Almond Crusted Chicken Fingers

 

 

I love chicken fingers. Chicken fingers love my waist. This is the both of best worlds. Healthy and satisfying to cravings!

 

Almond Crusted Chicken Fingers

• Boneless Chicken Strips (I say use organic chicken strips) as many as you want to cook, they heat up the next day great!
• 1 Cup Almonds crushed. (I have used pre-crushed but I usually buy chopped almonds I have used whole almonds) and then I crush them in my blender)
• Garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Dried Parsley
• 1 /2 teaspoon Paprika
• 2 teaspoons Dried Mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon of Nutmeg
• 1/2 Cup Wheat Germ. (I usually do not use wheat germ. I like it just with the almonds (plus it is healthier with just almonds) 
• 2 egg whites, if you run out you can always add more egg whites, I just dislike wasting eggs
• Cooking Spray

 

1. Preheat oven 350*
2. Cover pan with foil and spray with cooking spray
3. In 1 bowl add all ingredients except egg and chicken
4. In 2nd bowl, whisk egg whites.
5. Dip the chicken in egg whites, let the excess drip off.
6. Dip and cover the strips in the 1st bowl of mixture
7. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until cooked through. It will have a different look compared to fried chicken fingers so make sure not to over cook the chicken

 

 

Pre chopped almonds

Blend the almonds to desired crushed-ness (I usually go ahead and crush all of them and store it in a mason jar in the pantry for easy access later in the week)

Coat chicken and bake!

 

SOO YUMMY

 

Results:

I cook these at least 2 times a week. They are one of the easiest meals and I could do it with my eyes closed. I usually bake extra for lunch the next day!

Baked Veggies

 

Like I have said before, I am not a fan of cooked veggies. With this said, I may have just found a dish that changes my mind on that. I was so excited to eat this after I cooked it that I {once again} forgot the after picture.. but try it out anyways.. trust me.. YUMMY!

 

BAKED VEGGIES

Zucchini
Squash
Sweet Potato
Garlic powder
Minced Onion or chopped onion
EVOO
Cheese
*EXTRA TOUCH* I also added laughing cow wedge cheese because it is wonderful to cook with

1. Preheat 350*
2. Slice your veggies in thin slices {I also peeled my veggies because I enjoy using the peeler I have.. but it is not a must}
3. Mix garlic, onion, and dab of EVOO in the bottom of your baking dish
4. Place veggies in pan
5. Add your laughing cow wedge cut in to chunks at this point if you are using the laughing cow cheese
6. Sprinkle spices (I sprinkled garlic on top and mined onion, then added some parsley)
7. Cover and bake for 15 mins
8. Take out, add cheese and recover
9. Let stand (while covered) so cheese melts
10. Serve or Eat our of the pot if you cant wait.. like me
    

Results:

AMAZING. AMAZING AMAZING.. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! I will be making this weekly, if not daily.. I ate it with my almond crusted chicken fingers.

Feta Stuffed Zucchini

 

Recently I have found a love for Zucchini. I mean I love it. RAW. Not cooked. Although I have been working on acquiring a taste for it half raw/half cooked. Meaning, I don’t cook it long enough to get mushy but it is cooked enough to taste different and be hot.

 

Feta Stuffed Zucchini Cups

Zucchini
Feta
Parsley
Garlic powder
Wine Vinegar
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Any other add-ons: bacon, tomato, carrots, etc.

 

1. Preheat oven 350*
2. Cup Zucchini into large slices
3. Scoop out center with melon scooper or small spoon
4. Cover pan with foil and spray with cooking spray
5. Mix together ingredients
6. I did not measure each ingredient, I did it to taste
7. Stuff cups with the feta
8. Bake for 15 mins, or until desired texture

 

Review..

I was not a fan of these. It was the feta that didn’t set in my mouth right. I am sure this would be good with some other type of cheese or stuffing (tonight I am using meat to stuff them with) but as for this dish, I will not be cooking it again with feta cheese. {I did make myself eat half of it though}

Pizza stuffed mushrooms

I am (and have been) back in the kitchen. Cooking up new recipes and creating some of my own.

With this wasting healthy stuff I have come to realize a few of my unhealthy cravings. Such as pizza. I am not a fan of pizza hut or papa johns. But take me to mellow mushroom or lupis and I am all about that greasy cheesy Alice of pizza...ok. Maybe more than just a slice. My favorite pizza is homemade pizza straight from my oven. There is nothing better than making it and eating it in the comfort of my home. Pizza is not an option though. And goodness when I crave it. I crraavvee it! Some I have found a way to settle the craving (as best as possible) without loading up {or down} on those carbs.

Pizza Stuffed Mushrooms

Mushroom caps
Tomato sauce (no salt added)
Cheese
Garlic powder
And any topping

1. Preheat oven 400
2. Wash mushrooms with damp cloth (don't run under water because they will absorb the water and stay wet)
3. Cut stems and scoop out inside of mushrooms
4. Sprinkle garlic over mushrooms
5. Place mushrooms in oven for 5 to 7 mins depending on desired cook
6. Take mushrooms out and stuff with sauce and other toppings
7. Place in oven on broil until toppings are melted
   
   
   I am posting from my phone so sorry of the pictures are out of order.
   
   

 

 

 

Results:

LOVE LOVE LOVE.. The mushroom was a little overpowering but I know this can be fixed with a little tweeking of some spices on the mushroom. I ate it as a side dish with  chicken and spinach leaves.

Sushi Maker

 

Today marks a very exciting moment for me! I made homemade sushi!! 

I love sushi!

 

I had no idea out much of each ingredient to put into the sushi, so that could use some tweeking but I have to say.. I’d give myself a 7.. it also needs some spicy mayo or something..

 

I used Seaweed, sushi rice, shrimp, and avocado (pretty simple and blandish.. like I said, it needs sauce)

 

 

Thank you sister for the bamboo roll, rice spoon, and sushi tray!

Spread the rice on the seaweed.. make sure you wet your fingers so the rice doesn’t stick

 

Add the veggies and protein in a vertical line.
(I need way more avocado and shrimp.. if it looks like to much, add more.. it isn’t too much)

and roll

sharp knife, wet the blade, slice, SERVE

I am proud!

10 – 1 point (not enough stuffing) – 1 point (needs spicy mayo) –1 point (I want the rice on the outside) = 7 points!!

Kale Chips

 

 

We all need that perfect crunch! Kale chips are exactly the (healthy) crunch you are I was looking for.

I honestly could eat it by the handfuls! MmMMMMmmmMm!

 

• Simply buy Kale (it is a lettuce)
• spray with a cooking spray or evoo
• sprinkle with salt, garlic, parmesan cheese or any other spice you want
• bake at 350 around 15 mins. The do burn easy so make sure you watch them
• half way done, flip for even crunch

 

Pizza Bites

Last night the girls got together and had  Pinterest Party. Pinterest food, crafts, and drinks!

I could not decide what to make out of all the Pinterest recipes. After much deliberation, I decided that I couldn't go wrong with Pizza. I found 2 different pizza bite recipes and tried them both out.

I used these ingredients for both recipes.

First, Pizza Stuffed Pretzel Bites 

Roll out your dough, the cute 3 inch pieces out.  Re-roll the pieces.

Place cheese and peperoni in the middle

pinch up the sides. I ended up rolling them in a ball after I pinched up the sides.

Bring water to a boil. Add the baking soda. Place a few bites in the pot for 30 seconds.

Put wet (from the step above) on a pan and brush with egg whites. Cover with Sea Salt

Pretzels has lots of salt. The pizza mixture and the sea salt were kind of strange.

They tasted like pretzels exactly though.

Next, Pizza Rolls

Roll dough into a rectangle and spread salted butter (I ended up not salting the butter on the next 2 because again, the salt and pizza was weird) Add garlic powder, sauce, cheese, and pepperonis.

Roll into a long log and refrigerate for 20 mins at least

Cut the log into slices. Place on pan and bake.

YUMMY

Pizza Pretzel Bites

dough
mozzarella cheese, about 20 cubed pieces
sliced pepperoni
olive oil
Italian seasoning
grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate or cake pan.
Divide the pizza dough into roughly 20 equal sized pieces.
Take one of the dough pieces and press in a cube
Of cheese and two pepperoni.
Pull the edges of the dough down around the filling and seal.
Place in the pan, seam side down.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Each piece of dough should be touching each other in the pan.
Lightly brush the tops of the dough with olive oil or egg wash
Sprinkle on salt and Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve warm or at room temperature,
with dipping sauce if desired.

 

Pizza Bun

dough

Pepperoni (or try cooked, crumbled Italian sausage) – amount is up to you.
3 oz SALTED butter, softened
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1/3 c marinara sauce

Directions

Spread on softened SALTED butter,

sprinkle garlic powder on top of that, then the sauce, then finally the pepperoni.
Gently roll up into a log and pinch the ends closed.

 Refrigerate log for at least 20 minutes

Cut rolls, place in greased pan, and put inside cold oven.
 preheat oven to 350°. Bake rolls for 25-30 minutes,

or until tops are brown and cooked throughout.