Healthy Baked Mozzarella Chicken Rolls

Baked Mozzarella Chicken Rolls

easy, healthy, and completely gorgeous recipe idea. And ultimately I guess I will take the credit for eating seven of the chicken rolls.






So here’s how things happen. You first roll that spinach with a little ricotta and Parmesan cheese inside a piece of chicken. Hold on to it cause it might try to slip away from ya or the spinach might come sneaking out the edges. Come on, now. Commit to not losing any of that yummy, creamy filling. Roll the whole thing in egg whites and seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs. I will not send the food police if you use white bread crumbs, but forget health benefits – the whole wheat crumbs have a rich brown color that makes the whole thing pop. Worth it.
At this point you’re going to ask: am I doing this right? If you’re making a total mess, then yes.
Arrange all 8 of the chicken pieces in a normal sized pan. If I was making this for a real family, I’d have put the other three in the sides of this little pan. But I was cooking for a food blog and got all weird about turning a few pieces sideways. #psycho
Hey! They’re cute! And you’re a mess. Go wash your hands.

While the chicken bakes, cut a few slices of fresh Mozzarella. Fresh, peeps. I mean the stuff that’s pure white, sold in big hunks, completely mild and delicious, and melts like a dream.
If you don’t eat a few extra pieces of cheese during this step you are a not human.

Ding! Chicken’s done. Top it with sauce and cheese and melt it to give it the final crown of Mozzarella glory.
Final step: fresh basil.
Layer the leaves, roll them up into a tight bundle, and cut thin slices at a vertical slant to make “ribbons.” Sprinkle the ribbons over the whole pan of melty, cheesy, baked Mozzarella chicken rolls and watch the color party happen right in front of your eyes.

This meal has summer dinner written all over it. The fresh basil, the tomato sauce, the creamy spinach bursting out of the seams, the Italian herb smells that will waft out of your open windows and make your neighbors wonder if they can come for dinner, AND the happy nutrition stats? It’s all there.
Would someone please outdo me with some kind of homegrown tomatoes made into homegrown sauce, because how amazing would that be?
I think I want a garden.

Baked Mozzarella Chicken Rolls

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (8 4-ounce pieces)
• 1 cup whole wheat Italian style bread crumbs
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 5 ounces fresh baby spinach
• 1 clove minced garlic and olive oil for sauteeing
• ½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• ⅓ cup beaten egg whites (I used something similar to Egg Beaters)
• 3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• fresh basil for topping

Make Sausage Alfredo in 15 Min.

 

Instructions

1. Prep the chicken: Cut the chicken into 8 pieces and pound the pieces until they are thin (for quick cooking) and have expanded in surface area (for more filling). Place the breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and set aside.
2. Prep the filling: Chop the spinach and saute it with the garlic and just a drizzle of olive oil for 2-3 minutes or until just barely wilted. Combine the sauteed spinach with the ricotta, Parmesan cheese, and 2-3 tablespoons of the egg whites. Place the remaining egg whites in a separate shallow bowl and set aside.
3. Assemble the chicken: Oil the bottom of a large baking dish and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place one piece of chicken on a flat working surface. Put a spoonful of ricotta-spinach filling right in the middle and roll the chicken up so that the edges meet to form a "seam". Dip the entire chicken roll in egg whites, and then roll it in the breadcrumbs. Place in a baking dish, seam side down. Repeat for the remaining 7 pieces of chicken. Bake for 25 minutes.
4. Finishing touches: After 25 minutes, the chicken should be cooked through (white on the inside) and browned on the top. Cover the chicken with the marinara sauce and slices of fresh Mozzarella. Bake for another 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melting. Sprinkle with fresh basil.

Notes

Don't try to cram all the pieces too close together because if the sides are touching each other, they won't get crispy. Leaving a little space between each piece allows the breadcrumbs to bake, brown, and crispify perfectly. :)

11 Proven Health Benefits of Chia Seeds (No. 3 is Best)

Chia seeds are among the healthiest foods on the planet.

They are loaded with nutrients that can have important benefits for your body and brain.

Here are 11 health benefits of chia seeds that are supported by human studies.

1. Chia Seeds Deliver a Massive Amount of Nutrients With Very Few Calories

Chia seeds are tiny black seeds from the plant Salvia Hispanica, which is related to the mint.

This plant grows natively in South America.

Chia seeds were an important food for the Aztecs and Mayans back in the day.

They prized them for their ability to provide sustainable energy… in fact, “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.”

Despite their ancient history as a dietary staple, only recently did chia seeds become recognized as a modern day superfood.

In the past few years, they have exploded in popularity and are now consumed by health conscious people all over the world.

This is what chia seeds look like:

Don’t be fooled by the size… these tiny seeds pack a powerful nutritional punch.

A 1 ounce (28 grams) serving of chia seeds contains (1, 2):

• Fiber: 11 grams.
• Protein: 4 grams.
• Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are Omega-3s).
• Calcium: 18% of the RDA.
• Manganese: 30% of the RDA.
• Magnesium: 30% of the RDA.
• Phosphorus: 27% of the RDA.
• They also contain a decent amount of Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and Vitamin B2.

This is particularly impressive when you consider that this is just a single ounce, which supplies only 137 calories and one gram of digestible carbohydrate!

Just so that we’re all on the same page, 1 ounce equals 28 grams, or about 2 tablespoons.

Interestingly… if you subtract the fiber, which may not end up as usable calories for the body, chia seeds only contain 101 calories per ounce.

This makes them one of the world’s best sources of several important nutrients, calorie for calorie.

To top things off, chia seeds are a “whole grain” food, are usually grown organically, are non-GMO and naturally free of gluten.

Bottom Line: Despite their tiny size, chia seeds are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. They are loaded with fiber, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and various micronutrients.

2. Chia Seeds Are Loaded With Antioxidants

Another area where chia seeds shine is in their high amount of antioxidants (3, 4).

These antioxidants protect the sensitive fats in the seeds from going rancid (5).

Although antioxidant supplements are not very effective, getting antioxidants from foods can have positive effects on health (6).

Most importantly, antioxidants fight the production of free radicals, which can damage molecules in cells and contribute to ageing and diseases like cancer (7, 8).

There are some claims online about chia seeds having more antioxidants than blueberries, but I was unable find a study to verify this claim.

Bottom Line: Chia seeds are high in antioxidants that help to protect the delicate fats in the seeds. They also have various benefits for health.

3. Almost All The Carbs in Them Are Fiber

Looking at the nutrition profile of chia seeds, you see that an ounce has 12 grams of “carbohydrate.”

However… 11 of those grams are fiber, which isn’t digested by the body.

Fiber doesn’t raise blood sugar, doesn’t require insulin to be disposed of and therefore shouldn’t count as a carb.

The true carb content is only 1 gram per ounce, which is very low. This makes chia a low-carb friendly food.

Because of all the fiber, chia seeds can absorb up to 10-12 times their weight in water, becoming gel-like and expanding in your stomach (9).

Theoretically, this should increase fullness, slow absorption of your food and help you automatically eat fewer calories.

Fiber also feeds the friendly bacteria in the intestine, which is important because keeping your gut bugs well fed is absolutely crucial for health (10).

Chia seeds are 40% fiber, by weight. This makes them one of the best sources of fiber in the world.

Bottom Line: Almost all of the carbohydrates in chia seeds are fiber. This gives them the ability to absorb 10-12 times their weight in water. Fiber also has various beneficial effects on health.

4. Chia Seeds Are High in Quality Protein

Chia seeds contain a decent amount of protein.

By weight, they are about 14% protein, which is very high compared to most plants.

They also contain a good balance of essential amino acids, so our bodies should be able to make use of the protein in them (11, 12).

Protein has all sorts of benefits for health. It is also the most weight loss friendly nutrient in the diet, by far.

A high protein intake reduces appetite and has been shown to reduce obsessive thoughts about food by 60% and the desire for night time snacking by 50% (13, 14).

Chia seeds really are an excellent protein source, especially for people who eat little or no animal products.

Bottom Line: Chia seeds are high in quality protein, much higher than most plant foods. Protein is the most weight loss friendly macronutrient and can drastically reduce appetite and cravings.

5. Due to The High Fiber and Protein Content, Chia Seeds Should be Able to Help You Lose Weight

Many health experts believe that chia seeds can help with weight loss.

The fiber absorbs large amounts of water and expands in the stomach, which should increase fullness and slow the absorption of food (15).

There have been several studies on glucomannan, a fiber that works in a similar way, showing that it can lead to weight loss (16, 17).

Then the protein in chia seeds could help to reduce appetite and food intake.

Unfortunately, when the effects of chia seeds on weight loss have been studied, the results have been rather disappointing.

Although one study showed that chia seeds can reduce appetite, there was no significant effect on body weight (18).

In a study on 90 overweight people, 50 grams of chia seeds per day for 12 weeks had no effect on body weight or health markers (19).

In another 10 week study of 62 women, chia seeds had no effect on bodyweight but did increase the amount of Omega-3s in the blood (20).

Although just adding chia seeds to your diet is unlikely to affect your weight, I personally believe that they can be a useful addition.

A weight loss diet is about more than just adding or subtracting single foods. The entire diet counts, as well as other lifestyle behaviors like sleep and exercise.

When combined with a real food based diet and a healthy lifestyle, I can definitely see how chia seeds could help with weight loss.

Bottom Line: Chia seeds are high in protein and fiber, both of which have been shown to aid weight loss. However, the studies on chia seeds have not noted any effects on weight.

6. Chia Seeds Are High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Like flax seeds, chia seeds are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids.

In fact, chia seeds contain more Omega-3s than salmon, gram for gram.

However… it’s important to keep in mind that the Omega-3s in them are mostly ALA (Alpha Linolenic Acid), which is not as beneficial as you may think.

ALA needs to converted into the “active” forms, EPA and DHA, before it can be used by the body.

Unfortunately, humans are inefficient at converting ALA into the active forms. Therefore, plant Omega-3s tend to be vastly inferior to animal sources like fish (21).

Studies have shown that chia seeds (especially if they are milled) can increase blood levels of ALA and EPA, but not DHA… which is a problem (20, 22)

Because they don’t supply any DHA (the most important Omega-3 fat), I think chia seeds are overrated as an Omega-3 source.

In order to get the DHA your body and brain desperately need… either eat fatty fish regularly, take fish oil, or take a DHA supplement if you are vegan or vegetarian.

Bottom Line: Chia seeds are very high in the Omega-3 fatty acid ALA. However, humans are not good at converting this into DHA, the most important Omega-3 fatty acid.

7. Chia Seeds May Improve Certain Blood Markers, Which Should Lower The Risk of Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes

Given that chia seeds are high in fiber, protein and Omega-3s, they should be able to improve metabolic health.

This has been tested in several studies, but the results have been inconclusive.

In two studies, a diet with chia seeds, soy protein, oats and nopal, has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, increase HDL cholesterol and reduce inflammation (23, 24).

Because these studies also used other ingredients, nothing can be concluded about the chia seeds themselves.

Rat studies have also shown that chia seeds can lower triglycerides, raise HDL (the “good”) cholesterol and reduce inflammation, insulin resistance and belly fat (25, 26).

However, a study that looked at just chia seeds did not note any improvements (20).

Overall… it is possible that chia seeds can improve these risk factors, but probably won’t have a major effect unless followed by other beneficial changes in the diet.

Bottom Line: The effects on cholesterol levels and other risk factors is inconclusive. Some studies show an effect, others do not.

8. They Are High in Many Important Bone Nutrients

Chia seeds are high in several nutrients that are important for bone health.

This includes calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and protein.

The calcium content is particularly impressive… 18% of the RDA in a single ounce.

Gram for gram, this is higher than most dairy products.

Chia seeds may be considered an excellent source of calcium for people who don’t eat dairy.

Bottom Line: Chia seeds are high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and protein. All of these nutrients are essential for bone health.

9. Chia Seeds Can Cause Major Improvements in Type 2 Diabetics

The most successful application of chia seeds to date was in a study on type 2 diabetic patients

In this study, 20 diabetic patients received either 37 grams of chia seeds, or 37 grams of wheat bran, for 12 weeks (27).

When they got the chia seeds, they saw improvements in several important health markers.

Blood pressure went down by 3-6 mm/Hg and an inflammatory marker called hs-CRP went down by 40%. A risk factor called vWF also decreased by 21%.

There was also a small drop in blood sugar, but it wasn’t statistically significant.

Given that chia seeds are high in fiber, it does seem plausible that they could help reduce blood sugar spikes after meals, but this needs to be confirmed in studies.

Bottom Line: A study in type 2 diabetics showed that chia seeds can significantly lower blood pressure and a marker for inflammation.

10. Chia Seeds Can Improve Exercise Performance as Much as a Sports Drink

Legend has it that the Aztecs and Mayans used chia seeds to fuel performance back in the day.

There is one recent study suggesting that this may be effective…

In this study, 6 participants “carb loaded” with either gatorade, or a mix of half gatorade/half chia seeds (28).

Then they ran for an hour on a treadmill, followed by a timed 10 kilometer long run.

There was no difference between the two groups.

In other words, replacing half of the gatorade with chia seeds did not reduce the performance of the athletes, indicating that chia seeds were of some use.

According to this study, chia seeds can help athletes “carb load” for endurance events, while increasing their intake of nutrients and decreasing their intake of sugar.

However, I’d personally like to see some larger studies on this. Given that most of the carbs in chia seeds are fiber, it doesn’t make much sense that they could be used for carb loading.

Bottom Line: One small study shows that chia seeds can partly replace gatorade as a way of carb loading for endurance athletes, but this needs to be studied more.

11. Chia Seeds Are Easy to Incorporate Into Your Diet

Okay, this last one is not a health benefit, but important nonetheless.

Chia seeds are incredibly easy to incorporate into your diet.

The seeds themselves taste rather bland, so you can add them to pretty much anything.

They also don’t need to be ground like flax seeds, which makes them much easier to prepare.

They can be eaten raw, soaked in juice, added to porridges and puddings, or added to baked goods.

You can also sprinkle them on top of cereal, yogurt, vegetables or rice dishes.

Because of their ability to absorb both water and fat, they can be used to thicken sauces and even used as egg substitutes in recipes.

They can also be mixed with water and turned into a gel.

Adding chia seeds to recipes will dramatically boost the nutritional value.

If you want to buy chia seeds, then there is an excellent selection on Amazon with thousands of customer reviews.

They do seem to be well tolerated… but if you’re not used to eating a lot of fiber, then there is a possibility of digestive side effects if you eat too much of them at a time.

A common dosage recommendation is 20 grams (about 1.5 tablespoons) of chia seeds, twice per day.

12. Anything Else?

Chia seeds are among the few trendy “superfoods” that are actually worthy of that term.

Blueberry Peach Chia Parfait

Believe it or not, there are mornings when my breakfast is not made up of oatmeal or smoothies. It has been a while since I’ve made something that had chia seeds as the star, usually I add them to smoothies or oatmeal (surprise, surprise!) for extra protein and fiber. Taking visual cues from Oh, She Glows, I made a “fancy” layered parfait with this sensational vanilla chia pudding with the best peaches I’ve had in a bit and deeply colored blueberries.

What I love about this parfait is that it’s incredibly easy to make, and pretty easy to assemble. I mean, honestly, who cares if it’s a little sloppy? It’s all getting eaten anyway! And really, you can customize this in an infinite amount of ways; I think that the next time I make one it will be very chocolatey and filled with peanut butter. Oh, yes…

But, that’s for another day, and possibly dessert. This refreshingly cool combination will take your mind off of the insane heat that’s been going around this summer, if not for just a few minutes.

Blueberry Peach Chia Parfait

Author: Jackie of Vegan Yack Attack

Recipe type: Breakfast, Entree

Prep time:  90 mins

Total time:  1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 1

A great way to beat the heat while enjoying a delicious and nutrient-filled parfait!

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. Chia Seeds
• ¾ Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk, I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk
• 2 tsp. Maple Syrup
• ¼ tsp. Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 Medium Peach, Sliced Thinly (equal to roughly ½ Cup)
• ½ Cup Blueberries
• Optional: Hulled Hemp Seeds for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Stir together the chia seeds, non-dairy milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract and pinch of salt in a cup or bowl. Place in the refrigerator for anywhere from 1.5 hours to overnight (which is recommended AND easiest).
2. After the chia seeds have had time to soak up the liquid and become gel-like, stir them once more.
3. In a tall, skinny glass start making your parfait by spooning roughly ¼ of the chia seed mixture into the bottom. Place a couple of peach slices on top, then 2 Tbsp. blueberries on top of that, followed by a couple of slices of peach (to block the pudding from seeping down as much).
4. Repeat until you have used all of your ingredients, if you have chosen to add hemp seeds, sprinkle a little on top of each chia layer.
5. Serve chilled.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 440 Fat: 17.3 Saturated fat: 4.5 Unsaturated fat: 9.2 Carbohydrates: 71.4 Sugar: 50 Fiber: 18.8 Protein: 10.3 Cholesterol: 0

What are some of your favorite ways to enjoy chia seeds?

healthy Quinoa Salad

This is one of my favorite salads. It is easy to cook, healthy and at the same time so yummy.

It perfect for a side dish or just a dinner by itself.

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Ingredients:

1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup chopped bell pepper

1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 green onions
2 tbsp oil
4 tbsp vinegar
salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp turmeric (optional)

Pour the quinoa you wish to rinse into a strainer with fine mesh. Hold the strainer of quinoa under a steady stream of cool water. Mix well with your hands. That is the easiest way to wash your quinoa before cooking.

Place quinoa in a small saucepan with all the water. I always add 1 tsp turmerci – it gives the quinoa a nice yellow color and it also gives it this great oriental flavor.

Bring to a simmer and then reduce to low.  Cover and cook for between 12 and 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered for an additional five minutes.

In a big salad bowl, add the tomatoes, bell pepper, celery green onions, salt, black pepper, oil and vinegar. Add the cooked quinoa. Mix well.

You can serve it immediately or let it cool down. You can even prepare the quinoa salad from the night before and keep it in the fridge. It will be delicious 

Baked Vegetables with Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

2 cups Baby Carrots
4 medium Potatoes
1 Zucchini
1/2 Onion
1 Bell Pepper
1 can diced Tomatoes
3 tbsp Salsa
4-6 Chicken Thighs
salt
plack pepper

Preparation:

Cut all vegetables in medium pieces. Dice the onion. Saute the onions and carrots until the onion is lightly golden. In a big baking pan add all vegetables, salt and black pepper. Add 1-2 cups of hot water.

Salt the chicken and place it on the top of the vegetables. Cover with aluminium foil and put in preheat to 385F oven.

Bake until vegetables and chicken are almost done. In a small bowl mix 2-3 tbsp of the liquid part of the meal and add 1 tbsp red pepper. Add it on top of the chicken and bake another 10-15min.

Serve this Baked Vegetables with Chicken Thighs warm with glass of wine 

Low Calorie Potato Salad

Ingredients:

Potatoes
Spring Onions
Parsley
Olive Oil
Vinegar
Salt
Plack Pepper

Preparation:

Boil the potatoes with the skin on. It is good to add some salt in the boiling water. That way the skin will peel easily.

After the potatoes are ready, peel the skin and cut them in pieces.

Add them in a salad bowl. Sprinkle with the chopped spring onion and parsley.

Add salt, black pepper, oil and vinegar to taste.

This easy and low calorie potato salad is a great side dish for steak or fish.

Healthy Crock Pot Chicken Salad

I love a good freshly made Chiken Salad And the crock pot is a great way to get tender juicy shreds of chicken. Here is an easy recipe that can be doctored up the way you like it.

Ingredients:

- 3 chicken breasts

- 1 1/2 cups water

- 1 cup chopped celery

- 1/4 cup chopped onion

- 3/4 - 1 cup mayo

- salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts in crock pot and cover with water. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

2. Remove chicken from crock pot and shred in bowl.

3. Add chopped celery, onion, mayo (I used a little less than a cup), salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

4. Serve on bread, with crackers, on celery stalks, or however you like to eat your chicken salad! 

Enjoy!

German Healthy Skillet Dinner

3 tbl butter or margarine
1/2 cabbage , chopped
2/3 cup uncooked rice (minute rice works well)
1 med onion, chopped
2 lbs hamburger
1 can diced tomatoes or Rotel tomatoes
1/3 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste

Melt butter in skillet, layer cabbage, uncooked rice, onion, raw crumbled hamburger, salt and pepper, and garlic powder then tomatoes. Cover with lid and simmer on low for 25-35 minutes until rice, cabbage and burger are done. Do not stir or lift lid until done.

Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Yogurt Dip

Image Source: Recipe Runner

Sweet Potato Fries With Spicy Yogurt Dip

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Total Time: 20 minutes      Serves: 1 yam (or sweet potato) serves 2 people

INGREDIENTS:

•  Sweet potato (yam)
•  Spices (whatever you have in your cabinet)
•  Sea salt
•  Fresh ground black pepper
•  Olive oil
•  Greek yogurt
•  Siracha

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash and chop sweet potatoes into fry shapes
2. Drizzle olive oil to coat cut potatoes
3. Go nuts with whatever spices you want to add
4. Bake at 425 for 15 min (or until ready)
5. Mix Greek yogurt and siracha to desired taste.

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Mustard Crusted Salmon with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Mustard Crusted Salmon With Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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Total Time: 50 Minutes      Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-2 fillet of salmon, wild caught
• 1 cup brussels sprouts, ends chopped off
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
•  salt & pepper
• 1 lemon, quartered

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400
2. For the Brussels Sprouts:
   
   a. Rinse and chop ends off brussels sprouts and put in a large mixing bowl. 
   
   b. Coat generously with olive oil and mix to evenly distribute.
   
   c. Place Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. 
   
   d. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, then bake for 35-45 minutes or until crisp on the outside, tender on the inside. Brussels sprouts take longer to bake than the salmon, so be sure to get them in the oven first.
3. For the Salmon:
   
   a. Place salmon in a rimmed baking sheet/pan with parchment paper. 
   
   b. Coat the salmon with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper and spread mustard seed on top.
   
   c. Place salmon in the oven when the Brussels sprouts have about 20 minutes left. 
   
   d. Bake until salmon is cooked through. Time will vary based on size of fillet, but generally it should be between 15-20 minutes.
4. Serve with fresh squeezed lemon. 
   
   Vegan/Vegetarian Protein Option:
   Serve Brussels sprouts with Rosemary Garlic Lentils (recipe on next page).

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