Chipotle & Spinach Quinoa Cakes

August 16, 2016 Amanda Plott

I'm not sure really who knows this yet or not, but I sort of have a giant fear of eating fish. I know, I know! It's a problem that I've been dealing with my entire life. I wish that I could bring myself to eat seafood at all. So far though, I haven't found success with it. What I tend to do instead, is make an otherwise fish-related recipe into something vegetarian.

I've always been curious about 'fish cakes', since they look like they could be mighty light and tasty if done right. In the past, I've made Chickpea & Quinoa Cakes, which turned out really good. But, today I wanted to try something a little different; adding in a kick of spice and bright bold Mexican-style flavors...

Pesto & Ricotta Summer Tomato Tart

July 10, 2016 Amanda Plott

I'm so excited to share this amazing little bite with you, and for more than one reason too! Not only does it taste absolutely awesome, there's also a surprise below in the directions. But, you'll have to go on down to find out what!

So, back to this fun pesto and ricotta summer tart. With it being well into the 100 degree days here in Texas for a few more months, I'm all about keeping food simple and cold. With little to no cooking or heat involved. This tart is just that. Simple. Clean. Fun. ...And so tasty too. Plus, with minimal cooking involved, you won't have to heat up the house.

Tip: If you're really trying to save on heating up the house, you can always bake the pie crust ahead of time or even outdoors on a grill!...

Mediterranean Lunch Bowl

July 5, 2016 Amanda Plott

After this busy holiday weekend that was full of cooking out and even a few drinks, I was really looking forward to getting something fresh and green and clean in my system today. It's amazing how just a few guilty pleasures can leave you dragging behind, no matter how careful or conscious you are! Needless to say, I was well prepared with my shopping list having it's fill of mostly produce this week.

This mediterranean lunch bowl really hit the spot, being full of bright veggies and protein too! I kept the 'recipe' rather light and simple since coming down off of a busy (and rather long) weekend leaves me scrambling to get everything back in order. So, this would make an excellent make ahead grab-and-go lunch for work too!...

Veggie & Hummus Pinwheels

May 31, 2016 Amanda Plott

Last week I made my own homemade 5 Ingredient Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, and I made a pretty tasty wrap using it. Since the wrap got a really good response over on Facebook, I decided that I would go ahead and post my actual recipe for it. The only change that I've made is making the wrap into pinwheels so that it could be served as either an appetizer or a fun little 'snackable' lunch option. Plus, let's face it... they are so bright and colorful this way!

These little wheels of awesome are packed with plenty of fresh vegetables and lots of flavor. The secret is in the hummus spread, and of course you can't go wrong with adding feta cheese to anything in my opinion...

Southwest 'Fried' Pickles

May 5, 2016 Amanda Plott

Recently, I had the honor to speak with Brooke Griffin, creator of SkinnyMom.com! I've been part of the SkinnyMom community for a while now, and it was truly a pleasure to get my hands on and review the new SkinnySuppers Cookbook that Brooke just released. It's full of 125 lightened healthier meals for your family.

She has some super yummy looking recipes, plenty of tips, tricks, and advice for the kitchen and surviving dinner time! It's a great read with plenty of home style and southern flavors. One of the first recipes that stood out to me was her Southwest 'Fried' Pickles. After all, who doesn't love a good fried pickle?...

Pesto, Spinach & Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Sweet Potato (Crock Pot)

April 28, 2016 Amanda Plott

I've been a huge fan of cooking my potatoes in my crock pot for a good while now. It's a trick that I picked up a few years back and tend to use it when I'm feeling particularly lazy; being slammed by another good storm this week, I was just that. When it rains, it pours.

So, I decided to use this crock pot trick once again with making these amazing stuffed sweet potatoes. What I like most about cooking my potatoes this way is that they are entirely hands off, they don't really get 'over done' or 'under done', and I don't have to heat up my house with the oven being on...