Labor Day is almost here! Labor Day = BBQs. BBQs usually = breaking the diet ? I get it. Sticking to your diet during these holiday BBQs can be tough, especially when your family and friends are chowing down on those finger-licking cookout classics. And that feeling of deprivation often leads to one thing: overindulgence of the wrong foods at the wrong times!

Instead of succumbing to the temptation of those sugary, fatty, caloric bombs that are sure to be hanging around your weekend festivities, cook up (and share) these deliciously healthy alternatives! Time for Recipe Rehab, where we rehabilitate those favorites of yours from off-plan to on-plan. We’ll make them taste just as good as (or in my opinion better than) the real thing. The best part is that they won’t expand your waistline!

(Un)Fried Chicken
Serves 6. Adjust as needed if cooking for a big family.

What you?ll need:

6 – 4 oz chicken breast (boneless, skinless) or 24 oz chicken tenderloins (boneless, skinless) – this is usually between 12-18 tenderloins
3 cups crushed corn flakes
Salt-free seasonings of your choice? (I love Mrs. Dash!)
5 sprays per chicken breast of I Can?t Believe It?s Not Butter Spray

How you make it:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Crush corn flakes.
3. Spray chicken breasts with spray butter.
4. Roll chicken in crushed corn flakes and place on baking pan coated with non-stick spray.
5. Cook for 35-45 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Nutritional Infromation:  Each 4 oz (un)fried chicken breast has approximately 181 calories, 1.4g fat,
12.6g carbohydrate, 27.2g protein.

With the proteins covered (and who doesn’t like some finger licking unfriend chicken?), here are some of my favorite recipes and resources to keep your labor day fun, festive, and fit.

• Swap your favorite dessert for this PB+J Smoothie Bowl (I’ll bet you have all of the ingredients in your kitchen already!)
• Make sure to add veggies into any side (click here for more top tips to rescue your labor day BBQ)
• Leave the traditional sides alone, and opt for this Mac + Cheese (that’s right, you can and should eat this Mac + Cheese)
• If fried chicken isn’t your thing, go for this BLT Burger with Sweet Potato Fries
• Last, but certaintly not least, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate (click here for top tips on how to drink water even if you hate the taste)

I hope you enjoy your Labor Day weekend and these healthy spins on old classics!

Xo,