Baked Mozzarella Sticks

To keep on my theme of re-done bar bites, I knew I had to include mozzarella sticks; because honestly, isn't that on everyone's top 10 favorite appetizer list? If you enjoy cheese as much as me, you probably know that not many people can pass up on gooey cheese wrapped in a crunchy outer layer. However, just like all the other delicious bar food, these mouth watering sticks of cheese come at a hefty calorie content; and that is exactly why I chose to re-create a healthier version for all of us cheese lovers to enjoy, and hey we could even throw in a beer!

I made the following recipe for my fiance and I only, so the ingredients will need to be modified if you are feeding more foodies.

Bakes Mozzarella Sticks; serves 2

4 sticks of reduced fat mozzarella string cheese
1/4 c flour; you could substitute whole wheat flour
1/4 c Panko bread crumbs
1 egg white

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil; cover foil with baking spray
2. Cut string cheese in half.
3. Dip cut cheese into egg whites then coat with flour
4. Place cheese coated in flour back into egg whites and then coat with Panko bread crumbs
5. Repeat steps until all cheese is rolled in both the flour and the Panko bread crumbs.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes being careful to watch for the mozzarella melting and oozing too rapidly. Enjoy!

Bar Food ReVamped!

I had a little trouble coming up with a theme for this month's challenge so I asked my family what recipes they would be interested in seeing. My future mother-in-law happened to be at happy hour at the time of my text and she provided me with the idea of re-creating bar food or small appetizers. Bar food!? What a great idea! Who doesn't love happy hour appetizers; buffalo chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, spinach dip...are you drooling yet!? So this month I wanted to bring some of these favorites to you, with of course a healthy twist! The first appetizer I chose to revamp was spicy buffalo wings sans the meat. So welcome Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Nuggets! Now, I know you are thinking you have already seen this recipe, but think again! This recipe doesn't call for flour and takes it light on the hot sauce (or shall I say sodium ;)). After these were finished, I threw some nuggets on romaine lettuce with tomatoes, onions, and a lightened up ranch dressing (using greek yogurt) for a yummy salad.

Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Nuggets

1/2 head cauliflower; steamed until fragrant and soft
1/2 c panko; or any other preferred breadcrumbs
1 egg white
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp hot sauce (I used Frank's red hot sauce)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Steam cauliflower and add to bowl; mash with fork until grated consistency.
3. Combine mashed cauliflower with egg white, seasoning, and bread crumbs; mix well.
4. Using your hands, form small patties and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
5. Cook patties in oven 20-25 minutes; flipping patties after 10-12 minutes.

** So I only used 1 egg white and they were a little crumbly when I tried to flip them, so next time I would try 2 egg whites. Also adding cheese could add a different flavor component as well.**

I'm always interested in any changes you make to the recipes to fit your flavor profile, so feel free to share!

Strawberry, Spinach, and Camembert Cheese Pizza

Not long ago, I had my mother and future mother-in-law over for Mother's day brunch. As I was getting ready for brunch, I was racking my brain for ideas that didn't include an egg casserole or french toast when I cam across strawberry brushetta that catapulted my idea for a strawberry and camembert cheese toast with a balsamic drizzle. The toast was a huge hit with the Mom's, so I pondered the idea of expanding this combination onto a pizza. I was a little nervous about heating the strawberries in the oven, but it actually turned out to be a very light and refreshing dinner. I again only made half the pizza with my combination for my fiance's sake ;)

Recipe (double toppings for whole pizza):
1 container refrigerated whole wheat crust (I used the Pillsbury whole wheat crust again because I really like the texture and flavor)
1/4 c sliced strawberries
1 heaping handful spinach, washed and dried
1tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp honey
1 pinch stevia
1/4 c toasted almonds (optional)
1/4 container camembert cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Roll out pizza crust onto greased cookie sheet and poke with fork to ensure even cooking (I did not do this last time and trust me it helped this time!) Follow cooking instructions on packaging.
3. Mix balsamic vinegar, honey, and stevia and using pastry brush, brush onto cooked crust and add onion powder.
4. Top with sliced strawberries, sliced camembert chest, and spinach.
5. Drizzle additional balsamic and honey mixture on top.
6. Place into oven and cook until cheese is melted; approximately 7-10 minutes.
7. Top with toasted almonds (optional) and dried basil leaves.