Hot & Spicy Cheesy Kale Chips

February 28, 2014 Amanda Plott

A few weeks ago my mom and I took a trip to my new neighborhood Whole Foods Market. While we were there scoping things out, we came across some very special kale chips. Crispy, crunchy, nasty-hot, cheesy kale chips. The only problem was... $8? Yikes!

I immediately told my mom once again about my Crispy Kale Chips, and suggested that I try my hand at a spicy cheese version. After all, they would be a fraction of the cost of the little $8 container that we were munching on.

What? I had to see what they tasted like for comparison sake!...

Skinny 'Game Day' Meatballs

January 9, 2014 Amanda Plott

Some of my favorite appetizer style meatballs when I was younger were always the pre-made ones that you toss in the crock pot to simmer with cranberry and chili sauce.

However... canned cranberry sauce has quite a bit of calories to it and pre-made meatballs are not filled with the most health conscious ingredients.

So, this is my take on that game day classic!...

Crispy Kale Chips

January 4, 2014 Amanda Plott

I'll readily admit that I am generally not a fan of kale. I don't like it in my soup, especially.

Zuppa Toscana and Olive Garden? Please, no.

It's not the flavor of kale that I don't find pleasant... it's the... way it holds it's form and something about the texture of the 'curly' ends.

I much prefer my spinach. I love my spinach. Raw. Cooked. Sauted. In soup. As a salad. It doesn't matter.

I keep hearing and seeing things about kale chips. Supposedly you could do the same thing with spinach. Perfect! Well... not so perfect. Unfortunately, when I tried 'spinach chips' a few months back... it didn't fair too well. As we all know, spinach is good at wilting under heat. And while it tasted good, it was not something that you could readily snack on. It just... flakes into nothingness. Sad Face....

Detox Rainbow Salad

December 4, 2013 Amanda Plott

I'm busy getting my body back to health this week after over a month of being sick with one thing after the other. If there's anything that can help give the much needed health boost to my system, it's this salad.

There's so many good things in this salad that I can hardly stand it!...

Pomegranate Avocado

November 29, 2013 Amanda Plott

Think avocados are only something to enjoy in the summer? Hah! Think again.

These lovely pomegranate avocados make for a wonderful winter snack or even a perfectly fun and beautifully colored side dish.

That isn't to mention that these are so super easy to pull together and the bright and merry colors are more than impressive!...

Skinny Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes

November 5, 2013 Amanda Plott

Yes. Skinny and loaded.

Alright, so let me just tell you a fun little story about these potatoes...

I've made them a hand full of times before. One particular time, my collegiate Longhorn of a brother was over for dinner. He is one of the more picky eaters in the family. And he quickly gobbled down a huge serving... followed by a second.

He had no idea that these loaded spuds were full of another sneaky veggie... cauliflower! Muahahaha! That's my 'evil' cackle...