Avocado Caprese & Olive Oil Caviar

August 19, 2015 Amanda Plott

I got to have some extra fun in the kitchen today with my lunch. With it still being rather hot here in Texas, I've been trying to keep my lunches pretty light and fresh. Caprese salads are always one of my staple go-to keeping it cool sort of lunches. They're easy to make, taste great, and are pretty healthy to boot.

I've had this little jar of olive oil caviar sitting on my counter for a while now. It's something that I haven't tried before and one of those things that I was nearly so excited to use that I couldn't think of a use for application that I felt would do it's genius justice. Then... it struck me!

Traditionally a caprese salad is drizzled with a little bit of olive oil, so I thought this would be the perfect way to show off the olive oil caviar in a simple and extremely tasty dish that takes little time and effort to toss together; using the olive oil caviar in place of the drizzle...

Apple Cinnamon Detox Water

August 17, 2015 Amanda Plott

So, I've been working out for about two weeks now, about three days a week. I gotta say, I've been feeling pretty good already! I'm all for getting lean this year. The place that I go for my classes offers ice water and also fruit or vegetable infused water. The water recipe changes daily. So far, I've noticed a lemon water, cucumber lemon mint water, lemon cantaloupe water, and a fresh berry water. They've all been delicious and perfect to drink before, during, and after a good workout.

Needless to say, the notion of the infused water got my wheels spinning once again on my healthy detox waters. I've made a few of these waters in the past, all of which I've loved. I'm an avid water drinker, outside of my morning cup of joe I'm a water all day sort of girl and I always have been!

Cilantro-Lime Coconut Rice

August 14, 2015 Amanda Plott

Let's see... the first time I had cilantro-lime coconut rice was quite a few many years back now. Right about when I first started getting into cooking. As far as I can remember, my mom and I were trying to come up with a rice to go with a Thai inspired dish that wouldn't be quite so traditional.

I remember that I was more than a little apprehensive because coconut is not one of my favorite flavors and I hadn't yet really been exposed to the wonderfulness that is coconut milk. My attitude towards coconut started to change with this rice right here.

One of the great things about cilantro-lime rice is that it can pair well with almost any Asian, Thai, or even Indian style dish. Yes, I've been known to sneak it in with a Mexican style dinner as well, though I usually leave the coconut milk for that variation!...

Blueberry, Banana & Coconut Parfait

August 4, 2015 Amanda Plott

Introducing #TopItTuesday – Tuesday is the perfect day of the week that could use a little bit more love. For my de{light}ful #TopItTuesday, I decided to make a parfait. Not just any parfait either, but one of my most favorite parfaits!

Blueberry, banana and toasted coconut chips - oh my! That's how I add a little flavor to my life. This parfait is a perfect little treat to enjoy fro breakfast, lunch, or even as dessert to stave off that insistent sweet tooth after dinner.

What's better is that this tasty treat is gluten-free and vegan! Plus, with under 350 calories in a rather nicely sized portion there's nothing to feel guilty about - other than not having made it before. The tartness of the blueberries, the sweetness of the banana and yogurt, and the bit of a crunch with the toppings makes this a perfect bite...

Easy Ratatouille & Cheesy Parmesan Polenta (Crock Pot)

July 29, 2015 Amanda Plott

So, I've been on the hunt for a good way of making ratatouille lately. I had tried it many many years back when I was a brand new mother. But, it didn't turn out at all the way that I had wanted. It soured my opinion on ratatouille and eggplant for years to come. Eggplant is not my most favorite vegetable, but ratatouille is one way that I will eat it.

I think that I'll eat almost anything if it's got pasta sauce and/or zucchini involved.

A few weeks back, I had tried this recipe out while my grandmother was still visiting. It got rave reviews from around the table. As it turns out, I got an eggplant and an acorn squash in my most recent local produce box, and knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. Another ratatouille!...

Skinny Summer Jalapeño Corn Chowder (Crock Pot)

July 27, 2015 Amanda Plott

I know it's summer, and who could possibly want hot soup when it's 100 degrees outside... but, sometimes you just have to roll ahead with seasonal produce while you can. It's all about corn right now in central Texas, so I wanted to make something a little different that would stand out and make that corn shine.

This corn chowder actually reminds me quite a lot of a loaded baked potato soup, just with a lot less potato and a lot more sweet corn flavor. I got some red potatoes, jalapeño, and chives in my local produce box this week, plus I had some bacon stashed away in my fridge. All of those things instantly made me think to make my twist on on this corn soup...