Skinny Cold Brew Coffee Protein Shake (Sponsored)

September 21, 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. #BestLifeProject #CollectiveBias

For the past month or two now I've taken on the challenge of starting to exercise. Healthy eating has been a part of my life for a good long while now, but I've never really been one to actually 'exercise'. I think the last time that I actually didn't anything with fitness was well before I had my little girl. That was over 5 years ago!

I've been 'hitting the gym' 3-4 days a week, doing everything from the treadmill, to tabata, cardio, pilates, barre, yoga and back again. I thought that starting in with a fitness routine would be hard, but I guess I was just mentally ready for it since I became addicted pretty much instantly. I haven't given myself a chance to quit or find an excuse not to go.

In fact, I've found myself considering it as 'part of my job duties'. It's a must do to complete my weekly tasks sort of thing. I feel so much better. Even after the first initial week of exercise I felt lighter, healthy, and more grounded...

Multi-Grain Chicken Tenders (Sponsored) + Give a Box

September 18, 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. #GiveABox #CollectiveBias

Starting this month, and for a limited time, you're able to gift some love (in the form of Cheerios ™) to a friend or loved one by picking up a specially marked package Walmart stores. There are currently five Cheerios ™ products that will contain a unique code that shoppers can enter online to give an e-card and mailed coupon for a free box to a recipient of their choice. Pretty nifty and thrifty, right?

I'll be gifting my free box to my Dad to re-live and remind him of the fond memories we have of the time we spent together when I was growing up. Many of those memories are still alive with my Grandfather (Papa) as well.

It's been a rough year for our family with the loss of my Grandfather weighing heavy on us all. My dad has become the rock that everyone has needed; moving back with my Grandmother to help her take care of things around her property, as well as being there for my Aunts and Cousins as well...

Chickpea, Butternut Squash & Green Pea Curry

September 11, 2015 Amanda Plott

I've had this love-hate relationship with curry lately. I made a new vegetarian version of it a few weeks ago and it turned out great. I then made it again about a week ago and it was horrible. So, I went back to the drawing board.

I wanted to keep this version of curry somewhere between summer and fall with flavors and vegetables blending over from both seasons. So, I decided to use fresh green peas and spinach as an ode to summer, while the butternut squash was my fall inspiration.

This curry is full of flavor, but not very spicy if you ask me. The sweetness of the peas and butternut squash naturally tone down the spicy kick of the curry. So, if you're not one for hot and spicy things, this curry is right up your alley!...

Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip

September 8, 2015 Amanda Plott

Not only can plant-based diets be good for people and better for the planet, but they taste amazing too! I've been working with my own family and our diets, eating less and less meat each week it seems. So, I'm taking the #MeatlessMondayNight challenge to spark real change.

Adopting a more plant-based diet can start with making a change just one day a week – so why not start by sidelining meat during Monday Night Football games this season?

One of my favorite dips in the world is spinach and artichoke dip. I had a great recipe for it years ago that I kept tucked away even though I haven't made it in a while. Today I decided to take that recipe out, dust it off, and give a good dairy-free once over...

Healthified Shredded Buffalo Chicken (Crock Pot)

September 3, 2015 Amanda Plott

This is one of those great base recipes that could be used in many forms and fashions. It would be great in a sandwich, a wrap, incorporated into a chicken salad, or even in a grilled cheese. There's really so many uses for it that I thought it needed to be here as it is to stand on it's own.

I've kept this dish light and flavorful by letting the chicken remain simmering all day in a broth full of large chunks of fresh vegetables; allowing it to absorb all those great natural flavors. At the end of cooking, all you do is shred the chicken, toss it with a buffalo sauce of your choosing and use it as you see fit...

Skinny Brown Bag Taco Popcorn (On the Cob or Not!)

August 26, 2015 Amanda Plott

I've got to admit, I'm not exactly a huge fan of popcorn. Ugh! I know. I really wish I was. But, I do have a lot of popcorn fans in my family. ... Okay, so pretty much everyone else but me is a huge over-the-top popcorn lover.

As the season has it, I happened to get popping corn on the cob in my local produce box the past couple of weeks. I've had it sitting with my other dry produce on the counter for a while, looking at it and waiting. I was trying to decide what exactly I wanted to do with it when popped. Personally, if I'm going to eat popcorn, I like for it to have a really fun and amazing flavor. I find that it helps get me more interested in it.

Yes, I'm the one always wanting cheddar, ranch, or any other seasoning on my popcorn...