Gluten Free Chicken Fingers

These Chicken Fingers are gluten-free, healthy, and have the perfect mix of sweet and salty. They are baked, but still have the crispy coating as though they were fried. These chicken fingers make the perfect comfort meal, or appetizer for a party!

Every year time changes and I feel like I could sleep for a week. We get an extra hour of sleep for one night, and daylight begins earlier. However, I still struggle to function for the first few days. This week is about getting back into a daily routine! As the days get shorter it become easier to let routine slip away. Because of a few rough weeks my routine is long gone and I feel awful about it. When I have a normal routine I am more productive in school, I feel better about myself, and I am a genuinely happier person. Now that midterms are over I am taking some days to refresh and relax with my Mom before I have to worry about final exams and the term papers that are looming over my head. It is the perfect time to get back on schedule and to start living a healthy life once again! I am going to find the balance of school, healthy eating, working out, and studying that I had, but lost.

My favourite part about getting into a routine is getting my day planner organized. I need to know exactly where I have to be when, and when deadlines are coming up. I need to see where I have time to go to yoga, the gym, or take a nap. I need to-do lists, and organization. I thrive on organization, it is a calming experience to see how much control I have over my life when so many things seem out of control this time of year. Every aspect of my life is categorized and given a colour in my day planner. This way nothing gets forgotten and I can visually process what is a priority and what is not.

Before getting back into routine in full force I granted myself a grace period to eat the things I crave and catch up on my sleep. This time of year makes me want to curl up on my couch and relax with a cup of earl grey while the fireplace roars. My favourite thing about fall is comfort food! I find myself craving all my favourites from childhood, but this week my weakness was chicken fingers! It took me awhile to decide how I was going to tackle breading the chicken, but I managed to find a way that had flavour and made these chicken fingers as healthy as possible and gluten free!

Gluten Free Chicken Fingers

1/4 Cup Gluten Free Flour
1 Large Egg
2 Cups Gluten Free Honey Chex Cereal (Crushed)
1 Tbsp Parmesean Cheese
1 Tsp Oregano
1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
10 Ounces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (Approx. 2)

Preheat oven to 425 Degrees. In one bowl beat the egg, place flour in another bowl, in a third bowl combine the crushed Chex cereal, cheese, and spices. Cut each chicken breast in 4 pieces. Dip the pieces in the flour, then the egg, and then the Chex, and place on a cookie sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, flipping half way. Each chicken finger is 2 weight watchers points plus and pairs perfectly with mustard! 

Cooking gluten free does not have to be difficult. You just have to experiment with the items that you have in the kitchen. It involves thinking outside the box. Cooking regular foods comes more naturally because it becomes a habit, you know what you need and what conventionally goes into what. You cannot think conventionally when you are cooking gluten free, you have to start combing the foods that you enjoy and be creative! I realize that not everyone enjoys cooking, or is creative in the kitchen, but do not let that discourage you from trying new things!

Remember that things happen and it can be difficult to stick with a routine. Life gets busy, people get sick, and sometimes you just cannot keep up. Try not to be to hard on yourself, and keep pushing along. When life calms down you will be able to develop a routine again. Just try to maintain a balance that keeps you healthy during the rough times, so you can thrive in the good times!

Enjoy the rest of your week!
K.

Three Goals for Motivation

School starts in a few short weeks and it is time to get back on track so I am prepared for anything that will come my way! Here are three goals that I have for myself and everyone else that is trying to live a healthy life!

1. Plan Ahead - I always find that I eat better if I take the time to plan my meals a few days ahead, find out their weight watchers points, and prepare everything I can in advance. This ensures that I know what I am eating and how many points I have left everyday. Cooking in advance prevents me from eating an unhealthy meal when I am in a rush. It also ensures that I know exactly what is in my food, so there is no chance of eating gluten.

2. Routine - While its nice to have days off, I find that I sleep in, lay around, miss meals, and generally do not do anything productive. To be successful at reaching my goals I need to have a routine. This involves getting up at the same time, eating breakfast, having healthy snacks, and making the time to go to the gym, yoga, or for a walk around the neighbourhood. I am a creature of habit. I like having my days schedule so I know exactly where I will be when. This way I can plan my workout and meals or snacks for when I have school or work. I included the name balance in my blog title because I believe that having a balance between school work, working out, spending time with friends, and making time for yourself is the most important part of living a happy and rewarding life. This is one thing that I need to focus on.

3. Change things up - Eating the same things everyday gets boring. I am going to try to make enough food that I do not need to cook everyday, but something that I can change up everyday and make it good. This is the same thing with working out. If I do the same thing daily I eventually get bored and quit all together. I will make a plan to alternate workouts and make sure I have extra time for some juicy hot yoga.

These are three key things that I need to do in order to stay motivated and reach my goals. I also need to make sure that I make time for the things I enjoy doing. Taking time for myself is one of the most rewarding parts of my day. I love to cook, I need to take the time to make dishes that I enjoy. Figuring out how to make them gluten free and healthy can be a challenge. But if it tastes good then it is incredibly rewarding!

The fruit and vegetable stands are full of delicious and fresh foods right now! Every time I go I find myself inspired with new idea and overwhelmed with all the possibilities! Last week I bought some eggplant and wasn't really sure what to do with it. After much research I tried something simple, and it turned out to be very satisfying! Later this week I'm going to try more experimenting and see what deliciousness I can come up with.

Tomorrow is jam and salsa day! I have never canned before, but I am so excited to try! I got some wonderful looking fresh peaches at the fruit stand today and they will be perfect for jam. There are so many possibilities with all of the fresh foods available. Check out my Rhubarb Muffins, and Cheeky Cherry Bread for some ideas!

Tonight is Sunday, and tomorrow is the start of a new week. A new week full of promise and possibilities. I am going to spend the evening enjoying a cup of tea and planning my meals for the week. I find writing on balance and elegance to be very rewarding, I am still very new to it and would love any feedback from readers (good and bad) so I can grow into a better blogger! My main goal is to blog more frequently. I do post yummy food ideas on my instagram between posts - feel free to follow me for more ideas @_kacimarie

Have a great week! and remember to plan ahead!
K.