I am generally a healthy eater. I love my veggies, fruits, and whole grains, but every once in a while I crave something completely and incredibly unhealthy. And while I definitely abide by the 80-20 rule, that 80 percent of your diet should be clean, consisting of whole, unprocessed foods, and that 20 percent of your diet can be a bit of indulgence, I still don’t want to put a meal chock full of grease in my system. What is a healthy girl to do?!
One of those grease-ridden dishes I crave often is fried mozzarella sticks- you know that crunchy, gooey, bar food deliciousness. So I decided to makeover the recipe, nix the grease, and maintain the ‘deliciousness!’ Tada: Baked Cheese Sticks!
Ingredients:
Cheese (of your choice), Cut into ½ inch Square Rectangles, 2 inches long
4 Tablespoons Breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons Panko
2 Tablespoons Organic Unbleached Flour
2 Teaspoons Oregano
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
2 Teaspoons Dried Basil
1 Tablespoon Parmesan, Shredded
1 Egg, Beaten
Salt and Pepper, To Taste
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Place cheese rectangles in freezer to cool. (I used Colby Jack cheese)
3. Combine breadcrumbs, panko, spices, and shredded Parmesan in a small bowl. Mix well.
4. Spread flour on small plate.
5. In a shallow bowl beat egg well.
6. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
7. Directly from the freezer, dip cheese sticks in flour (the flour will stick to the cold surface) then into beaten egg, and finally into the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to cover all sides of your cheese stick.
8. Place breadcrumb-covered cheese sticks on baking sheet.
9. Pop into the preheated oven for 7-8 minutes.
10. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce!
These baked cheese sticks still offer the crunch, gooey texture full of flavor without all the grease used for frying! Do you have a go-to craving food? Let me know in the comments below!
If you’re looking for another recipe makeover, check out my Healthy Chicken Salad recipe, no mayonnaise involved!
