Dairy-Free 'Brain' Cheese Ball

October 6, 2020 Amanda Plott

Halloween is coming! And I couldn’t be more excited. For a long time now, Halloween has been my most favorite holiday, but I’m having to make a few changes to my usual routine lately since we’ve got a sensitive stomach in the house. I bought a plastic brain mold at the end of last year with the intentions of using it for a few things. A brain cheese ball was at the top of the list!

With dairy-free being the name of the game, I set out to find a way to make a cheese ball dairy-free. And you know what? It’s way easier than you might think. There are a lot of options out there for dairy-free alternatives. All the way from milk, to cheese, and even cream cheese…

Shisho Pesto

August 3, 2020 Amanda Plott

So, I realized the other day that due to the shape of world right now that I didn’t get to do as much with my backyard herbs as I generally do during the Spring and Summer. Usually I have a yard that’s plentiful with basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, limes, and grapes! Sometimes there’s some strawberries and tomatoes out there too.

With all the basil I end up making pesto all through the Spring and Summer months. And being as I didn’t have any this year? I haven’t been able to make my homemade pesto. Craving the tasty green stuff, I decided to be a little creative. I got my hands on some Shisho, which is an herb that’s used often in Japanese dishes…

Healthified Restaurant Style Salsa

April 28, 2020 Amanda Plott

This is an old one, but a good one. This Blender Salsa is tried and true and was one of the very first recipes that I ever posted here way back in 2013! It’s been a good long time since I made this salsa, and being as I managed to get my hands on a bunch of canned tomatoes… and a lot of us are surviving on pantry staples, I thought there was no better time than now to make this Healthified Restaurant Style Salsa again.

Originally I came up with this Healthified Restaurant Style Salsa for a family member who wanted one similar to what you’ll find at a chain restaurant that’s known for it’s peppery name…

Skinny Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip

January 6, 2020 Amanda Plott

The big game is coming up soon - less than a month away, and if you’re looking for a great dip to add to your game day spread, look no further. This Skinny Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip is a real winner. One of my favorite things about this hot dip is that it’s super quick and easy to make while being so damn good that no one will ever guess that it’s made to be a little better-for-you.

To lighten this dip up, I used some plain greek yogurt and reduced fat cheeses. The real powerhouses of flavor are the lemon and the spinach. So don’t skip out on that squeeze of lemon juice. The seasoning in there is important too. Garlic, crushed red pepper, and of course salt & pepper…

Chicken Parmesan Dip

December 10, 2019 Amanda Plott

I love Italian food. I mean… who doesn’t? One of my favorite Italian dishes is chicken parmesan. But, with things being so chaotic around the house right now, I thought it would be best if I could find a way to enjoy chicken parmesan as quickly and easily as possible. Chicken Parmesan Dip it is!

This Chicken Parmesan Dip has all the pieces and parts of a chicken parmesan, but is put together in the form of a perfectly dipable dish! Cooked chicken, marinara, ricotta, mozzarella… and of course, parmesan! After all, you can’t have chicken parmesan without the parmesan…

Meat Lover Calzone

July 11, 2019 Amanda Plott

My plans for the recipe that I had intended to post yesterday went a little awry when I realized that I had already posted the recipe last year. I guess that’s how you know you’ve been doing this for a while, when you start to forget what you’ve already cooked or created. One thing that I know I haven’t yet shared though (until today) is a calzone.

Not just any calzone either. This calzone is a meat lover style calzone. Meaning that it is absolutely FULL of Italian style meats and cheeses. Don’t let that scare you though, I’ve lightened it up by using a leaner choice of meats…