Baked “Fried” Chicken Recipe

Stealthy Recipes by JESSICA0 comments

Ah, Biff Night.

There are few things in life as therapeutic as an evening spent with your best friend, watching television shows that may actually decrease your IQ just by watching (sorry, Tyra, you know I love you girl) and making delicious food. If it weren’t for these mid-week gatherings, I just don’t know how I’d make it to Saturday.

This week we decided to try our hand at Jillian Michael’s “Shred” DVD. Here I was thinking I’d float right through it while poor Mary struggled and huffed and puffed. (See, Mary has been blessed with being a “petite” girl who never had to work out a day in her life, and could eat cheese steaks while I stared enviously over my salad with no cheese and light dressing. She’s a newbie to the world of excersise, but I’m happy to be her tourguide.) Now I’m no stranger to squats and hand wieghts, in fact, most days I’m so sore from whatever brutal class I attended that I walk around like I’ve been hit by a moving car. But I have to tell you, I officially got Shred-ed. Damn you, Jillian Michals. Damn you and your perfect abs and evil power sets. You win this round, but I’m coming back, and next time I will get through all of those reverse crunches, mark my words.

And what better way to reward yourself for being Shred-ed, than by cooking something that tastes like it was battered and fried. (But guess what? It totally wasn’t.)

Baked “Fried” Chicken

You’ll need:
1lb boneless skinless chicken tenders
1 cup reduced fat buttermilk
1 cup panko breadcrumbs or
1 cup French’s fried onions, crushed

Preheat oven to 400. Dip the chicken tenders in the buttermilk, and then in the breadcrumbs (or fried onions, whichever you prefer). Place the coated tenders on a wire baking rack, on top of a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

As you can see from the color variation, we did half of the tenders with the panko breadcrumbs and …

Why Is A Healthy Diet Significant And How To Eat Healthier Diet

Healthy by JESSICA0 comments

In order to function accurately, the body needs vitamins, minerals, and nutrients in food, namely protein, carbohydrates (sugar) and fat, to maintain a healthy weight and have the most prominent chance of having nourishing food balanced diet are the key.

What is a healthy diet?

A healthy diet is a nutrition that helps in maintaining or improving overall health. A healthy diet gives the body vital nutrients: fluids, macronutrients, micronutrients and sufficient food energy. A healthy diet can include fruits, vegetables, and healthy grains, and you can eat fewer or no processed foods or sweetened refreshments. A variety of plant and animal products can meet healthy nutritional needs, although a vegan diet requires non-plant sources of vitamin B12. Medical and government agencies educate people about what to eat as healthy. In some countries, nutrition labels get needed to choose between foods based on health-related ingredients.

What is the basis of nutrition?

World Health Organization (WHO) has made suggestions on 5 points that compile the basis of nutrition.

  • The calories you consume are roughly the same as the calories your body consumes. Healthy weight is equal to calories per starting calorie.
  • Eat plant-based foods such as vegetables, beans, whole grains, fruits, and nuts.
  • Limit fat intake and choose wholesomer unsaturated fats and trans fats.
  • Limit the intake of sugar, preferably less than 10 grams per day.
  • Limit salt/sodium intake from all sources.

healthy diet

A balanced diet is fun

Enjoyment and variety are significant in a balanced diet. Fatty and sugary foods are generally more delicious, and moderate consumption can be part of a balanced diet. No more, no less, but do not pay attention every day; the remaining amount gets reached within a few days.

Importance of a healthy diet

It protects you from many chronic non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. For a healthy diet, it is crucial to eat different varieties of foods and eat less salt, sugar, saturated fat and industrial trans fat.

  • Primary foods such as cereals (wheat, barley, rye, corn or rice) or starchy tubers or tubers (potatoes, sweet potatoes, taro or cassava)
…

BBQ Chicken & Mushroom Tortilla Pizza

Stealthy Recipes by JESSICA0 comments

There are so so many things I love about this meal. And yes, it’s kind of a “duh recipe”, as in, it’s so easy I almost feel bad blogging about it. However, I would feel even worse not telling you about this tasty little treat. I’m really just a selfless person like that.

So the things I like…

Pizza
  • It’s pizza. (Again, duh.) I LOVE pizza. It’s the jam. The ‘ish. The stuff. Whatever, it’s my favorite and I’ll continue my love affair with it until the day I can’t get my dentures moving fast enough to chew it.
  • It took less than 15 minutes. What’s that you say? Less than 15? Yes, pretend voices, less than 15. Including chopping.
pizza
  • It serves one. If you make just one. You can make as many as you like, but if you find yourself in a situation where your husband already grilled and ate 3 hot sausages, and you just got back from yoga and are completely famished, well hey, this completely hypothetical situation might call for a single serving. But maybe make two so you don’t wish you had more later.
  • It was made up completely by things I always have laying around, including random veggies and leftover grilled chicken. Say word.
pizza

BBQ Chicken & Mushroom Tortilla Pizza
Total time: 15 minutes
Serves: 1
You’ll Need:
1 flour tortilla (medium-sized)
2 T bbq sauce of your choice (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s)
2 oz shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 oz chopped baby portobello mushrooms
1 oz chopped onion
1-2 oz diced grilled chicken breast
1 T chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp crushed red pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 350, spray baking sheet with olive oil. Place tortilla on baking sheet and spread bbq sauce evenly. Add most of the cheese, then the chicken, mushrooms, and onion. Finish with the remaining cheese and fresh parsley, then sprinkle with crushed red pepper. Bake for 10 minutes, or until tortilla is crispy and cheese is melted.

The other great thing about this is you can very easily make it vegetarian and just add additional vegetables you …

GF Mexican Casserole

Stealthy Recipes by JESSICA0 comments

So y’all know I love me some Mexican food. And if you don’t know… now you know. (Thanks, Biggie.) I actually had it in one form or another three times last week, almost four, but me and my girlfriends cancelled dinner plans one night. Besides pizza, it’s my favorite thing to eat. I’m talking stretch-pants-mandatory-no-room-at-the-inn eat. Basically I like it.

GF Mexican Casserole

So when I tried to stop eating gluten, one of the hardest things for me to give up were flour tortillas. (No, I didn’t stop eating gluten just because I’m a trendy hipster, I read it helps with hypothyroidism and some other health issues, also I’m a little bit of a trendy hipster). Slowly and begrudgingly, I made the transition to corn tortillas, one burrito at a time, and it’s safe to say that I am now a full-blown corn tortilla convert. Sure you have to double-up on most them because they tear so easy, but they’re also drastically less calories, so I hardly feel guilty about that.

And also that just means I can add more cheese. #JessMath

GF Mexican Casserole

The rest of the ingredients in this dish came from a few of my kitchen staples and a need to use up the remainder of the most delicious corn on the planet that we brought home from our cabin a week prior. And as I hoped, it created a beautiful, cheesy, Mexican-inspired mess.

Gluten-Free Mexican Casserole
Serves: 4-6
Cook time: about 45 minutes

You’ll Need:
1lb lean ground turkey
1 sm. red onion, chopped
2 jalapenos (or other pepper of your choice), chopped
4 T taco seasoning, or 1 packet, + 3/4 cup water, (I use Penzeys bc I love them)
2 ears fresh corn, cut off the cobb
1 can diced chiles
2 cups sharp and/or mild cheddar cheese
1/2 cup salsa of your choice, plus more for serving
1 pack small corn tortillas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. In a large pan, sprayed lightly with oil, heat onions and chopped peppers for about 5 minutes over med-high, until softened. Add ground turkey and cook until browned, about another 8 …

Orange & Ginger Apple Cider Shandy #howsweetbabyshower

Stealthy Recipes by JESSICA0 comments

Today I am taking part of a virtual celebration of sorts for one of my dearest friends, as arranged by the hilarious Bev (that Instagram, tho.) and the lovely Ashley! As I’m sure most of you know, Jessica (of How Sweet It Is) is having a baby! A baby who I think might actually come out covered in sprinkles. But like in a cute way, not a weird “wtf is my baby covered in sprinkles?” way. She also just wrote a book. You should order it. Trust me.

apple cider shandy

Mine and Jess’ friendship was pretty much instantaneous. I think we first bonded over a girl crush on Miranda Lambert and obsession with Felicity, but through this magical world of blogging have since become a real-life friends and I’m so grateful for that. Few people appreciate/share my over-usage of exclamation points, “OMG”s and love of television quite like she does, and also she’s just a pretty great friend all around. When I first started dealing with my fertility issues, Jess was one of the only people I talked to about it, and she will forever have a place in my heart for that.

SO… In honor of the lovely Jessica…

How Sweet Final Graphic

 (Amazing job with the graphic, Ashley.)

I made something boozy. And perfect for fall!

apple cider shandy

Ok, so maybe you’re thinking I’m a crappy friend for choosing to make a cocktail for a baby shower. But that’s where you’re wrong. A- I’m an awesome friend so your theory is already bunk. And 2, I know that Jess loves her a seasonal cocktail and so I’m taking one for the team and drinking this in her honor. See? Best friend ever.

This cocktail is one that I have been thinking about since I first saw fresh apple cider make its way into my grocery store. I wanted to make something adult-beverage-y with it, but since I’m not a big liquor person, I went the beer route. The great thing about this drink is that it’s light enough you can have a few, it is only half a beer after all, and it’s not too sweet …

Back to Life

Stylish by JESSICA0 comments

Good news, friends. After lots of lounging around and a mini-coma this weekend (aka I slept almost 24 hours total) I am feeling back to my boisterous self again.

Actually that’s a horrible adjective to describe me, but a fun word, so it stays.

So as I mentioned, I had a fabulous little last-minute trip to Atlantic City, NJ Thursday night, and it was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. We stayed at Harrah’s (which is where we stayed in Vegas, coincidentally) and despite a few questionable stains we found upon arriving in our room (shudder), it was really nice. Much to our pleasant surprise, there was some sort of Miss America Senior pageant going on, which as you can imagine was pretty amazing. Those ladies were killing it in their tiaras and sashes.
And believe it or not, this was the closest I’ve gotten to going to a beach this year.

Harrahs sunset

The view from our room

We definitely have a lot of fun, but the true highlight of the night (for me) was the Journey tribute band, Separate Ways, who rocked. Hard. The lead singer looked and sounded just like Steve Perry (the original Journey front man), and they played all my faves. During Any Way You Want It, I may have been pulled up on stage, and I may have danced & sang along to Any Way You Want It. Thankfully any photographic/video evidence of that was promptly deleted at my request demand. But I can certainly promise you that I both looked and sounded way better in my head than in real life. Shocking, I know.

(Side note: I also highly suspect said lead singer was former child actor Danny Cooksey who played Budnick on Salute Your Shorts, but with dark hair.)

You decide:

VS

Journey

 

RIGHT??

So anyways, that was super fun. Then we hit up the Gypsy Bar at the Borgata and danced to some classic 90’s jams for a while. (Biz Markie and Vanilla Ice? Yes please.) My feet were none too pleased the next day, but that’s the price to …