Healthy Oven-Baked Chicken Parmesan

One of my favorite magazines that I look forward to getting in the mail every month is Clean Eating. I love all of the advice, product ideas and finds, and of course, all of the recipes. They are all clean, healthy, and for the most part, really easy to make.

One recipe that I made tonight out of the March 2013 issue was Oven-Baked Chicken Parmesan. It was so delicious and flavorful that I had to share it with you. I made a few changes to the recipe and I also used mostly organic ingredients. I served it over whole-wheat capellini pasta (angel hair) with sauteed zucchini as a side dish. It's a meal your whole family will love.

Healthy Oven-Baked Chicken Parmesan

Sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp Italian seasoning
28 oz can crushed tomatoes (I used Kirkland Organic Crushed Tomatoes in the glass jar, 24 oz)
1 large sprig of basil
1/4 tsp sea salt

Chicken
1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup panko crumbs
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary (or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves

Instructions
Prepare sauce: In a medium saucepan on medium, heat oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and slightly browned (about 6 minutes). Add tomato paste, garlic, and Italian seasoning and stir until combined (about 1 minute). Add tomatoes and sprig of basil. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally (about 20 minutes). Discard basil and add salt. Set aside.

Prepare chicken: Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or spray with cooking spray). Set up three plates/bowls for dredging the chicken - to the first one, add flour; second one, add egg, egg white, and black pepper and whisk to combine; and third, add panko, parmesan, Italian seasoning, and rosemary and stir to combine. Dip each piece of chicken in flour, then in egg mixture, and then into panko, flipping to coat both sides. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from oven and turn on broil setting.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Add chicken in a single layer. Spoon about 1/3 cup sauce over each piece and pour remaining sauce around chicken. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the chicken. Put the pan in the oven and broil until cheese is melted, 2 to 4 minutes (watch closely). Sprinkle with chopped basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over whole-wheat pasta for a complete meal.

Serves 4

Recipe adapted from Clean Eating Magazine

Toddler Smoothie

I have mentioned this before, but my 2 1/2-year old loves smoothies. Every time she sees me making a smoothie she runs over and wants to help make our "smovvies." I have found a recipe that makes just the right amount and that she loves. It includes one of her favorite foods, yogurt tubes. 

Her favorites include; Chobani Greek Yogurt Champions, Trader Joe's Organic Squishers, and Horizon Organic Tuberz. 

Toddler Smoothie

1 Yogurt Tube (or 1/4 cup yogurt)

1/2 Cup Frozen or Fresh Fruit 

1/2 Banana

10 Baby Spinach Leaves

2 T. Vanilla Almond Milk (add more, if needed)

1 tsp. Flax Seeds or Chia Seeds 

Blend until smooth and creamy.

I found a frozen fruit mix that has mangos, strawberries, pineapple, and peaches - all of her favorites. If you use fresh fruit, just add a couple of ice cubes. 

Serve in their favorite cup and know that your little one is enjoying something healthy for them that they will love (adults love this recipe, too). 

Breakfast For Dinner

I am not a huge breakfast fan (in the morning) and usually make a smoothie of some kind to fill me up until lunch. Even though I make a good breakfast for my family most mornings they still LOVE breakfast for dinner. We make pancakes or waffles from scratch, french toast, frittatas, or breakfast burritos. Sides include scrambled eggs, bacon (nitrate free, of course), and potatoes.

The breakfast for dinner we are loving right now are breakfast skillets. The following Denver Breakfast Skillet recipe is from Pink Pistachio. It is easy to make and so delicious.

Via Pink Pistachio

Via Pink Pistachio 

Homemade Turkey Dinner Dog Treats

One of my favorite things to make at Christmas time are dog treats. All of my family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors know this about me. I just feel like our furry friends need a treat for Christmas, too. 

Dogs go crazy for this recipe. It's super easy to make and only takes a few simple ingredients. The secret ingredient: Baby Food. There is nothing artificial added to baby food and it's already cooked, pureed, and ready to add to your recipe.

The dog bone cookie cutters can be found at Petsmart. Now you are ready to get started.

Homemade Turkey Dinner Dog Treats

1 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Cornmeal
1/2 cup Quick Oats
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
2  3.5 oz. Containers of Sweet Potato and Turkey Baby Food (see above)
1 Egg
1/4 cup Water (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients together - flour, corn meal, oats, and garlic powder. Then add wet ingredients - baby food and egg. Add water only if dough is really dry - add slowly until desired texture. Mix well until a ball of dough forms.

Roll dough out until it is about 1/3-inch to 1/2-inch thick. My dough was sticky so I put flour on the counter top and rolling pin. Cut shapes. Press dough back together, roll out, and cut again. Repeat until you are out of dough.

Put dog treats on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. 

Then hand out delicious treats to all the favorite dogs in your life. Tell them to refrigerate them if they aren't going to eat them right away - but if they are like my dogs, they will never make it to the refrigerator. Enjoy! 

Monthly Pinspiration

I am a huge fan of Pinterest. I absolutely love spending time going through all of the amazing pins and getting inspiration to try new recipes, make new crafts, and travel to new, fun places. I thought that since I have so many wonderful pins (well, I think they are wonderful), that I would share three of them a month, which I will call "Monthly Pinspiration." 

Here are three pins that inspired me this month: 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Source: Bakerella

Original Source: Love and Olive Oil (The Cookie Dough Lovers Cookbook)

I made these today and they were very simple to make and incredibly delicious. Find the recipe, here.

Found on my Pinterest Board "Party and Event Ideas"

Handmade Holiday | Woodland Wrapping

Source: Odessa May Society

I love this. It's simple, pretty, and probably smells really good. 

Find out how to create this beautiful gift wrapping, here.  

Found on my Pinterest Board "Winter Holidays"

Enjoy The Little Things

Original Source: Unknown 

I just love this saying. I think that especially this time of year we need to just relax, slow down, and enjoy the little things, too. 

Found on my Pinterest Board "Words To Live By"

You can find me (and follow me) on Pinterest, here. 

Lemon, Rosemary, and Vanilla Home Simmer

If you are on Pinterest you have probably seen a pin for some kind of natural home deodorizer that you can simmer on the stove to make your home smell delicious. The recipe I have seen the most is this one; mix water, a couple of sprigs of rosemary, slices of lemon, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and simmer of the stove all day. This is a smell that is familiar in Williams-Sonoma stores. 

I have a mini slow cooker and thought it would be perfect for this. I turned it on high, left the lid off, and it let it simmer all day. It made my house smell really fresh and delicious.

Top 10 Food Additives To Avoid

We all know that most processed foods are bad for us. We know that whole, fresh foods or minimally processed foods are better for us. So why do we eat the bad processed foods? Because they taste good, right? But they are NOT good for us. My goal is to eliminate most processed foods from my diet - especially any foods with ingredients like MSG, Trans Fats, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Nitrates, and Artificial Sweeteners, to name a few. Check out the Top 10 Food Additives To Avoid from Hungry For Change (also download the printable shopping guide). You can see which common foods you will find the 10 ingredients in and what side effects they could possibly cause. 

"Low-fat, fat-free, low-carb, sugar-free, low-cal: Sounds like an 80's chemical fiesta. Get over dieting and simply start EATING CLEANER! Dieting?? So OUT!" 

- Stiletto Chef

Start eating cleaner today with this delicious recipe from Whole Foods: Mango, Avocado, and Black Bean Salad with Lime Dressing. Yummy. 

Via Whole Foods

Quick Fact: I like Eden Organics black beans - they are one of the only companies that have BPA free can linings (read more, here). Did you know that most canned goods are lined with BPA as an ingredient (an ingredient we avoid like the plague when it comes to water bottles and plastic products for our babies)? Now you know. 

Peanut Butter Banana "Ice Cream"

If you love ice cream but don't really love the fat and long list of ingredients on the carton, then you have to try this easy, healthy, four-ingredient "ice cream." It's delicious and creamy and my new favorite summer treat (click here to see my other favorite healthy summertime treat).

Peanut Butter Banana "Ice Cream"

1 Frozen Banana, Sliced (click here for tips on freezing bananas)

1 Tbsp. All-Natural Peanut Butter 

2 Tbsp. Vanilla Almond Milk

1/8 tsp. Cinnamon

Put ingredients into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Serves 1

Very Berry Chia Smoothie

I love smoothies and usually drink two different ones a day. In the morning I make a protein smoothie which has chocolate protein powder, a frozen banana, and almond milk (FYI - frozen bananas make a HUGE difference in smoothies). In the afternoon, around 3:00 when I start feeling sluggish, I have a smoothie made with yogurt and fruit like a Post-Workout Green Smoothie or a Very Berry Chia Smoothie. 

Here are a few facts on why you should include Chia Seeds in your diet;

• They are very rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.
• They provide fiber, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin, and zinc. 
• When eaten, the chia seeds form a gel that can make you feel fuller longer and helps clean out your digestive system.

 If you want to learn how Chia Seeds can help detoxify your body, click here and watch the short video created by Hungry For Change - you won't be disappointed.

Very Berry Chia Smoothie

1 cup Berries (mixture of 2 or more - strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries; fresh or frozen)
1 Banana (fresh or frozen)
1 cup Greek Yogurt
1 Tbsp. Chia Seeds
Add Stevia or Agave to sweeten (optional)

Blend until smooth and enjoy!
(Tip: Either use frozen berries and a fresh banana or fresh berries and a frozen banana. If you use only fresh for both, add ice.)

Tips On How To Freeze Bananas:

Peel the bananas, lay them on a baking sheet, and freeze for up to 24 hours. Once frozen you can put them all together in a large gallon sized freezer bag (they won't stick together). Put them in the freezer and use within a month. Also, the more brown spots, the sweeter the banana will make your smoothie - so freeze those brownish bananas, don't toss them.

For The Love Of Fries

I LOVE fries! They are filling, delicious, and flavorful. No, I am not talking about the greasy, nasty French fries that cause weight gain and heart disease. I am talking about delicious fresh vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and squash cut into strips, seasoned, and baked. 

A few years ago I came across an article in a magazine about making your own oven-baked fries. It said to cut potatoes into strips, brush them with olive oil, sprinkle on seasoning and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes (turning half way). They were delicious and I was hooked. 

All the "fry" recipes below are healthy and way more satisfying than the fries you get all your local fast food drive-thru (click on the name of the fry to get the recipe): 

Oven Baked Garlic Fries with Garlic Aioli 

Via Pixelated Crumb

Crispy Baked Zucchini Fries 

Via Convections of a Foodie Bride

 Baked Zucchini Fries

Via Skinny Taste

Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Honey Lime Dip

Via Our Best Bites

Baked Asparagus Fries with a Trio of Dipping Sauces 

Via Spoon Fork Bacon

Baked Garlic Cilantro Fries

Via The Talking Kitchen 

Avocado Fries

Via My Recipes

Baked Eggplant Fries with Lemon Dill Dipping Sauce

Via Shape

Baked Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries

Via The Novice Chef

 Spiced Carrot Fries

Via iVillage

Baked Butternut Squash Fries

Via Can You Stay For Dinner

Eggplant Fries with Honey Drizzle

Via Use Real Butter

Spiced Sweet Potato Fries

Chipotle Cornmeal Green Bean Fries

Carrot Fries

Parmesan Zucchini Fries

Oven-Baked Steak Fries

(Plus Dipping Sauces)

Via Oprah

Also, check out this recipe for Crispy Seasoned Oven Fries from Self Magazine and this recipe for Garlicky Baked Fries with Parmesan and Parsley from Shape Magazine. 

Eggplant

I love eggplant! It's probably one of my top 5 favorite veggies. It's so delicious, filling, and really low in calories (27 calories in a 1-cup serving). However, it's no longer a healthy vegetable when you order it fried and covered in cheese like my favorite Eggplant Parmesan at Brio Tuscan Grille.

There are so many ways to cook eggplant healthy; Bake it, layer it in veggie lasagna, add it to a healthy ratatouille, and so much more.

Here are some facts on why you should include eggplant in your diet;

• Eggplant is an excellent source of dietary fiber, which can help protect against colon cancer and keeps the digestive system regular.
• The vitamins in eggplant consist primarily of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), B vitamins, folate, and vitamin C.
• Eggplant is rich in minerals, boasting a large quantity of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous.

Facts from livestrong.com

If you have never had eggplant or if you tried it before and didn't like it then here is a beginners recipe to try that is super easy, healthy, and delicious. Come on, you know you want to try it. Don't be scared. 

Baked Italian Eggplant Parmesan

1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch circles (see above)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 T water

3/4 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup marinara sauce

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine egg and water in a shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in another shallow dish. Dip eggplant slices in the egg mixture, coating both sides; dredge in breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat both sides. 

3. Spray baking sheet or line in parchment paper. Place eggplant on baking sheet; broil 5-7 minutes on each side until eggplant is golden brown and tender. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons marinara sauce on each slice and top with 2 tablespoons cheese. Return to broiler until cheese melts; about 1-2 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers

Here are some other healthy eggplant recipes to try that I found recently on Pinterest;

Baked Eggplant Fries w/ Lemon Dipping Sauce

via Shape.com

Baked Eggplant Pizza

via pinchofyum.com

Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

via marthastewart.com

Lasagna Roll-Up's

Picture from Classy Cooking 

I have another delicious recipe I want to share. I found this recipe for Lasagna Roll-up's on Pinterest which linked me to a blog called Cooking Classy. You can find the recipe, here. They were really tasty and easy to make. What I LOVED about this recipe was the "roll-up" part. You pretty much make twelve separate servings of lasagna in a baking dish. You cook the noodles, lay them flat, pile on the cheeses, sauce, and meat and then you roll them up and put them in a 9x13 baking dish. After you have them all in the baking dish, you put more sauce and cheese on top. When they are done baking you sprinkle fresh Italian Parsley over the top.

I love it because they are portion controlled and just the right amount. I have a favorite lasagna recipe I have made for years that I can't wait to make into roll-up's. I honestly don't think I can go back to baking lasagna the "traditional" way.

Amazingly Delicious Dinner

Between Our Best Bites and Pinterest I have been finding some very delicious recipes. The other night we tried four new recipes all in one meal. Let's just say it was one of our favorite meals ever. I found two of the recipes on Pinterest, one online, and one in Our Best Bites cookbook. Here they are:

The First Recipe: Balsamic Honey Pulled Pork Sliders (found on Pinterest, from Better Homes and Gardens)

They were the BEST pulled pork sandwiches I have ever had. The meat was cooked in a slow cooker and then after it was done a homemade sauce was added to it. The only step I didn't do was adding all the onions and peppers back to the meat mixture. If you make this recipe just make sure you read through the instructions before you begin.

We bought dinner rolls for the slider buns, lightly buttered them, and toasted them on the stove top. 

Photo from Better Homes and Gardens

The Second Recipe: Homemade Coleslaw (to go on the pulled pork sandwiches). I can't find the recipe, but it was just pre-packed coleslaw mix, light mayo, sugar, and vinegar. Mixed it taste.

The Third Recipe: Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Honey-Lime Dip (from Our Best Bites)

These fries are so delicious. My husband and baby both love sweet potatoes and they loved this recipe. We opted not to do the dipping sauce since we had so many other flavors going on.

Photo from Our Best Bites

The Fourth Recipe: Roasted Broccoli (from Our Best Bites cookbook). The whole family loved the broccoli. It was tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and baked for about 20 minutes and then topped with parmesan cheese. It was a little crispy with great flavor.

In case you were wondering - yes, dinner took a couple of hours that night... but it was SO worth it!

Andes Mint Cupcakes

A favorite dessert at my house are mini Andes Mint cupcakes. They are so easy to make, just the right size, and so chocolaty and delicious. I used my Andes Mint cake recipe but made it into cupcakes with buttercream frosting. What makes them so easy to make is because they are made with a boxed cake mix. I would usually prefer to make cupcakes from scratch, but who doesn't love a really easy, delicious recipe once in a while? I do.

First, I will share the cake recipe and then I will let you know what I did to make it into cupcakes. (I do suggest making the cake recipe at least once - it will make you an instant hit. Everyone loves this cake! It is super moist and minty.)

Andes Mint Cake
1 Milk Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Large Package Instant Chocolate Pudding
2 Eggs
1 3/4 Cups Milk
1 Package Andes Mint Chips (divided in half)

Mix the first four ingredients together until blended. Add half of the package of Andes Mint chips into the batter and mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. After you remove the cake from the oven, sprinkle the other half of Andes Mint chips onto the cake and spread until even and melted.

To make cupcakes I mix the batter as directed above and then fill 35 2-ounce souffle cups (aka nut cups) 1/2 of the way full. If using souffle cups you can just line them up on a cookie sheet since they are strong enough to stand on their own. 

I bake them for about 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees. Keep checking on them and remember when you insert a toothpick and it comes out with chocolate on it - it may just be a melted Andes Mint. Next, I topped them with buttercream frosting (see below) and add green food coloring to it until it becomes a mint green. 

Last, I made the decoration to go on the cupcakes. I melted the remaining Andes Mint chips and put small amounts, about the size of a nickel, on wax paper to harden. Then I melted white chocolate melting chips, then mixed it with green food coloring until it was a mint green, and then put it in a frosting bag and just cut the bottom of the bag so only a little of chocolate would come out. Then I crisscrossed it across the melted Andes Mints. 

Buttercream Frosting
1/2 cup Butter (room temperature)
2 Tablespoon Whole Milk
1 Tablespoon Vanilla (I prefer Madagascar Bourbon)
3 cups Powdered Sugar
Green Food Coloring

Frosting Tips: I use tip size #807 for regular cupcakes and size #806 for minis. I use disposable 12-16" decorating bags and just cut a hole big enough in the bottom for the tip to fit about half-way through. I start my frosting swirl in the middle of the cupcake, work out toward the edge, swirl around the bottom and then work in and up. It's easy and just takes a little practice.

Top Five: Things I Am Loving Right Now

I can't believe it's already February. Since it's the month of love and I am loving so many things right now, I thought I would share my top five list (above and beyond my family and friends, of course). Ready to hear see the word "love" a lot? Here we go...

I Love My Job

I just finished my first week of training and all I can say is I LOVE MY JOB! I love being a Barista and being part of the Starbucks team. My co-workers are so amazing. I love that Starbucks offers their part-time employees such great benefits. I have never had a job like this and I have discovered that I love working with the public and learning all about being a Barista. I don't really love waking up at 4:00 am (Ugh!), but it's only three days a week and that's why naps were invented. I also love that this job has filled a really tiny void I was feeling. Don't get me wrong, I love being a full-time stay-at-home mom, but I also love working as long as I enjoy what I'm doing. Plus, Ella wakes up between 8:00 and 9:00 am, so I only miss a few hours of her week. 

I Love Our Best Bites

Since stumbling upon a few of Our Best Bites recipes on Pinterest, I have fallen in love with their website and cookbook. We have made lots of recipes so far and we have loved every one of them. They are healthy, flavorful, and easy meals to make. So far we have made Apple Butter Pork Chops, Guiltless Alfredo, Tomato Artichoke Pasta, Roasted Broccoli, and Orange Chicken (from the cookbook) just to name a few. Our goal is to make every recipe in the book. They all look THAT good. 

I Love Blue Lemon

I have mentioned Blue Lemon before, but it's because it's one of my favorite restaurants. Blue Lemon's motto is "Pure Clean Food with a Twist." It's all-natural food (mostly local) and really delicious. The reason it made this list is not only because I love them but because they are opening a new location in Cottonwood Heights and I am so excited. I am always in that area at Target, Snider Bros Meats, The Store, or Whole Foods and now I can stop at Blue Lemon for lunch. I love that. 

I Love The Revolution

The Revolution is a new daytime TV show that focuses on women. It provides the tools to help you start your own revolution and make transformations in all areas of your life. The team of experts include;  Dr. Tiffanie Davis Henry (emotional well-being expert), Dr. Jennifer Aston (OB-GYN, health expert), Harley Pasternak (Celebrity Trainer and Nutritionist), Tim Gunn (Fashion Guru), and Ty Pennington (Design Expert). Each expert shares tips and advice on how you can become your best self. Also, each week they feature one woman going through her own transformation (her 5-month journey unfolds over the 5 days of the week). I just love this show and get so many tips from it. It's a daytime show worth watching. 

I Love Pink Pistachio 

I am pretty sure everyone has someone that inspires them, even if they don't know them. They are talented, beautiful, funny, and just downright amazing. One of those people to me is the girl (her name is Missy) that writes the blog Pink Pistachio. I follow her blog daily and pin (on Pinterest) almost everything she posts. I love all of her fashion advice, favorite things, recipes, beauty tips, etc., etc., etc. I also love that she is a mom of a toddler just like me and loves her dog like a child... just like me. She is also into organic and earth-friendly which I love. You can check out her fabulous blog, here. 

Pink Pistachio's DIY Infinity Scarf