Eating Cleaner Recipe - Zucchini & Squash Chips

Here is another successful recipe that we tried on our journey towards eating cleaner and healthier.  I was wanting to try these for a while, but was so scared that Joe would have a temper-tantrum when I tried to make him eat them.  When he came in for lunch at first he said, "What is this?!  I see green!"  I begged him to just try it.  He went back for seconds and didn't leave me a single one!  Success!! 

First we tried Zucchini Chips by using this recipe from Myrecipes.com. I went ahead and cut up the squash, but we made them the next day instead of the same night.  They made a great addition to a simple Sunday lunch and a great after-school snack.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese 

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fat-free milk 

2 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices zucchini

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425°.  I cut my zucchini and squash on the mandolin to ensure even size and even cooking.  Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place milk in a shallow bowl. Set up your assembly line.

 Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

Place coated slices on an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve immediately. 

Joe really like the squash chips better, but I think it was because I cooked them a little longer and they were crispier.  I also read a lot of comments that they don't keep well and you must eat them that day, but I put my squash chips in an air tight container and stored them in the fridge overnight.  They were just as yummy the next day with my lunch.

Zucchini Chips

Squash Chips

 

Eating Cleaner - Recipe #1 - Granola Bars

I am so excited to share this recipe with you!  Joe and I have been trying to eat healthier, make better choices, and eat out less.  Ultimately we want to start eating a lot "cleaner" by leaving out hormones, preservatives, and artificial items from our food whenever possible.  Unfortunately our taste buds have become accustomed to junk that we eat on a regular basis, so we are having to slowly re-train them.  I found this simple recipe for No-Bake Granola Bars on the Pretty Providence blog and figured I would give it a try.

They turned out amazing!!  They are so sweet that I could actually take out the chocolate chips and still enjoy them.  I hope that you try them and enjoy them as much as I do!  We will never buy those over-processed, full of preservatives granola bars again!

On a little side note -  When I sat down to blog this morning, I found Mr. Enzo Ferrari had already taken oven my spot.  He looked so comfortable that I just let him chill and figured I could blog later. :)  I love my furbabies!