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I've been so busy with the end of summer and getting my little one ready for back-to-school that it's been a task to be a the balanced mom I know that I am. I'm all about using quality ingredients and offering better-for-you options to my family, but let's face it... sometimes schedules and lifestyle will try and to force us to make compromises.

These baked tortellini bites are the perfect balance of being quick and easy to make while also being more health conscious without sacrificing any taste! Another great thing about these little bites is that they make for a great after school snack or even used as part of a dinner; served with a side salad and some sauce for dipping.

To keep these tortellini bites lightened up, I started with picking up some of my favorite flavors of BUITONI® tortellini; Sweet Italian Sausage, Spinach Cheese, and Mixed Cheese. I then coated the tortellini in egg and dipped them into a breading mixture of panko (for crunch), and plenty of parmesan and whole wheat bread crumbs.

After that, it's all about baking these bites to a toasty perfection. No frying or oil used for cooking here! Of course like I said, you can eat them just 'as is' for a snack or serve them as part of a balanced 'weeknight' meal by offering them with some fresh veggies or a side salad! These couldn't be more great for little fingers and hands to grab and enjoy.

Nestlé has a variety of amazing products like these Buitoni tortellini, that are the perfect solution for the Back-to-School season; helping moms to create more balance with good quality, convenient options to supplement our traditional recipes that we know and love.

Skinny Baked Tortellini Bites
TheSkinnyFork.com

The Skinny:
You won't use all of the breading so I've deducted accordingly from the count below.
Servings: 7 • Size: About 3/4 Cup • Calories: 307 • Fat: 12.8 g • Carb: 35.8 g • Fiber: 2.3 g • Protein: 11.4 g • Sugar: 2.5 g • Sodium: 565 mg

Ingredients:
1/2 C. Plain Panko
1/4 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 C. Plain Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
2 Whole Large Egg
18 Oz. Tortellini (I used 6 Oz. of each of the three kinds I bought.)
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with foil before topping with a wire baking rack. Give the wire rack a light coat of non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

Mix together the 1/2 C. panko, 1/4 C. parmesan, and 1/4 C. bread crumbs together in a small bowl.

In another small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs together until well combined.

Set up your dredging station with the egg and breading mixture; dipping the tortellini into the egg to coat well before pressing into the breading.

Note: You do not need to pre-cook the tortellini.

Transfer the tortellini onto the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes or until the edges of the tortellini are starting to brown and crisp.

Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before handling.