Skinny Cherry Cheesecake Dip

June 8, 2015 Amanda Plott

So this weekend a pretty amazing thing happened, American Pharoah won the Triple Crown. He was the first horse to do so in 37 years and also the first to do so the entire time I've been alive! (And I'm turning 30 this year!) My family has been watching the derbies together for the past several years now, a tradition that I believe started sometime when I was fresh out of college. I've been dreaming of the day since then that I would get to see a horse take the triple crown. And man... was it worth it.

A few horses have come close, winning the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness... but, falling short of winning the final of the three at the long track of Belmont. For whatever reason, this year was different. There wasn't nervous tension in the air, but more of an excitement. Everyone just wanted American Pharoah to get it done. Let's see it already. Let's do it!...

Skinny Ice Cream Scoop Pops (Sponsored)

June 2, 2015 Amanda Plott

This post was brought to you by Collective Bias, Inc. and it's advertiser. I received compensation to write this post … but, all opinions expressed are my own. #SunsOutSpoonsOut #CollectiveBias

Now that we're over the torrential rain here for a while and the sun has peeked back out from behind the dark and gloomy clouds, it's starting to warm back up here in Texas! I think it's been about a month (if not longer) since I last saw the sun like I've seen it today.

I'm so happy to be getting back into the swing of summer foods, though I know in a couple of months when it starts tipping the thermostat at 100+ degrees outside, I'll be singing an entirely different tune.

For the time being though, I'm ready for some ice cream!

Ice cream is a summer staple for just about anyone. Since my little girl is all about cake pops, I thought it might be fun to do the same thing with ice cream. Ice cream scoop pops; a small school of ice cream on a wooden spoon that's topped off with an array of sprinkles...

Skinny Butternut Squash & Carrot Soup

May 28, 2015 Amanda Plott

Oh, man - I've survived the great storm and flood of 2015 here in Austin! Not everyone was as fortunate as us. We had a 6+ hour power outage, multiple trees blown over, and several fences that were ripped apart by 70 mph straight-line winds here in my immediate neighborhood. At one point many places were evacuated to ground level central rooms, and I was ready to jump into the closet under my stairs with my grandmother and daughter at a seconds notice when we were under a tornado warning. Scary stuff!

Our wonderful lake is thriving off all the recent rain, which is one great thing that has come out of all this crazy weather here lately; going up from 37% full to 63% full!

Of course, as I was watching the weather on the news during the most recent storm, I was taking my mind off things as best I could by cooking. What goes better with a stormy day than a nice warm bowl of soup?...

Skinny Kale & Carrot Top Pesto

May 26, 2015 Amanda Plott

I've made a few pestos before. One that's a bit more traditional, and another that's more my style. No matter how you make it, pesto is definitely one of my favorite things to eat, and I am happy to find any excuse at all to use it in a recipe.

This week I got another local produce box that contained a large bunch of kale and some lovely carrots with their tops. Since I was going to be making a soup with the carrots, I began to wonder if the tops of the carrots were edible, and if they were, would they work well in a pesto?

Waste not, want not - right?

I immediately began to do some research. Apparently the tops of the carrots are edible, though they were once thought to be poisons because of their bitter taste; supposedly bitterness is often associated with poisonous foods. Either way, it was all a myth and carrot tops are perfectly safe and delicious to consume when used right!...

Skinny Spinach & Sundried Tomato Omelette

May 14, 2015 Amanda Plott

This yummy vegetarian and gluten-free omelette is a great thing to wake up to. Seriously, I can't think of much else that I'd rather wake up to. I promise that you won't miss any meat here either, and as an added bonus it's still pretty packed with protein and good-for-you things; spinach, tomato, and even some mushrooms!

Breakfast has been a tricky meal for me lately. Somewhere between work and being a mommy, it's one of the last things that I happen to think about. And often by the time I have the time to make breakfast for myself... it's time for lunch!

I guess that's why I'm more of a brunch person.

That and brunch also comes with a mimosa or bloody mary!...

Vanilla Chia Pudding & Strawberry Puree

May 12, 2015 Amanda Plott

As warmer weather starts to roll in, I'm always looking for meals and snacks that are easy, healthy, and also not requiring any source of heat. Chia pudding is and has been one of my favorite quick breakfast and snack options. Toss it together the night before and bam, the next day you have an easy breakfast or a beautiful treat.

Chia pudding is generally gluten-free so there's that as an added bonus, but I wanted to do something a little different today. I also wanted to make it dairy-free as well. I try to do what I can to provide recipes for all special dietary needs, and I often times feel like I lack a little when it comes to lactose/dairy-free.

This perfectly de{light}ful pudding is great for either a breakfast, snack, or even a dessert option. It's sweet enough for dessert and yet healthy enough for breakfast!...