Holiday Healthy Series: The Skinny on Mozzarella Sticks and What To Do with that Leftover Kale?

DOUBLE WHAMMY! Yes, there are two, recipes in this week's holiday healthy series.

I imagine that these skinny mozzarella sticks are perfect for tailgating or freezing for the next party that comes around (these keep VERY well in the freezer, by the way). So the question is, why not just buy store bought? Give this recipe a try and you will taste the difference. The double Panko breadcrumbs layering on these bad boys make these crunchy, gives lots of texture and is way less soggy than anything you might buy store bought. I added my own Italian seasoning to the breadcrumbs and I could really taste the difference.

Frozen sticks? Thaw these guys for at least 15 minutes at room temperature. For long term storage, store in plastic tupperware.

I used about 2 inches of canola oil to fry these puppies! Look at that golden crust!

Run-of-the-mill bar food, or a gourmet appetizer that is not only vegetarian, but will keep hungry party-goers nice and full. 

These sticks are served great with marinara, honey mustard, or chipotle aioli (if you are looking for a kick!)

Skinny Mozzarella Sticks

Adapted from The Vegetarian Ginger 

Ingredients:

Here's how I set up my assembly line!

• 1 pack of 24 low-fat Mozzarella string cheese
• 1 3/4 cups of Panko breadcrumbs
• 4 tsp. of your favorite Italian seasoning blend ( I used: oregano, basil, garlic powder and black pepper)
• 3/4 cup of flour
• 4 eggs, beaten until fluffy
• Canola oil, filling pan at about 2 inches

Directions:

1. In 2 separate plates, pour flour and then Panko breadcrumbs. Season breadcrumbs with herbs and mix well. 
2. Beat eggs in a separate bowl until fluffy. 
3. Unwrap cheese and half mozzarella string cheese, to make 24 whole sticks into 48 halves. 
4. Roll cheese in flour, shaking off any excess. Then batter in egg and finally roll in breadcrumbs. 
5. Repeat battering cheese stick in egg and second layer of Panko, this will make it extra crunchy! 
6. Place breaded mozzarella sticks on a cookie sheet. Once all of the cheese has been breaded, place them in the freezer for at least 2 hrs and cover loosely with plastic wrap. This will allow the breadcrumbs to set, making sure that the breading does not fall apart once it goes  into the hot oil. 
7. In a shallow pan (a wok works well for this as well!), heat 2 inches of canola oil on medium-low heat. Test the oil with a breadcrumb to make sure that it does not sink to the bottom of the pan, but rather floats to the top. Once it does this, fry 5-6 mozzarella sticks at a time. 
8. Remove them as they begin to brown and crisp (about 4 mins.) and let the oil drain on a plate covered in paper towel. Serve immediately, or line tupperware with parchment paper to reheat at 200 degrees later. 

So maybe all of those holiday parties are starting to wind down and you feel like you've overdosed on eggnog and Christmas cookies...but the real problem is you are still hungry!?! Good god, how is this possible? To be hungry after snacking on appetizers and sipping cocktails over the last couple of weeks and yet you are somehow not overstuffed. Blame it on the cold weather or the fact that your stomach may have expanded, but just find solace in the fact that there is a way to be full without undoing all the exercising and salad-eating you've done in between feasting! 

Remember that leftover kale? You may have noticed that your kale is looking pretty good still, keeping it well sealed in your fridge. But kale chips are becoming tired and sometimes salads don't cut it when it's nearly freezing outside. So what to do? 

Make this hearty stew in less than 20 minutes; it's perfect for a weeknight and cozying up on the couch or detoxing after indulging on Christmas party fare. I added a little kick to this recipe and it certainly curbed my appetite. 

#WINNING

Ingredients:

•  1 cup chopped kale
•  Half of a pre-cooked turkey kielbasa sausage, sliced (or ground turkey is fine if you don't have cooked turkey sausage on hand!)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 12 oz. cheese tortellini, uncooked
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp red pepper chili flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tb. olive oil

Kale Kielbasa and Cheese Tortellini Stew

Kneading Sass original 

Directions:

1. Cook kielbasa in olive oil until slightly browned, about 4 mins. on medium heat. If cooking raw, ground turkey, crumble meat and cook until no longer pink, about 9-11 mins. on medium heat. 
2. Add onions and garlic until translucent, about 4-5 mins. 
3. Add spices and stir well. Then add the 4 cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil. 
4. Once stock is boiling, add kale. Kale should begin wilting after 3 mins. or so. 
5. Finally, add uncooked tortellini to boiling stock. Let this cook for about 7 mins. or until al dente. The pasta will continue to cook in soup as it cools, so don't worry if the tortellini appear to look undercooked; you certainly don't want mushy pasta! Serve immediately, piping hot with some crusty bread for dipping!