Bet I caught your attention with that title, huh? There was some fresh mozzarella on sale at the store the other day, and a craving/recipe popped into my head the minute I saw it. I can’t even remember the last time I had mozzarella sticks…probably the last time I went to the diner at 2 a.m. with my friends. Fried mozzarella is definitely one of my favorite not-so-healthy foods, so I was pretty excited when my version turned out even better than I thought it would. This version is quite a bit healthier than what you’ll find at the diner, but about 10 times more delicious. And yes, it is fried - not baked 😉 Here are the ingredients:

8oz fresh mozzarella cheese (I used whole milk, but you could use part-skim as well)
1/4 cup almond flour
1 tbsp ground flax
1 oz almonds
1 egg
olive oil

First I toasted the almonds in a (decent sized) pan on medium heat for about 5 minutes. After removing the almonds I left the pan on medium heat and added 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Then I prepped my dipping bowls - one bowl with the beaten egg, one with the almond flour and flax, and one with the crushed almonds (I used a pounder to crush the almonds, but a heavy-ish jar or can would do the trick).

I sliced the cheese into about 1 centimeter-thick discs. One at a time, dip the cheese into the egg, then coat with flour, followed by a coating of crushed almonds, and place in pan. Let it cook on each side for about 2 minutes, and voila! I only fried about 2 pieces at a time just to make sure the heat stayed level and the coating gets nice and crispy. Makes 6-7 pieces.

The finished product:

Do I even have to tell you that this was to die? The almond flour and crushed almonds made for a sweet and crispy outside layer, and the cheese inside was melty and divine. I was perfectly satisfied with two pieces for my entire dinner. Although I may or may not have gone back for a third…

What is your favorite fried food? Can you think of a way to make a healthier version of it?