crazy about her? Girlfriend Om’ed her way off the Bachelor in episode two. Last night she rocked a purple flare dress by Black Halo, which we barely got to see, let alone hear what really made her leave the show. Maybe there wasn’t enough time for yoga?

Sure, the Women Tell All was saturated with Herve Leger last night, but I still loved seeing Ashley P (Fifty Shades of Cray) in a gorgeous peacock blue dress. I suspect if Ash had kept her liquor and her libido in check on night one, we’d have been treated to some memorable drama and fashion. Also her impression of Tierra’s hypothermia was Emmy-worthy. (eek, is that a runner in her pantyhose? That would SO happen to me.)

Speaking of Tierra, emagahgerl, we need to talk. Tierra, the eyes are the window to the soul, not your cutout dress. Tierra said she had nothing to apologize for last night. But based on that dress alone, I think you should be very, very sorry.

Someone who fared muuuuuuch better was Daniella, who was consistently one of my least favorites (fashion-wise) during her season. I loved the simple white wrap dress and her sleek hair. She looked sophisticated and understated, and it was my favorite look from her all season.

Also, props to Dianna who wore…wait for it…Forever21. That takes balls. Which, incidentally, may be why Sean sent her home early.

I was super bummed by Robyn’s dress last night. Throughout her season on the Bachelor, Robyn was consistently one of my favorite rose ceremony gals, but last night’s dress was a yawn. It was like she went from Bad Girls to Golden Girls while on hiatus.

Remember how I said I never forget? Well I don’t, and so I am kinda disappointed in Leslie M’s choice for another red Herve Leger bandage dress. (She wore one here too) This may just be me, but if I’m spending $1000 on a dress that makes me look like a crimson mummy, it better not be so similar that some lame blogger in yoga pants is all, “you wore that 6 weeks ago.” Yeah, Leslie I expected more from you.

Thank GOD for Sarah Herron who wore a floral Donna Mizani dress. It was fun to see a little more of Sarah’s personality, and I think the dress fit that. Sarah quipped that she thinks she’s funny, and smart and great. And for the first time all season, we got to see the funny part. Sean’s a fool for letting her go, but I suspect Sarah’s not going to have a problem finding a date any time soon. And she has plenty of cute clothes to wear on them.

Someone had a Desintervention. No question that Des Hartsock’s WTA fashion was the work of a professional. Between her Alexander Wang corset dress and Cezua jewels, that was not the same tent-dwelling, Bebe-wearing Des from 6 weeks ago. Remember you heard it here first.

Last up was AshLee and I wasn’t sure if I should call my hairdresser or my therapist. I loved AshLee’s new ombre do and nobody wears a bandage dress like AshLee Frazier. Seriously. I’m pretty sure after seeing AshLee in that colorblock Herve Leger, all the Kardashians put theirs on ebay. But I’m going on record as saying I don’t believe that Sean told her the other girls meant nothing.

I could go on for pages about my own conspiracy theories on the subject, but I suspect that, like any woman who’s in love with a man who has two other girlfriends, she probably interpreted what he said as what she wanted to hear. I also believe that there is no way what went down in that fantasy suite was just “talking all night” based on her reaction.

When AshLee said that Sean acted like a frat boy all season bells went off. “That’s it!” I yelled at no one in particular. “AshLee was acting like a jilted sorority girl who’d spent the night in a frat house and the guy never called her again.” And then I realized that I was making this all about me and I unfriended my ex-boyfriend from college on Facebook.

And that, my friend, is what you call closure.

Next week the final two meet Sean’s family. Catherine and Lindsay each wear dresses provided by the show and Sean’s sister Shay wears another combination of hot pink and lime and I try to pretend it doesn’t bother me.

See you then.

Want to buy any of the dresses seen on the Women Tell All? Check out my blog Possessionista.com to see where they got them. And follow me on Twitter and Facebook for more TV fashion.

There is a lot to discuss this week. Before I start though I have some organizational preludes, and some general “comments” about the comments below the last two months. You with me?

OK! First, I am going to divide this blog up into chunks: Tierra, Sarah, Des, AshLee, The Finale. So if you want don’t have that much time at work, want to jump around, just scroll down and find your desired section. Cool?

Also, hahahaa. Oh where to start. As previously mentioned, I read every comment. Every one… there are no exceptions. In reading these comments the last two months I have noticed that after almost every blog one or two people write horrible, nasty, rude, inaccurate responses AIMED at me. A few things I want to say: These are the only comments I DON’T read in their entirety. I basically read a few words/lines, find out they are irrationally negative and move on to the next one. BUT, I have noticed that there are people who comment on those negative comments, and take time to defend me (appreciated : ))… but my message to those people defending me is… thank you!!!… but just let it go : ). Spend those minutes doing something else… 99% of the time… people that leave nasty comments are just looking for a response. Let’s not give them one! Cool?

OK!

WTA time.

Typically one of my favorite episodes of the season, this one fell a little bit short for me on the entertainment side… but, it was ahhhh k.

TIERRA

Oh Lord. The amount of things she said that were off-putting to me was hard to count. But, I’ll try and recap them all.

First, she got Botox, right? Bad start…

Second. There was a COMPLETE lack of ownership. Yes, I know at the end of her “hot seat” she apologized but did you LISTEN to the apology? She said, “I’m sorry YOU ALL felt that way”. Gross. For the record, that is not an apology.

Third, She IS ENGAGED! YAY! Or… Oh Nooo… or WHAT!?!. I don’t know. How weird was it when Chris asked her WHEN they got engaged and her response was, “No comment.” Then four seconds later she just blurted out, “January!” WHAT WAS THAT!?!?

Fourth, continuing with the WHAT?!?! I honestly, NOT EXAGGERATING, was concerned at one point that Tierra might have some kind of mental illness. Seriously, though. Pathological lying, or bipolar, or just flat out being delusional about reality, because JESUS…there were some things she said that just made her sound crazy. For example, there was a moment where she said… “I was attacked as soon as I walked in the house! And, all these girls just assumed I was there to NOT make friends…” Chris asked a question like, “Why not just be friendly?” and her response was, “BECAUSE I wasn’t there to make friends”. HAHAHAHA! WHAT!?! She also denied ever talking badly about any of the girls. When that was LITERALLY all she did when she wasn’t crying.

Oh gosh…in conclusion I’ll say this. I think Tierra truly has a skewed view of reality. I think she tricks her own mind into thinking whatever it wants…and HONESTLY, I BELIEVE HER when she says, “she doesn’t regret anything, or feel like she did anything wrong.” It takes a special kind of, unaware, selfish, conceited person to TRULY NOT have the ability to put yourself in other people’s shoes…and the WTA proved that Tierra is that rare breed of crazy. My thoughts and prayers to her fiancé.

SARAH

This was a dose of wonderful. Her time in the hot seat was honest, heart-felt…and in my opinion she did it without asking for a pity party. She said things like, “This was hard for all the girls not just me.” She was just heart broken, and reflective, and I really hope she becomes the next Bachelorette. She won my vote FOR SURE. I would be a little worried that she is too much of a softy and that it would be really hard for her to do. But, I think she would find Mr. Right, and I think all of America wants that for her.

Des

Well… I like Des! I really do. I think she is a healthy balance and fun and serious. She is humble, respectful, and appreciative… LOTS TO LOVE. But OOOOOoohhhhhh LORD. Her time in the hot seat was a snooze-fest. I don’t know if she was just nervous (which is totally understandable), but it felt like she was in autopilot. I think before the WTA she was my front-runner for Bachelorette…after watching it… I just don’t think it will be an entertaining season if she was the lead lady.

Not to mention her brother would be THE WORST person to have a conversation with at the end of the season. HOW THE HELL WOULD THAT GO DOWN? That is a GIANT red flag in my book. And I don’t think Sean was completely truthful in saying that is why Des went home. If I was in his shoes that would have GREATLY effected my decision to keep Des around. HOW could you ignore that?

She also seemed oddly agreeable with the things Sean said about why they broke up. Did you catch that? Sean looked at her and said, “I smile just looking at you, Des. You have this light about you, but ultimately I did what was best for both us.” After he said that Des was nodding and smiling!!! Like she totally agreed they wouldn’t have worked out… hmm? Yea struck me as odd.

AshLee

Oh gosh. This went almost exactly how I thought it was going to go. SUPER SERIOUS! Almost no smiling. Kind of vindictive. Desperate. HOLDING ON TO THE PAST. This girl has the exact same gravitational pull as an anchor!!! I just can’t imagine why someone would live their life SO focused on things in the past. It seriously saddens me just thinking about that.

Let’s break it down.

First, she tells us she walked away from Sean because she was blinded-sided and didn’t know what to say. And I got that. And I believe her. I think she was CRUSHED and thought that she was going to spend the rest of her life with Sean. I also completely agreed with what Sean about WHY he dumped her. In fact, it was almost verbatim what I commented on in my blog last week. Sean just NEVER had fun with her!!! There was ZERO “best-friendedness” going on. (Yes, I just a made up a word called best friendedness). My hope for AshLee was that watching the season back she would be able to realize, “WOW! I am WAY to serious all of the time!”…. INSTEAD, it seemed like why went the opposite direction and was super confrontational and acted like she had this HUGE grudge against Sean.

The “poster-child moment” for this was when she called Sean a frat-boy. And that’s where I started to get mad and lose my sympathy for AshLee. LOOK!!! It’s The Bachelor. There is kind of an understanding that Sean is GOING TO KISS a lot of girls, and DATE a lot of girls because that is the nature of the show. For AshLee to NOT UNDERSTAND that and accuse Sean of being a player was uncalled for, inaccurate and pretty freaking childish.

The whole, “You told me you had no-feelings for the other girls” thing… That sounded like a load of crap…for a few reasons. ONE… come on now people… We know that a) Sean is just NOT the kind of guy that would say that; b) he is not STUPID ENOUGH to say something like that; and c) if he DID say that it ABSOLUTELY would have aired!!! RIGHT!?!?

ARGH. AshLee took a GIANT step backwards for me. I really hope she is not the next Bachelorette… that would be a train ride to boring-town. Yea. She just really rubbed me the wrong way. I don’t understand being vindictive. I get she was hurt. I get she was sad. But, she was too much last night. Dislike.

NEXT WEEK.

Wow! Catherine and Lindsay, Lindsay and Catherine…. I mean… No brainer in my book. It is clearly Catherine. They are just about the perfect match for each other and I am excited to see them together during the After the Final Rose portion of the Finale. Lindsay is awesome, don’t get me wrong. I think she is just young, and bubbly, and flirty and doesn’t have the real meat and potatoes that Sean is looking for. It does seem like BOTH girls are incredibly invested. Tears will be shed and hearts will be broken…but thus is The Bachelor at the final leg of its journey. WHAOW!

Something kind of cool to offer this week!!! While it certainly seems fun for a lot of you to READ this re-cap blog every week. THIS WEEK you get the chance to WATCH it or LISTEN TO IT through a company called Afterbuzz TV. I went and filmed/recorded a re-cap of the WTA last night. And it is already available for you guys to watch. I cover a lot of the same stuff, but touched on some other things as well!!!

Check it out online at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUYG6zs_eDk

Or you can DL on your ipod/iphone/ipad… The Bachelor AfterBuzz TV AfterShow… the March 4th episode.

They play some of my music, we laugh a lot, re-cap the show. It’s was AWESOME!!!

As always, my love to you all. Thanks for stopping by to read. Leave a comment AND A QUESTION. Next week I am going to answer some questions in my blog. The re-cap for the finale is usually pretty boring… Only two girls, not a lot of material… So I am going to read and respond. Fire away! Ask about the show, behind the scenes, music, ANYTHING!

WHAOW!

Chris Harrison starts off the Women Tell All by asking a series of really cheesy questions, like, “How do you feel about Sean?” This guy about lost his shit at the very thought. Always fun to see how much dudes even love this show. This audience member’s wife has since separated from him after his explosion of emotion over Sean. In an exclusive interview, she claims she “always knew.” A rep for the husband later comments, “She turned him against women.” CRAZY.

Chris then asks another dorky question, “How do you feel about Sean with his shirt off?” Seriously, ladies, do you really get off seeing a man with his shirt off? When I was younger I thought it was hot, but now it seams PG. Throw in a nude scene and I may feel the same, but probably not. And definitely not with Sean considering his drapes more than likely match his carpet.

Chris then asks the audience if they think this has been the best season yet of The Bachelor, and the crowd goes crazy. Somewhere out there, Jake Pavelka is freaking the f*ck out.

Bachelor Nation: Sounds like a Nerd Cult

I’m obsessed with this girl’s reaction to Chris and Sean. And let’s be honest here, they are probably more starstruck by Chris Harrison (or should be) considering he has been on this show from the get go and IS a celebrity host. Plus, now that he is single and seems to appear younger these days, these girls are probably digging on him too.

At a Los Angeles sorority house, Sean surprises about 100 girls while there are watching The Bachelorette.

As these ladies gain their freshmen 15, Sean gains 15 more minutes of fame. What the shit are these girls doing to their foreheads? Is this some Greek Tourettes Syndrome thing? Either that or someone farted and it’s that fun game where the last person to put there thumb on their head has to “eat” the fart. These girls are more fun to watch then the actual tell all. They should have had more airtime. Oh Well. On to the ladies who got hurt by Sean…

Introductions: 50 Shades Of Fame

This girl was apparently on the show. No one remembers her, yet she is acting like she thinks she is pretty cool. She doesn’t even wave to the audience when they announce her name. You know who else didn’t? Selma and AshLee. These three girls seem to think they are pretty cool for getting dumped and crying on national television. Every tell all, whether it Bach or Bachette, I can tell from the way they act when they are announced how the 15 minutes has affected them. Or in Dianne’s case, the 15 seconds.

My favorite ever, Daniella, gives the best wave! She is so adorable and sweet and greets the audience with a huge smile and wave. This is what every girl should have done. I saw one of the girls do the “2 hand I think I’m pretty special hand wave” and it made me want to trip her “up” the stairs.

Have you ever noticed that they don’t invite girls back to the tell all who get sent home night 1? Ashley Palenkas (aka 50 Shades of Grey) was invited back because she will be remembered more than Lindsay and Desiree due to her hilarious shenanigans night 1.

Tierra: Baby you light up my world like nobody else

After Tierra explains to the studio audience and the ladies that she is used to lighting up a room and having people obsess over her, she pisses them off even more. She says she admits she didn’t want to be friends with the girls and also that she isn’t apologizing for anything. She is actually cracking me up, because she is getting such a rise out of the women, making them look like they care a little too much about her.

Robin Isn’t buying into Tierra’s antics. She also says that she regrets letting Tierra affect her emotions on the show. Um, Robin is allowing it again on the Tell All and literally looks like she wants to cut her.

Tierra claims that she never once said anything mean about any girl in the house. Uh, I can name like 50 things. Right down mean comments that came out of Tierra’s mouth about the other girls in the comment section below. The worst one I can think of is what she said to AshLee to her face and behind her back about her being 32, calling her a cougar, and saying something must be wrong with her.

AshLee isn’t the sweet girl we saw this season. She is getting too defensive and bitchy with Tierra. Freaking out because Tierra called her a liar? Then Sean called her a Liar? Uh-Oh. I feel like maybe she is… Thoughts?

Sean and AshLee: Someone’s pants are on fire. Who do you believe?

AshLee asks Sean why he told her that she was his one and only. She calls him out on telling her that he didn’t have feelings for the other girls. Sean looks redder than a tomato. Then again, he always looks redder than a tomato, so I can’t tell whether he is embarrassed, pissed, about to cry, or has to take a shit.

Seriously, AshLee can’t let it go. She stays on stage during a commercial accusing Sean of the same lie. I really think she has lost it. She may have had some dreams that she thinks really happened, and I can see that happening after going through this emotionally intense process. For the record, I really do like AshLee a lot and think she would be a fun bachelorette to watch. Sassy, hot, endearing and a lil’ crazy!

Other things that happened:

Sarah talks about her emotional journey. Sorry, but kind of boring. She is too normal. Desiree talks about her emotional journey.

Sorry, but kind of boring. She is too normal.

Sean talks about his emotional journey. Sorry, but kind of boring. He is too normal.

Fashion:

Robin’s “Michelle Obama” makeover made her look too professional for this show. She normally looks hot, but now she looks like she is working alongside Leslie in politics.

I love Jackie’s necklace! At first I thought it was attached to the dress. It’s a huge statement piece, and in this case works really well for her!

AshLee either took prenatal vitamins or got hair extensions. She also dyed it blonde, which Sean graciously pointed out. Sean’s hair looks lighter as well. I really like her playful, sporty dress!

Desiree looks stunning in this body hugging, white cocktail dress. The neckline is super sexy on her bust line!

Sarah looked so adorable and I expected nothing less from her. She has never worn anything that is not fashion forward on this show, and she shares my similar style in fun, girlie dresses with empire waists and flowing short skirts:)

What are your thoughts on AshLee and Tierra? AshLee and Sean? Desiree for next Bachelorette? Who do you think is engaged to Sean and do we really think he is engaged?

Join me LIVE for my web show, “Gossip With Getz,” on Tuesday at 7pm PST.

X O X O

Natalie Getz

A Simple Spread

Happy Women Tell All Bachelor Monday!! I’m so excited for you all to see this week’s episode, I think it’s the most “real” WTA I’ve ever seen. Sean gets called out by one of the girls… oh yes, it happens. And I actually don’t know what to think about it. But when it happens, hit me up on Twitter and let me know what you think happened there, and who is telling the truth. There’s a little Tierra action, and of course, she gives some recognition to that eyebrow of hers… I mean, how could she not? Desiree is also there and receives a very warm welcome and looks stunning. How many of you think she’ll be the next Bachelorette?! One of the reasons I enjoy The Women Tell All is getting to know the truth behind conversations, emotions, and feelings between the Bachelor and his ladies. Like I said, I feel like this one is the most “real” I have ever seen.

When I was on The Bachelor I actually missed out on getting to attend The Women Tell All because I attended the After the Final Rose instead. I’ve always been sad that I missed out on the WTA experience for a couple reasons… 1) It’s the first time any of the contestants get to reconnect with the Bachelor. 2) I didn’t get to reconnect with the girls of my season because of it- and when I was on it we weren’t allowed to use social media or be in touch with any of the girls from the show. 3) Ummm… I want to sit in one of those plastic swivel chairs and observe as everyone’s opinions start flying. Instead, I experience the Women Tell All like all of you, through the world of television. And truth be told, it is probably much more comfortable in my sweats with my girlfriends.

Sean has it down to the final two! I feel like this season has gone by so fast, maybe it’s because I’ve felt more invested emotionally to this cast of women because they were more relate-able to me. I’m happy for Sean, I truly hope that he found his partner for life, but I have a feeling that I will agree with his mom next week… “Don’t get engaged!” I only say this, because it is such a special moment in life and even though I believe that the couple can make it work, I also know the reality that you need to step into real life with one another to see if you still jive when you blend your “normal” lives. I like both of Sean’s choices, but I liked all of his last four women, I think any of them could be a great partner to him for several different reasons. Now it’s up to him, he gets to choose which package is best for him… Catherine or Lindsay?! (No spoilers please!!) I’m getting excited for the finale next week already!!

Okay, so now onto your viewing party menu for the week… I kept it super simple. I needed simple this week! I don’t know about you, but as soon as March hits, I feel like life starts to speed up until September, I don’t know how it happens, so my Monday night spread is super easy hoping to help all of you with cutting down time in the kitchen before tonight’s show.

Your Recipes…

Avocado Chicken Salad

I saw several different recipes floating around on good ol’ pinterest and I was inspired by all of them and decided to create my own recipe. This Avocado chicken salad has become a staple for me, sooo good. I decided to make it for my viewing party because it’s a hit, it’s super easy, and it’s healthy! Double or triple the recipe if you’re serving more than 4 people.

ingredients:

-2-3 Organic Chicken Breasts, cook and then shred *The short cut, pull meat from an organic rotisserie chicken

-1 Ripe Avocado

-1/2 Onion, chopped

-Handful of chopped Cilantro, to your own preference. *leave a little for garnish

-Juice of 1 lime

-A pinch or two of Pink Salt

*You can also add ground pepper, but I love the salty citrus taste!

directions:

-Shred cooked organic chicken breast (or pull/shred from a rotisserie chicken) and place in a bowl

-Add Avocado to the bowl and begin to mash around with the chicken

-Add chopped onions and cilantro, mashing these ingredients into the chicken and avocado

-Squeeze lime juice and sprinkle pink salt and mash all ingredients together mixing all flavors well

-Taste to make sure it’s the flavor you’re going for

-Garnish with some cilantro on top

*I serve my Avocado Chicken Salad as is, but I have placed warmed Brown Rice Tortillas on the side so that my guests can make wraps- it’s divine!

***

Little Nibbles…

Tomatoes & Cheese

What you see is what you get on this one! I just thought this was simple finger food, would mix excellently with the Avocado Chicken Salad, and it’s so colorful it looks beautiful on the table. I just found a raw organic white cheese and cut it up in cubes and created a spread with an organic cherry tomato variety. Place a few toothpicks on the side or keep it finger food! I recommend adding some of the tomatoes to your chicken salad, it’s a great addition!

***

Sweet Bites…

Mixed Fruit & Dark Chocolate

Again, what you see is what you get! I grabbed a few of my favorite fruits, washed them up (cut them up), and put them in a serving bowl together with a large serving spoon. I will be placing these out next to a nice plate of varieties of Organic Dark Chocolate! Chocolate and fruit is one of my favorite pairings. In fact, if I had just a few more minutes to get ready for tonight I would bake my Raw Cacao Brownies to pair with some berries/fruit! If you have some time, try them- they’re so good!

Click HERE for my Raw Cacao Brownie Recipe!

(Make them without the peppermint if combining with fruit)

***

Your Beverage…

Strawberry Lemonade Spritzer

Picture is from the official Nutrition Plan and does not belong to me

It’s starting to feel a little bit more like Spring (feeling like Summer in California recently), and I am trying to be a lot more careful when drinking my fancier beverages since they can be full of sugar, and I’m craving a little something tangy and refreshing tonight, so I will be making one of my favorite drinks from the Nutrition Plan I live by! It’s perfect for a fun little cocktail option minus all the added sugars. Please still drink responsibly and in moderation.

ingredients:

-4 oz. Champagne or sparkling cider/sparkling water

-Juice of 1 lemon (my cheeks are puckering thinking about it!)

-1/4 cup Strawberries, thinly sliced

-1 tsp. Organic Stevia

directions:

-Mix ingredients together in a chilled glass and enjoy!

*If you make this drink with sparkling water instead of champagne, serve over ice

I absolutely love everything on this lifestyle plan so you can’t go wrong!

***

Happy Bachelor Viewing!

Only one more week until we find out who Sean will pick!!

FOR MORE FUN AND HEALTHY RECIPES COME VISIT ME AT www.sweetandfreelife.com

The first date is with Lindsay. She proves she’ll do anything for Sean by eating bugs before heading to a lovely romantic beach…cue the monkeys! She seems to be having a hard time telling Sean that she loves him. By the time they get back to the Fantasy Suite she manages to tell him how she feels. These two have great chemistry; I can’t wait to see them together next week.

The second date is with a cautious AshLee who has been hurt and abandoned in her childhood. Sean understands and wants his future wife to trust him as he takes her skin diving in a dark cave. Really kind of scary in there and makes me glad I got to ride on a helicopter above the Matterhorn in Switzerland. They end their evening having unspoken expectations about the Fantasy Suite but she knows what she wants and it is a size 6 diamond ring. Whoops!

The third date is a boat ride with Catherine who is trying to right the ship after a shaky home date that has left Sean with a few lingering doubts. I think it’s pretty clear that these two have the most fun together; they’re a joy to watch. I love the chemistry between them and Sean definitely lights up the most around her. Plus Katherine is willing to move to Texas. Woo hoo!

It’s time to call Doctor Chris Harrison for a counseling session. Sean knows who he has to send home and needs help on how to send the bad news. He tells Chris he is in love with one of the girls… But he does not shout it out.

With some men you can see love in their eyes. With Sean…Watch his smile. He gives it away as he watches videos from the ladies. You can tell instantly who is about to be hurt and wounded very badly.

As the rain falls Sean lowers the boom on a very beautiful lady who says nothing to him as she walks off the set in total pain. After much heartache in her life…she opened herself to love and received the ultimate rejection. I really liked AshLee for Sean and was a little blind-sided myself. It will be interesting to see these two at the WTA.