fit n' crispy chicken parm

Italian food. its been on my mind lately.

i really wanted something heavy like a big pan of cheesy lasagna but this nipped that craving right in the bud.  it's lean, it's fit, it's crispy, it's savory, and it's good.

making your own bread crumbs is super simple and recommended.  pick your fave bread! for my recommendations, keep scrollin'!

perfect. no frying needed! i had planned to sear the chicken on both sides in my cast iron skillet (before putting them into the oven to finish) cause i wanted that crispy, crunchy exterior, but omitting that step still produced the same results. SCORE.

i used Classico all natural, fire roasted tomato & garlic sauce (or you can make your own marinara... uh huh, keep scrollin'),

and topped the breasts with a heaping tbsp of sauce, a few spinach leaves, and a big slice of mozzarella almond cheese.

i know chicken parm is usually paired with some variety of pasta, but i had a big, unbaked spaghetti squash sitting on my counter i needed to use.

tender, Italian juiciness.  recipe time :)

fit n' crispy chicken parm

the stuff: breadcrumbs

• 4 slices whole wheat/grain bread (see what i used below)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 cup light parmesan cheese (optional for a dairy-free dish)

the stuff: chicken

• 4 large boneless & skinless chicken breasts
• homemade marinara 
• 1-2 tbsp melted dairy-free buttery spread (see what i used below)
• 1-2 cups shredded cheese of your choice! (see what i used below)
• 1/4 cup Coconut Aminos
• 1 tbsp Weber Kickn' Chicken seasoning blend

do this: breadcrumbs

1. toast slices of bread until crispy, not burnt but no longer soft and chewy.
2. break them up into pieces by hand and toss them into your food processor.
3. add the onion powder, garlic powder, optional parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings.
4. blend until you achieve a breadcrumb-like consistency and set to the side.

do this: chicken - preheat oven to 400 degrees now!

1. pound and flatten thawed chicken breasts (under a towel, in plastic wrap, in a plastic bag, etc) with your mallet until about 1/2 in thick.
2. MARINATE the chicken breasts (overnight for best results) in the aminos and weber seasoning in a plastic baggie.
3. make an assembly line with 3 shallow pans.  1: melted buttery spread 2: breadcrumbs 3: baking pan (coated with no stick cooking spray) that will go into the oven.
4. take each chicken breast and dip/press them into the buttery spread, then the breadcrumb mixture coating both sides evenly.
5. finally, place them neatly into your baking pan, flat.  if they are touching it's ok but don't overcrowd your pan.
6. place pan(s) into the oven and cook for 20 minutes on one side; flip, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
7. once done, remove pan from oven and set oven to HIGH broil.  spoon marinara over the center of the breasts (how much is up to you) then top with shredded cheese.
8. place pan back in oven close to the broiler heat and once the cheese is completely melted and bubbly, remove the pan from the oven for the last time and top with fresh basil.

here are a few options:

Sara Lee whole wheat 45 calories & delightful bread + mozzarella almond cheese,

Rudi's multigrain gluten-free sandwich bread + Daiya dairy-free shredded mozzarella,

 

or my fave, the 80/20 version: Rudi's multigrain sandwich bread + shredded monterey jack!

le

Popcorn Indiana giveaway + clean, shrimp fried brown rice

back to back giveaways?! WHY NOT!

if you're following me on Instagram, then you already know by now what was in that big box.

 oooh just one of my fave snacks ever-  POPCORN!!!! THANK YOU TONS, Popcorn Indiana!

they sent me two phenomenal flavors of their new Fit Popcorn:

i have my eyes straight PEELED for the onion & dijon flavor for sure. so far my Sprouts Farmer's Market hasn't carried it.  anyway, on to the contest rules!

• Instagram: share the Popcorn Indiana giveaway pic on your own IG page!  remember to tag #popig and @fitfoodiele in the comments so i don't miss your vote.

for multiple entries, you can:

• Facebook fan page: 'Like' it!
• Follow: www.fitfoodiele.com via email (top right corner of this page;))
• Comment: on THIS post telling me your absolute, hands down, favorite Popcorn Indiana flavor. mine is dark fudge chocolate chip kettle corn.... :shock:

 Fit Popcorn stats: ★approx. 40 cals per cup★ all natural, gluten-free ★whole grain ★zero trans fat ★and non-GMO.

I just want to make somebody else's tummy and face SMILE!!!!!!!!!!! please share!

this fine tuesday morning started out with a crazy Total Body Conditioning workout as it usually does.

then breakfast.  just an egg white omelette topped with alfalfa sprouts, low carb ketchup, greek yogurt, and dijon mustard.  pancakes were super ugly and did NOT make the cut. heck that omelette barely did.

oh and i wanted to post my baby bella almond cheddar grilled cheese sammich from yesterday's lunch as i received quite a few inquiries on what the heck almond cheese is and where can you get some!  it's a dairy-free cheese substitute that shreds and tastes darn close to dairy cheese IMO.  it will melt, just takes a little longer to do so.  i  learned about the Lisanatti brand via Instagram, and i have always stuck with it.  i'll have to do a product review on some of those other brands at a later date!  you can find Lisanatti almond cheese in the cheddar, jalapeno jack, and mozzarella varieties at Sprout's Farmers Market, Whole Foods, Central Market, and most other speciality food stores.  i just read on their site that they no longer ship orders out though :(

so my first chicken fried rice recipe is super old.... a revamped was needed.  so here it is!

i used shrimp this time though as you can see ;)

clean, shrimp fried brown rice

the stuff:

• 2 cups brown rice, cooked
• 5 whole baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
• handful of sprouts (bean, alfalfa, your choice)
• 2 tbsp Bragg liquid aminos
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 egg whites
• 2 green onion stalks, chopped
• 1 medium shallot or 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 lb shrimp, marinated
• 5 baby carrots, chopped thinly or shaved
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup green peas (optional)
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup fresh, chopped pineapple (optional)

shrimp marinade

• 2 tbsp Mrs. Dash fiesta lime seasoning or 1 heaping tbsp Weber Boston Bay all natural seasoning
• 2 tbsp Bragg liquid aminos
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic

do this:

1.marinate your shrimp for at least 30 minutes in the spices, liquid aminos, cilantro, and garlic.

2.add them to a medium to high heated wok or skillet sprayed with no-stick cooking spray.

3.they cook quickly, so about 3-4 minutes max will do.  remove them from the pan and set them aside for now.

4.add all onions (1 green onion stalk though)  garlic or shallots, carrots, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and aminos into the medium heated pan and cook covered until the onions are translucent and carrots are softened, about 5 minutes.

5.make a well in the middle of your wok and pour the egg whites into it.  let them cook and scramble as you continuously stir until they are done.

6.add the cooked rice, mushrooms, cooked shrimp, pepper, red pepper flakes, a little green onions, fresh pineapple, and green peas into the wok.

7. incorporate and mix well, then let it sit covered for 2-3 more minutes over low heat. chop the remaining green onion stalk and top your dish with it.

8. devourrrrrrrr!

 learn to look for the good in EVERY situation; i promise you it's there.  think positive, be positive, and positive things WILL happen.

le

@ my desk

no more start/stop- catching up NOW.

good monday that is almost over to you!!

this will be crazy random but just stay with me.

i hope you guys are using and being creative the IG food pics- that's definitely some of my motivation for posting.

this was lunch @ my desk last Friday:

100 calorie multi-grain english muffin, grilled chicken breast, avocado, spicy mustard, and a crispy red bell pepper.  since my job is waaaaaaaaay closer to Trader Joe's than my house, i stopped by there to get a few specialty items on my lunch break that day.

more eggplant humus wish it came in a big TUB.

i can pronounce everything. that's the kind of ingredient list i like to see and the kind you should look for as often as possible.  also, natural, no additives or preservatives means eat it sooner than later! won't last but a few days.

also got some sweet sugar snap peas for dipping! in the car.

 i walked into TJ's with intent to restock my fig butter, but as soon as those double entrance doors parted, i walked straight up to a tower of pumpkin butter.  clever is that seasonal marketing. they also had honey apple butter and i couldn't leave without it.  i did leave the mango butter for next time though.

i hit up HEB, Whole Foods, and Sams this weekend to do my real shopping.  i got my sample on of course,

  *high five*, HEB.  but zero points for presentation.  steak pizzaiola, italian chicken sausage soup, and creamy potato casserole was served at one of their live sample stations. oh God, those potatoes though :shock: . i always grab a recipe card to see just what they put in those samples and they never fail to freak me out.  full-fat heavy cream and cream cheese is what made those potatoes so darn good!  but they were sample size sooooo i proceeded to enjoy.

i got outta there with my usual stuff plus a few specialty items.

my kitchen island stays just like this for the most part.  i like to keep my produce out where i can see it cause i'll forget about it in the fridge and it's more likely to spoil.  gonna go ahead and add 'personal grocery shopper' to my resume, seriously!!! i could do this every day.

i've been using the sesame Ezekiel bread for the past few weeks, so i picked up the cinnamon raisin loaf this time.

i have sweet and savory dishes in mind for this puppy.

fat-free feta and goat cheese are still two dairy cheeses i won't be giving up (will expand on that shortly), but i was inspired to try almond cheese from a fellow health and fitness IGer.  i figure i love almond milk, so i'd prolly like the cheese too. uh, yeah! it melts, grates, and tastes just like dairy cheese and nutritional stats are awesome.  i'm impressed and sold.  gonna try some rice cheese too.

i've been a fan of Blue Diamond brand almond milk since Hungry-Girl introduced me to it a few years ago, but decided to try the Silk brand because of the lower calorie count.

it is so much more creamier than i was expecting! i may have been converted indefinitely...

I picked up some of Sonny's fav granola from Whole Foods - pumpkin flax.  it's the best granola (nutrtion-wise) in the bulk aisle line up.  140 cals and 5g of sugar per serving. read your labels- granola is more like a treat/dessert as the sugar content can be super high for some of them.  a few spoonfuls over some cottage cheese or yogurt or a small serving of it is just enough.

 granola + almond milk = one great bed time snack.  if only i could stop eating bowl after bowl.

lunch today @ my desk:

seeing red today for meal 2-  grilled chicken breast, avocado, red bell pepper, tomato, spicy mustard and honey apple butter.  wrapped all up in a La Tortilla Factory white-wheat soft wrap with some strawberries on the side.

i snuck in some sugar snap peas and eggplant humus too.

we had some GORGEOUS weather in Houston today!! Sonny hates the cold and is already griping about having to stop his outside runs.  he still has time to take advantage though cause it will be hot again like tomorrow.

cajun crusted tilapia recipe coming up next.

le