Cheese-Stuffed Italian Chicken

adapted from the White House Cookbook (from simply sugar &free gluten free)
serves 2

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 medium onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional- don't do mushrooms)
2 tablespoons shredded carrots
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, divided
pinch of cinnamon
8 – 10 drops liquid stevia
4 ounces tomato sauce
3/4 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese
a few grinds of black pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 375F. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat olive oil in a medium nonstick pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until starting to soften. Add celery, mushrooms, carrots, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, cinnamon, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let the sauce reduce while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Once sauce has thickened, taste add 8 drops of stevia. Taste and add more if necessary. The sauce shouldn’t be sweet – instead, the stevia will just balance out the acid from the tomatoes.

Mix cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Set aside.

Butterfly chicken breasts, then cover with plastic wrap and pound to 1/4 inch thick with a meat mallet or a skillet. (I use my small, stainless steel saute pan.)

Divide cheese evenly between the two chicken breasts, roll, and place in prepared baking dish seam side down. Top with tomato sauce. Cover and bake for 30 – 40 minutes, until baked through. Top with shredded cheese, return to oven uncovered until cheese has melted. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.