Oven-fried Chicken Tenders

Photo: Oxmoor House

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenders (about 16 pieces)
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup coarsely crushed cornflakes*
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (we use Italian style)
1 tablespoon instant minced onion (or onion powder)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (we usually just spray the pan with non-stick spray)

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. To prepare chicken, combine chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish; cover and chill 15 minutes.
3. Drain chicken, discarding liquid.
4. Combine cornflakes and next 5 ingredients (cornflakes through pepper) in a large zip-top plastic bag;
add 4 chicken pieces to bag. Seal and shake to coat. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.
5. Spread oil evenly in a jelly-roll pan, and arrange chicken in a single layer in pan. Bake at 400° for 4
minutes on each side or until done.

*I don't generally have plain cornflakes on hand. We usually substitute Frosted Flakes or Honey Bunches of Oats. Both taste great!

From Cooking Light

Sole Sisters

Call us crazy; Meg and I ran another race even though we weren't exactly prepared for it. Both of us have been trying to find the motivation to run again, so we decided to sign up for a race. There weren't any in STG because everyone would probably die from the insane heat, so we opted for Cedar City. Little did we know we would have to be there at 6 in the morning. So, we woke up at 5 this morning and headed up to Cedar. We were both so out of it it's honestly a miracle we made it alive! When we got to the starting line of the race they told us we would be running up Cedar Canyon, and i'm pretty sure we started laughing to hold back the tears. Neither of us were prepared for an uphill battle. But, there is a happy ending to this little story! WE DID IT!! We both finished only a couple minutes slower than our other races that we were WAY more prepared for. It was amazing! We stuck around for a while after to see if we won any of the raffle prices, but no such luck. That's okay though because we were so proud of ourselves for finishing! You can just call us sole sisters :)

Now, we are looking for another race so we will stay in shape! If any of you would like to join us we would be thrilled! Or find a race in your own town for you out-of-staters!

I'm taking the challenge!!

I heard about the Hundred Pushups Challenge when I was about 6 months pregnant with Asher.  I wanted to do it then, but couldn't (for obvious reasons, I think), and forgot about it until today. And after remembering it, I've decided to take the challenge!

Why?

1. My arms are so weak.
2. I really don't want to develop "Relief Society Arms"
3. I've always been bad at doing pushups, and this program is for beginners--so I figure it can't make me any worse, right? (And when I say beginners, I really mean beginners; so don't use that as an excuse for not doing it!)
4. My legs are getting stronger from running, and I want my arms to be stronger, too.

So...take the challenge with me! I'm starting Monday and you should, too. Click here to find out more about it! And let me know if you're going to do it so we can keep each other on track.

Free recipes!

I'm always interested in free stuff, and I thought this freebie might be a good one to post on our family fitness blog:

FREE Atkins Weight Loss Kit (Includes 3 FREE Bars!)

Just a reminder - Register for the Atkins Community and you’ll score a FREE Weight-Loss Kit and 3 FREE Atkins Bars! *No obligation required. Open to US residents only. Limit one per household.

I don't know a ton about the Atkins diet, and the little that I do know hasn't ever really interested me. However, I figure it doesn't hurt to get their recipe books and take a look.  Who knows, maybe the diet has changed. If not, maybe I'll at least find one recipe that is just to die for.  Guess we'll see. And hey, gotta love the free bars!

Sausage & Spinach Quesadillas

                                                                           

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

5 ounces pork or turkey Italian sausage, casings removed

4 cups chopped spinach*

1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 (6-inch) whole-wheat tortillas

1/4 cup (1 ounce) mozzarella cheese*

1/8 cup feta or goat cheese*

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add Italian sausage, and cook for 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain the sausage, and return to pan. Add spinach, garlic, and black pepper; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring frequently.
3. Brush remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over a jelly-roll pan; arrange the tortillas in a single layer on pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cheese evenly over each tortilla; top each with about 2/3 cup sausage mixture. Bake at 400° for 3 minutes or until cheese begins to melt. Remove from oven, and carefully fold each tortilla in half, pressing to close. Bake them an additional 10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes.

*The recipe originally called for escarole, not spinach, and for fontina cheese. My grocery store doesn't carry escarole, so I replaced it with spinach. You could also use swiss chard. Fontina cheese is quite pricy, so I replaced it with mozzarella and a little feta or goat cheese.

These quesadillas are yummy! Enjoy!

From Cooking Light