'Nut & Seed' Grain-Free Pumpkin Spice Granola

August 31, 2018 Amanda Plott

It's been a hot minute since I made up a batch of homemade granola, mostly because it's just been way too hot here to even think about turning the oven on. But, sometimes... it's just worth it. And this morning? It was just that - totally worth it! With pumpkin spice season on the horizon, I thought there was no better time than now to tempt the cooler weather in with another pumpkin inspired treat!

I based this grain-free granola off of one that I made a while back. The main differences would be the spice used in it and the seeds that I chose to include. Since we're going with the Fall theme, I decided to use pumpkin seeds. Two kinds of pumpkin seeds, that is. I picked up a raw one to roast with the granola, and a lightly salted roasted seed called 'snow white' pumpkin seeds to add in at the end…

Simple Greek Quinoa Bowl

August 7, 2018 Amanda Plott

I'm leeeaving on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again...

Okay, not really. But. I am leaving on a jet plane this coming Sunday for nice little vacation. But... before all of that - I've got to get through the week of chaos that is in full swing. We're talking shopping, packing, laundry, lists, chores, instructions, and so on.

As excited as I am, and as much as I have to do, I thought I would keep this week pretty simple with some rather minimal recipes. I don't want to have a bunch of leftover madness going on in my fridge while I'm away. So! That's where this super simple Greek Quinoa Bowl comes in…

Whole Wheat Fresh Cherry Cobbler

August 5, 2018 Amanda Plott

It's the end of summer (break) and cherries are still in season over here. And since I haven't really done anything with them yet this season, I thought it was high time to do so! To create this lovely cobbler, I started with the base of the one that I made about a month ago. I have used the same recipe a few times now, trying out different fruits.

Up until today, the blackberry seemed to be the favorite.

The only real difference between this version of the cobbler recipe, and the one from before, is that this one I decided to use the cherries and also subbed in some whole wheat white flour instead of the all-purpose…

Southwest Egg Bites (Instant Pot)

August 3, 2018 Amanda Plott

I've had a rough couple days of it. There were two recipes that I was SO excited about sharing, but... in the midst of testing them, they didn't turn out nearly as well as I had planned. They both tasted great. But, there was just something off about the process and the directions. ...Which means that I've still got some work to do.

So needless to say, it's been a couple of days in between recipes again. Which is not my favorite thing to do. I would much rather keep it fresh and new around here. But, I also don't want to put anything up here that I am not completely happy with. If I'm stressing over the cooking of a dish, that means you will be too! And that's just no good.

That's why today I woke up bright and early and reverted back to one of my current FAVORITES. Egg bites…

Low-Carb Instant Pot Cheesecake

July 23, 2018 Amanda Plott

Today it's going to be a whopping 107 in Austin, Texas! I'm at that point of summer where it's so hot that I nearly want it to be over, but I'm also not quite ready to end the freedom with the onslaught of another school year for my daughter. Let's face it, there is just something about waking up in the morning naturally and having absolutely nothing on the schedule that's required to be done that day.

So, while it's literally as hot as hell in Texas... That doesn't stop me from wanting the things that I can't have. Or dare not have, anyway. Things that generally require the oven. Things like... cheesecake. Here we have a no-bake cheesecake that still manages to be cooked!…

Cranberry Apple Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

July 13, 2018 Amanda Plott

Product was provided to me on behalf of Cape Cod Cranberries to review, use, and write about. As always, all opinions are entirely my own.

It's hot. It's hot. It's really really hot here in Texas right now and all I want to do is avoid using my stove or oven! So, today for lunch, I decided to go with a super quick and easy cold and crunchy salad. And when I say easy, I mean almost ridiculously easy. It's so easy that it only takes a whopping 5-10 minutes from start to finish with preparing it.

The best part? There is absolutely NO cooking or heating required! How do you do that? Well, cranberries! Cranberries are a favorite of mine and I love finding clever ways to use them up all year round. They are so versatile that they can be used in just about any meal or in any type of drink. Trust me, I've got a lot of tricks up my sleeve when it comes to these tart bright red little gems. Never mind all their health benefits…