Baked (not fried) Mozzarella Sticks

For me, it’s always hard to stick to eating healthy during the weekends. Monday through Friday, I pack the healthiest of lunches to work, and I prep dinner with the same health-conscious mentality. But weekends are my weak spot, especially on Football Sundays.

When the apps hit the table – buffalo chicken dip, bacon and cheese poppers, etc. – I just can’t resist. One turns into three, and so forth. But on Sunday as my boyfriend and I were preparing to watch Sunday Night Football, we needed some apps – and I thought, hey, I can make something somewhat healthy and still enjoy snacking while watching the game.

So I turned to Pinterest for some inspiration and was pleasantly surprised with an easy, healthy alternative to fried, pre-packaged mozzarella sticks. Best yet – all you need is three ingredients:

1. Cheese sticks (I used reduced fat mozzarella sticks)
2. Panko breadcrumbs
3. Your favorite seasoning (I chose Italian Herb Seasoning)

All you need is two (three if you include seasoning, which is optional) ingredients.

Here’s the simple to-do list – and trust me, you want to try this! The original recipe is from CupcakePedia.com.

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a foiled baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Take a package of mozzarella sticks, and cut each in half. You can make as many as you want – I cut four sticks in half, making a total of 8.
   

   Cut each mozzarella stick in half.

3. From there, I took each cheese stick and dipped it in water. This will help the breadcrumbs stick to the stick easily.
4. Coat each cheese stick with Panko breadcrumbs. I like using Panko brand since it is slightly healthier and lighter than traditional breadcrumbs.
5. From there, lay each stick on your greased baking sheet, and sprinkle with your preferred seasoning. I liked using some Italian Herb Seasoning for this, but feel free to be creative.
   

   The breadcrumb-coated sticks are ready to hit the oven.

6. Pop the baking sheet in a preheated oven for about 5 minutes. Check the sticks frequently because if you overcook them (which can easily be done), you will just have melted blobs instead of sticks.
7. Serve with a side of marinara sauce and eat up!

These are too easy to not make, and I think we’ll be seeing more of these as football season continues.

The final product!