Edamame & Avocado Power Sandwich

April 14, 2017 Amanda Plott

This post is sponsored by Soyfoods Association of North America in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

Did y'all know that April is National Soy Foods Month? There's probably not a girl out there that love soy anymore than I do either. I could turn around and be a vegetarian tomorrow if I really wanted to. And trust me, I have threatened myself with doing that very thing. For over a year now, I've strived to create at LEAST one vegetarian family dinner a week. Though generally it turns into more like two or three dinners a week.

Eating meatless meals a few times a week can not only be better for you, it can also save you a lot of money at the grocery store. I'm talking... I can easily shave $50 off my weekly grocery bill for a small family of three...

Birthday Cake 'Cake Batter' Protein Shake

April 12, 2017 Amanda Plott

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Axe Wellness. The opinions and text are all mine.

Okay all, this is going to be my last birthday cake inspired recipe for the week! This birthday bonanza was all in honor of my little girl's birthday, which officially kicks off birthday season for my family. Almost ALL of our close family has birthday's in Spring and early Summer months. Now that the excitement is starting to wane from my mini me turning 7, I can get back to some bit of normalcy. Let's face it, none of our 'adult' birthdays are nearly as important as the little one's.

With my own birthday on the horizon and the inevitability of being another year older I thought what better time than now to introduce this Birthday Cake inspired protein shake! It's loaded up with plenty of birthday cake flavor, plus a boost of protein and collagen to keep you strong and satisfied...

Deli Snack Box

March 28, 2017 Amanda Plott

As if you couldn't tell, I'm a snacker, y'all. I love snacky little plates and boxes that give me a variety of things to enjoy so that I don't get bored with what I'm eating. Whether is actually a snack or a lighter meal is always debatable since we all need and want different things as snacks and meals. Me? I like BIG snacks or small meals. And this Deli Snack Box is just that!

So, I'm calling this a 'snack' box because it would really be good as a pre or post workout 'fill me up', but honestly it's nearly filling enough to take the place of a lighter on-the-go meal. It's somewhere between snack and meal, which is exactly where I wanted to be today...

Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls

March 23, 2017 Amanda Plott

I've been on a mediterranean kick lately. Can you tell with my Mediterranean Toast and now this Quinoa Bowl? I have always been a fan of Mediterranean and Greek inspired dishes. I think it's the mix of savory, salty, and the bright bold flavors that go along with it. This bowl starts out with a simple cooked quinoa on the bottom and goes from there. It's light enough to enjoy as a simple dinner and yet hearty enough to have as a filling lunch.

For this bowl, I kept it traditional with fresh tomatoes, zucchini and lemon. To get some salt in there I added greek olives, feta, and of course those artichoke hearts. The avocado is there for some smooth creamy healthy fats that you can use along with the lemon juice as a dip/spread/dressing for everything else. And... who doesn't love avocado anyway?...

Mediterranean Toast

March 17, 2017 Amanda Plott

Toast Tuesday has become a real thing. And all though it's Friday and not Tuesday, I figured... what the heck. I'll still do Toast Tuesday anyway. That's just how good this toast is. The idea behind Toast Tuesday is to make the very best and most amazing piece of toast ever using interesting ingredients that aren't generally found on your 'average' toast.

Who says toast has to be boring? It totally doesn't need to be!

This is one fully loaded toast if ever there was one; making it perfect for a lunch time sort of snack or light lunch bite. I'm calling this 'mediterranean' since I've added on some kalamata olives, hummus, and just enough feta cheese to give that familiar salty greek inspired flavor...

Roasted Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad with Pesto

March 9, 2017 Amanda Plott

It's this wonderful time of year where I'm starting to see more and more fresh 'spring' vegetables coming into the produce department; which always excites me. Especially when there's still plenty of winter squash to be had. I love to take seasonal produce and mix them together as the seasons start to turn from one to another. It always gives you something interesting and exciting.

This Roasted Butternut Squash & Chickpea Salad is the perfect blend of winter and spring coming together for a wonderful bite. The butternut squash is what's coming in here from winter, while the pesto and fresh baby spinach and pop of lemon are a sure sign of spring approaching...