Hello Friends!
Hope you are enjoying the signs of spring! For me the clear sign of spring is I literally have cute bunny rabbits hopping around my neighborhood, their cute fluffy white tails disappearing in the bushes every time I come near them on my random walks. These walks are my only downtime these days, as I try to balance work, family, errands, chores, and of course, meal prep. I do most of my meal prep for the week on Sundays, which sets the tone for a productive week.
As many of you have been asking for a simple meal prep video, I decided to share one of my favorites, a chicken parmesan with a middle eastern twist, along with sheet pan roasted vegetables:
This chicken parmesan is a little lower in carbs, as I love to use almond flour and of course parmesan cheese in the breading. Where things get a little bit different is in the seasonings and toppings. Instead of tons of cheese, I use a sprinkle of either feta or goat cheese. You get more flavor and zest with these cheeses while using a lot less. I also like to use za’atar as a seasoning, and a simple cherry tomato and garlic saute on top.
To prep for the week, I pound the chicken breasts and coat and bread them on Sundays. I also saute the tomatoes with garlic, salt, and olive oil and store it in a jar. Once I am ready to assemble the dish on Monday, all I have to do is pan fry the chicken breasts, put them in a baking dish, top with the tomatoes and cheese, and bake in the oven.
As for the sheet pan vegetables, I love to add different herbs and spices so the family doesn’t get bored. I also buy vegetables in season to ensure peak flavor for the lowest price. I particularly love baharat seasoning (Arabic 5 spice) as well as za’atar, lemon pepper, and garlic powder. To see the complete process, check out my new video below, and let me know if you would like more weekend meal prep videos!
If you are a Dancing with the Stars fan, continue scrolling down below =)
Chicken Parm with a Mideast Twist
- 1 pound chicken breast
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Flour for coating chicken
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Zaatar
- Olive oil
- 1 package cherry tomatoes
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 3 tbsp crumbled goat or feta cheese
- Pound the chicken breasts using a mallet until ½ inch thin, then season with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour and set aside. In a flat bowl whisk the eggs. In another dish add the almond flour, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and garlic powder. Dip each chicken piece in the egg, then the bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle with za’atar. In a skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil, and add the chicken, cooking about 3 minutes each side or until it is browned on the outside and cooked on the inside, set aside.
- To prepare the tomatoes, cut each cherry tomato in half. In a skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil, and saute the garlic for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes. Add salt to taste, and continue sauteeing until it reaches an almost jam like consistency. To assemble, add a coupe of the tbsp of the cooked tomato to each piece of breaded chicken, then sprinkle with the cheese. Place under a broiler for a couple of minutes, then serve
As I want to take you on this journey with me as a correspondent for the entertainment show on NBC called “California Live”, I thought I would share with you the latest fun story!
If you know of Maks and Val, the incredibly talented brothers from Dancing with the Stars, they are opening a new cabaret wine show in Napa Valley called “Savor After Hours.” They fell in love with California wines and Napa Valley, and decided to bring all of their loves together in this dance show this summer. This show will feature a lot of sipping and dancing on hot summer nights. I got the chance to meet them right after they took a red eye flight from New York City:
While they arrived bleary eyed and tired, they both ate sandwiches with San Francisco style sourdough bread, and it was like they were infused with a massive shot of energy! It was a one hour laugh session, and I included a lot of the behind the scenes outtakes below. Hope it makes you smile!
