Mystic usually comes over for dinner on Tuesdays because his kids are with their Mom. I had a plan of what I was going to make for dinner. Chicken, vegetables, bacon pinwheels… then 6 pm came last night and I was still working. And freezing. And.could.not.get.motivated. I have had this perpetual chill that I have a hard time getting rid of and I really just wanted to change into sweats, comfy socks, and crawl into bed. I settled for sweats, comfy socks, and a call for pizza.
I felt super guilty. If I ever do take-out, leftovers, or something completely uninspired, I try not to do it on Tuesdays. Just a silly mini goal of sorts. Of course I cook other days too, but I figure a homecooked meal cooked by someone else is always appreciated. Especially a single parent.
I even had all the groceries to make the dinner last night. So tonight I made good, and all seven of us enjoyed the meal-that-wasn’t-yesterday instead.
If you’re playing along with our Eat.Live.Be. reboot, this week’s inspiration was to come from somewhere online. I actually found the chicken recipe on Pinterest, but it originates from Kalyn’s Kitchen. If you’re not familiar with Kalyn’s Kitchen, the focus is on the principles of the South Beach diet. With New Years’ resolutions nearly on the horizon, I’m sure legions will be reupping their interest in South Beach, so Kalyn’s site is a great resource if you’re heading that way. Although I don’t follow South Beach, I liked the concept of the chicken. Similar to a Chicken Parmesan recipe, it’s baked though, instead of fried, and even more healthy with whole wheat bread crumbs.
Although it’s supposed to marinate all day (I did mine for 5 hours), outside of that, the recipe is super simple, making it an ideal entree for a busy weeknight. The chicken is relatively tender, and packed with flavor from the olive oil and garlic. Seven out of seven ate it tonight, with five going back for seconds. Considering some of the picky eaters around the table, these are excellent results, trust me. I added a side of roasted vegetables and plain spaghetti with red sauce, and it was perfect.
You can find the recipe right here.
And now for my quote inspiration. Whether your goals are about health or fitness or most anything else, this is a mantra I repeat often for the kids. Don’t worry about what others are doing or not doing, just concentrate on being the best you that you can possibly be. With that focus, you can never go wrong.
Be sure to check out my fellow Eat.Live.Be. peeps, Joanne, Patsy, and Sarah to see how they interpreted this week’s mission.
PS – Did you miss that today was a double post day? You can check out a quick shout-out to the American Cancer Society right here.
December 14, 2011 – Bonus Photos
Yum! That looks so good.
So glad the chicken was well-received and thanks for the nice comments about my blog too! I’m sorry I don’t comment too much but I do love seeing the photos of the kids (who are growing up entirely too fast!)
I definitely have those days where sushi ordering happens. And I always feel a little guilty about them. But it happens.
You made up for it with this chicken though! Simple healthy delicious! I’m sure it was much appreciated.
Love that recipe! I’m going to mark it to try and see if my family enjoys it.