Crock Pot Pumpkin & Maple Pork Tenderloin

September 22, 2014 Amanda Plott

Oh. My. Goodness.

My house smelled like maple heaven for an entire day with this cooking up in the kitchen. And yes, it tastes just as great at it smells! It was all I could do to keep from going in there towards dinner time and picking off the 'crispy' end pieces to snack on.

Yes, I'm that one. My mom and I are well known for tag-teaming the burnt ends at any family barbecue.

This pumpkin maple tenderloin was pretty amazing and perfectly fitting with pumpkin season and fall weather as it rolls in. I was a little skeptical at first since I'm not generally a fan of adding sweetness to my pork, but it was just the right amount of sweet and tang with the apple cider vinegar...

Vegetarian Pumpkin Curry

September 19, 2014 Amanda Plott

I've been craving curry of all types lately. I'm not exactly sure why either. Perhaps it's the change in weather that's increasing my desire for something warm and spicy. I attempted to make a green chicken curry last week but was not exactly a fan of the overwhelming amount of spice-heat that came from it. Yikes! It's a recipe that is definitely a work in progress.

This week I decided to go with a red curry, which is generally what I order when out at any thai place. I think red curry is generally a little less spicy than the green, but that also depends on how much of what curry paste or powder you put in.

With pumpkin season in full swing, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to use up some nice pumpkin puree! I've added it to chili before... so why not curry?...

Skinny Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders

September 17, 2014 Amanda Plott

It's been a long looong few days. As some of you may know, I wasn't around this Monday (as I usually am) since I was out of town visiting my grandfather in the hospital. Long story short, he went in with pneumonia... and incidentally they found a bleeding ulcer, three clogged arteries and stage four small cell liver cancer. He isn't in very good shape right now, but we're all being strong for him and each other as we go through this difficult time as a family. First thing is first, chemotherapy will be starting in the next few days and he's extremely determined to beat this!

So, I apologize if this is all a bit scattered and disorganized today. My mind is just elsewhere...

Anyway - on to the beautiful, colorful, brightness of this tasty tropical inspired dish!...

Chickpea & Quinoa Cakes

September 12, 2014 Amanda Plott

So, I'm not really a huge fan of seafood. Okay... and by that... I mean I absolutely cannot and will not eat any sort of seafood. I've been that way for my entire life, even after living on the Oregon coast for 5 years! It has nothing to do with taste or texture, because honestly... I've had very few tastes of seafood. It is completely a mental block.

My mom says that if I would just try seafood, I would love it. Hah. Good luck getting me to try any! With all of that being said, I can't help but day dream and wonder when I see a beautiful fresh seafood dish. One thing I think I would enjoy is a crab cake.

So, this is basically my vegetarian... vegan... paleo take on a crab cake!

Cauliflower & Hominy Smash

September 10, 2014 Amanda Plott

This cauliflower hominy smash is a perfect lower carb substitution for potatoes. In fact, I would say that I enjoy this smash just as much as mashed potatoes, if not more. The texture of the two vegetables, along with the milk and a touch of butter leave this side dish tasting very close to a cheesy smashed potato with hardly any of the guilt!

Not that potatoes are a bad thing at all. They have their place in my heart too.

You get a nice heaping half cup of this smash for only about 72 calories and 13 grams carbs, and trust me... you won't miss their potato counter part at all. What's even better is that they are gluten free and clean!...

Skinny Spinach & Basil Pesto

September 8, 2014 Amanda Plott

My basil plant is suddenly going a little crazy. Of course it is at the very end of summer. One of my favorite things to do with my fresh basil is to make pesto! I think that I've loved pesto most of my life. The first time I ever had it was atop a pizza, and I was hooked from then on.

Pesto is an amazing blend of fresh greens, cheese, pine nuts and olive oil. It's usually a pretty fattening thing! I like to cut mine down by using a lot less oil and pine nuts. Plus, adding spinach gives an extra little boots to protein and vitamins. At least I don't feel as guilty with eating it with all of my justifications, right?

Right!...