Grapefruit & Avocado Buddha Bowl

March 14, 2016 Amanda Plott

So after my crazy, emotional, and exhausting week(end), I needed to get back into the groove of things today. Plus, I could use all the energy that I can get right now; and of course nothing will power you through better than good food in the form of a buddha bowl.

What's a buddha bowl? Well, they can also be called 'glory bowls' or 'hippie bowls' and usually consist of greens of some sort, raw or cooked vegetables, a healthy grain like quinoa or rice, and toppings. They are usually meatless, but still rather hearty and filling.

Exactly what I need right now!...

Guacamole Wonton Bites

March 10, 2016 Amanda Plott

Guacamole makes everything better.

...Right?

If you haven't noticed, I've been a little avocado obsessed lately. And these guacamole wonton bites are no exception. While playing around with wonton wrappers the past couple of weeks, I thought it would be fun to stuff them with something other than the usual. So, I decided to do a little bit of fusion.

I have come to find that wonton skins are the perfect vehicle. They are light and crispy... sort of like a tortilla or a chip, but much more versatile. These handheld little bites of awesome are full of flavor, and it all starts out with a super simple homemade guacamole...

Skinny Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

March 8, 2016 Amanda Plott

I'm not sure about anywhere else, since Texas is the only place that I've lived in my adult life, but here... we go through an awful lot of cilantro. It's all that amazing Tex-Mex we have here, so you won't find me complaining. Cilantro and I definitely have a love-hate relationship though.

I've come to the realization that I don't tend to like it much in it's raw form. That is... it needs to be added to something; guacamole, fajita meat, etc. I do, however, love cilantro when it's done right by being used as an ingredient to brighten up a dish. And what better way to do that than with a nice fresh spring produce salad?...

Matcha Waffles (Gluten Free)

March 5, 2016 Amanda Plott

So, this is what I've been up to pretty much each morning this week. I've made these waffles three times now, adjusting the recipe and tweaking it to get it to where I wanted it to be. The first time I made them as a test run, they turned out beautifully. But, the second time I made them - they were a huge flop.

Yes, even I make mistakes in the kitchen!

That could have been mostly my fault though. Honestly, my heart wasn't in it that morning and my mind was elsewhere and focused on other things going on in my life. I'm pretty sure in looking back that I left something out at some point and ended up with a waffle iron full of raw inedible goop. Whoops!

This was my third attempt with these waffles after a few final changes and a more careful eye for my measuring and accounting for each ingredient...

Cauliflower 'Fried Rice'

March 3, 2016 Amanda Plott

This week I've decided I'm going to start eating a more plant based diet. It's something that my subconscious has been slowly seeming to lead up to for the past months, and honestly I hadn't really noticed until I sat down to write out my weekly meal plan for myself last week.

I think what really got my wheels spinning on 'plant based' meals was a quote that I heard a long time ago.

"Eat food. Not a lot. And mostly plants." - Michael Pollan

It's sort of been my mantra ever since I first came across it, though sometimes I stick to it more than others. I'm not saying I'm going vegan or vegetarian by any means, just that this is what I'm trying to do more actively at home and on a more regular basis. And one of the first things to come to mind with my veggie-forward thinking was this Cauliflower 'Fried Rice'...

Skinny 5 Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Crisp

March 1, 2016 Amanda Plott

This post was sponsored by Honey Bunches of Oats Chocolate as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

Sometimes we all just need a little chocolate in our lives, and in my opinion not much goes better with chocolate other than cherries. You really can't go wrong with the combination. Of course, coming off of an extremely busy weekend, I wanted to be sure to do something simple with few ingredients and lots of flavor.

What can I say? I needed something to curb my sweet cravings.

I've seen it done before where Honey Bunches of Oats have been used as a quick fix 'crisp' style topping for desserts, so I decided to take that idea and run with it. But, I didn't want anything plain-jane so I had to put my own chocolate lover's better-for-you spin on it....