3. Oven-Baked Chicken Fingers
Creating a balanced, kid-approved dinner just got a lot easier with these chicken fingers. Made with wholesome ingredients and plenty of satiating protein, this is one of those healthy chicken recipes you’ll make again and again!
Whether shaped like nuggets, stars, crowns, or fingers, deep-fried chicken bites do a major disservice to one of the planet’s best sources of protein. Let the restaurant coat it in one of their special sauces, and you could be downing nearly a full day’s worth of calories on a food designed for children. Make the switch to this oven-fried version once a week, and you’ll shed 25 pounds (and cut out 210,080 milligrams of sodium) in a year, while still enjoying your favorite childhood food.
Our sweet and spicy sauce kicks the taste up a notch, too, so you’ll get a satisfying crunch from the panko bread crumbs, plus a mouthful of flavor.
NUTRITION: 250 calories, 1.5 g fat (0 g saturated), 350 mg sodium
SERVES 4
YOU’LL NEED
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken tenders
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 cups panko gluten-free bread crumbs
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chipotle pepper purée (This dish is perfect for chicken finger-loving kids. Just be sure to cut the chiles from the sauce.)
1 Tbsp honey
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
- Place the egg whites in a shallow bowl. Place the crumbs on a plate and season those, too.
- Dip the chicken tenders into the egg, then toss in the crumbs, being sure to coat fully.
- Place the breaded chicken pieces on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crumbs have browned and the chicken is firm.
- Combine the mustard, chipotle, and honey in a large bowl.
- Toss the cooked chicken tenders in the mixture so they are all evenly coated with the spicy-sweet sauce.
4. Frozen Oatmeal Cups
These individual oats are easy to make, freeze, thaw, and reheat for those mornings when you don’t have time to think about breakfast. Plus, you can add whatever tasty toppings you want!
We’re talking about oatmeal, that is. While this porridge is one of the most nutritious breakfasts with one of the longest staying powers, that doesn’t mean it should take you forever to prepare it every morning. And if you’re using one of the most fiber-rich kinds of oats, steel cut oats, that could mean tacking on an extra 45 minutes to your morning routine.
You could pick up a packet of instant oatmeal from the supermarket, but you’d risk filling your body with cheap hydrogenated oils and sweeteners linked to weight gain. And, yes, you could make overnight oats, but you’d still have to do so every night. That’s where frozen oatmeal cups come into play and why they’re trending. All you have to do is cook up a batch of oatmeal on Sunday, dollop it into a muffin tin, and freeze! With these pre-portioned cups, you’ll be eating your way toward a tinier waist and protecting your heart, too.
When you wake up, just pop two or three of these freezer oatmeal cups into a bowl, microwave, add your favorite toppings, and you’ll be energized all morning long. And by following these simple tips, your meal prep will be a breeze. Plus, you’ll be able to boost your potential to lose weight with oatmeal and guarantee a breakfast that’s juuust right.
For two 12-cup muffin tins, or 8-12 servings, you’ll need to use 2 cups of steel cut oats in 6 cups of liquid, or 2 cups of rolled oats for about 4 cups of liquid.
Step 1: Bring water and a ¼ teaspoon salt to a boil in a saucepan on high heat. Stir in your 2 cups of oats.
Step 2: Reduce heat to a simmer and cook oats until soft, 20 to 30 minutes.
Step 3: If all the liquid has reduced before your oats are tender, stir in a bit more water or milk.
Step 4: If using steel cut oats, continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Step 5: Grease up muffin tins with cooking spray, butter, coconut oil, etc. and fill each cup with a quarter cup of oatmeal.
Step 6: Top with any desired toppings or leave plain.
Step 7: Freeze!