what's for dinner tonight {almond crusted chicken}.

so, today is day fifteen of my whole thirty and i'm feeling great!  i fought a little bit of a bug for a few days, but am thankfully feeling much better.  i feel more energetic, have been full throughout the day while eating less... and just all around really really good!!  nick and i have each lost around eleven pounds which is pretty insane considering it's only been fifteen days.

and really, that's an added bonus to feeling healthier.  but hey, it's one i'll gladly take.

i can honestly say i've LOVED the food we've eaten the last fifteen days.  i absolutely love to cook and make food for my loved ones... and that was one of my biggest hesitations about starting the whole thirty.  i love making homemade bread for my family twice a week... i love surprising them with chocolate chip cookies or their favorite dinners, and loving how the women in my family taught me to... through food.  but i'm just learning to readjust the way i look at food and caring for my family... and there will still be time for homemade goodies, but serving them healthy food definitely feels great.

especially when it's something they like.  which is sometimes...difficult.

the girls have been eating whatever i make for dinner... we have a rule in our house that what's on the table is what's for dinner, they can take it or leave it but mama is not a short order cook.  we've gotten through a lot of pickiness this way... the girls aren't allowed to say they don't like something until they've tried it.  while they still have their bouts of pickiness... and there have been many nights i get tired of hearing "ewwww i'm NOT eating this!" that is for sure.  but, it has been so fun for me to watch them try different veggies, discover new things they like and gobble up fish and homemade chicken soup asking for seconds and thirds.  i love that.  and it kind of makes all of the whining and complaining worth it.

kind of.

this recipe is one that was totally loved by my girls... which makes it kid-tested and whole thirty approved.  while i think it would be better pan-fried, it's obviously much healthier baked and still fit the bill when i wanted something that felt like a bit of a cheat meal.  a good alternative to chicken fingers, and totally grain free.

almond crusted chicken

* chicken tenderloins or breasts (i cut four chicken breasts into strips)
* 2 c. almond flour or meal
* 4 eggs
* 2 t. garlic powder
* 1 t. onion powder
* 1/2 - 1 t. cayenne pepper
* 1/4 t. pepper
* 1/2 t. salt
* 1/4 t. chili powder

- grease a sheet pan by brushing with olive oil and preheat oven to 350.
- combine the flour, spices and seasonings in a shallow dish.  crack eggs into another shallow dish and whisk.
- coat each chicken strip in eggs and then dredge through flour mixture... then repeat.  i liked double dipping so that the coating was nice and thick and stayed on well.
- arrange chicken strips evenly over sheet pan and spray or drizzle with olive oil.  bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for 20 more, or until chicken is done and coating is golden brown.  i might play around with the cooking time a bit... the coating took longer to brown up than the chicken took to cook, but overall this was a good recipe and my kids LOVED it!  (so did their parents).

i served mine with grilled cauliflower that i turned into rice, and asparagus.  so good!  you can also create your own dipping sauce as well... i'll post the ranch recipe i use soon... you'll want to put it on everythinggggg.

this is one whole thirty recipe your kids can get behind.  let me know if you try it!