High Protein Mozzarella Sticks

Equipment

• Air fryer
• Mixing bowl

General Ingredients

• 192 g8 sticks part skim mozzarella cheese (string cheese)
• 50 g1 egg egg
• 50 g1/4 cups fat-free milk

Spices

• 3 g1/2 tsp salt
• 2.4 g1 tsp black pepper
• 1.6 g1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1.2 g1/2 tsp onion powder

Flour Mixture

• 10 g1 1/4 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 11 g2 tbsp collagen peptides
• 10 g2 tbsp casein protein unflavored
• 7 g1/2 tbsp baking powder

Breading Mixture

• 40 g2/3 cups panko bread crumbs
• 22 g1/4 cups collagen peptides
• 1 g1 tsp Italian seasoning

Marinara Sauce

• 150 g2/3 cups crushed tomatoes
• 3 g1/2 tsp salt
• 1.7 g1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 0.7 g1 tsp dried basil

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl (large enough to easily fit your string cheese), whisk together egg and milk.

2. In a small dish, combine all spices

3. In a second mixing bowl (or plate), whisk together Flour Mixture ingredients and half of spice mixture.

4. In a third mixing bowl (or plate), whisk together Breading Mixture ingredients and half of spice mixture. (If your panko bread crumbs are very large, I would recommend pulsing them in a blender or food processor. You want them larger than regular breadcrumbs, but small enough to uniformly coat the cheese sticks). Cover and set aside.

5. First flour coating: Add cheese stick to egg mixture with wet hand, pick up and allow excess egg to drop off, drop into flour mixture, coat with dry hand, place on wire rack. Repeat for all sticks.

6. Second flour coating: Do another round of egg and flour coating for each stick. If any flour remains, return sticks back into the flour mixture only (no egg) to pick up more until most is gone. Then dump the leftover into breading mixture. (This step is optional for the final result, but recommended for accurate macros).

7. First freeze: Throw breaded cheese sticks into the freezer for 30 minutes. You want the outside to be hard enough to not dissolve when put back into the egg.

8. Breading coating: Add each partially frozen stick to the egg mixture with wet hand, pick up and allow excess egg to drop off, drop into breading mixture, coat with dry hand, and place on wire rack. Repeat for all sticks. (And again, if any flour breading remains, return the sticks back into it to pick up some more).

9. Deep freeze: Put them back into the freezer for at least 4 hours. The longer the better (overnight is great). You want the cheese to be frozen solid so when you cook them, the breading has time to crisp up before the cheese melts out. (Make sure to place them on parchment paper when freezing or else they will freeze to the container and will be difficult to remove).

10. Air fry: Add to your air fryer basket, spray a little oil on them (promotes golden and crispy browning) and air fry them at 390F / 200C for about 9-11 minutes. Keep an eye on them, you wan to take them out when the breading is golden brown and the cheese is fully heated through, but before the cheese melts out.

Marinara Sauce

1. You can of course use any marinara sauce or other dipping sauce. To make a very quick, no cook sauce, simply add salt, garlic, and basic (or Italian seasoning) to crushed tomatoes. Let it rest for a bit so the flavors can come together.

Nutrition

Calories: 117 kcal Carbohydrates: 7 g Protein: 13 g Fat: 4 g Saturated Fat: 2 g Fiber: 0.4 g Sugar: 1.6 g