Cranberry & Walnut Brussel Sprouts

December 9, 2014 Amanda Plott

Can you believe that I've never cooked brussel sprouts before?! Honestly, I'd never even eaten a brussel sprout until about a year ago when I was downtown at this fun little restaurant called The Lucky Robot. They have these crispy pan seared (or fried) brussel sprouts that are served with some sort of kicked up soy dipping sauce. A-ma-zing!

I've been looking for an excuse (as if I needed one) to make brussel sprouts ever since.

With another major foodie-holiday rolling up on us all quickly, I thought that a side of some brussel sprouts with cranberries, walnuts, and blue cheese would make a great tasty side dish for any holiday meal!...

Eggs in Pepper Rings

October 22, 2014 Amanda Plott

I know, I know... I've been doing a lot with pesto lately. My basil plant is slowly but surely taking over the back yard again this year. What better to do with it than to make some yummy Skinny Spinach & Basil Pesto?

I've done the whole Lighter Egg-in-a-Basket thing, but I've been trying to be a little more gluten conscious lately. So, I thought to myself... why not take the same idea, but use a vegetable instead of the bread? Perfect! Bell peppers work great for this. They are firm and hold up well with the cooking process, since they don't sweat or soften too awfully much in such a short amount of time.

Skinny Loaded Potato Breakfast Skillet

October 10, 2014 Amanda Plott

This is one of those super easy breakfasts that live in infamy. I'm not entirely sure what spurred the thought of having a loaded style potato for breakfast but... it all worked out fabulously well. There's really not much in a loaded potato that you wouldn't normally have for breakfast anyway. So why not toss an egg on top and call it done?

Done.

Cheesy bacon potatoes and an egg for right at 300 calories and a full belly? Yes, indeed! It's one of those things that looks and feels so naughty, but actually couldn't be much more guilt-free! This is a clean and lean breakfast that is sure to give you enough energy to make it through your morning...

Sandwich on a Stick

September 1, 2014 Amanda Plott

Sometimes... my little one gets tired of eating a sandwich in it's usual form, and who could blame her? So sometimes I just have to get creative with what I already have on hand and planned out for the week.

One helpful tip I have recently fallen in love with, is to use dry spaghetti noodles in place of skewers for little ones. I know, right...? Super clever and a lot safer! This helps to keep from anyone getting hurt in the midst of lunchtime. Plus, they're edible. Who doesn't take a bite or two of a dry noodle when available?...

Lily's Lunch Box (Week 5) - Tex-Mex

August 25, 2014 Amanda Plott

There's two things I can always count on getting my little one to eat. Beans and rice! In fact, she takes her beans and rice plain. No salt. No 'spice'... just a sprinkle of cheese and she's done. She has been that way with beans and rice for her entire life.

Though it's not my way of eating them, I'm more than happy to oblige her with this small request. Thankfully, corn and mandarine oranges are two more things that are on the top of her 'will always eat' list. What does that give you? A fun tex-mex lunch idea!...

Homemade Whole Wheat 'Easy Mac'

August 18, 2014 Amanda Plott

My little love was under the weather a for a few days this week, so we didn't exactly have the need for a 'lunch box' today, but... this is what I served her at home for lunch. After all, what's more of a comfort food than macaroni and cheese?

Well, not much! I pretty much put everything into this lunch that would be considered her favorite things. And they all tend to be things that most kids enjoy eating. It was a little bit of a happy accident that it happened to be just what she needed on her sick days! Grapes. Mac-n-cheese. Hot dog. And peas and carrots...