I prefer a little of the real stuff over imitations any day. 

Go big or go home, right? 

Take bacon for example.  There is nothing like real bacon, cooked perfectly and served on the side with breakfast, or added to a dish.  The smoky flavor of the good stuff can’t be beat.  I’d be remiss if I pretended it could.

HOWEVER.

For a week night side dish, turkey bacon is a pretty good stand-in.  I won’t say substitute because there is no such thing as substitute for real bacon!  This is definitely not something I’d serve at Thanksgiving or a large dinner gathering… but on a Tuesday night when your chicken is looking a little lackluster and you need something to spice up the meal?  This totally works. 

And Lloyd agrees. 

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 8 C fresh green beans
• 4 turkey bacon strips
• 1/2 C onion, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Place beans in a large pot or saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, and then cook uncovered for about 10 minutes, until beans are tender but crisp.  Drain and set aside. 
2. Meanwhile In a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Remove from pan and crumble or chop. 
3. Add onion to pan and sauté until tender.  Add beans, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to pan; toss to combine. 
4. Remove from heat and top with bacon, and toss before serving.