Skinny Baked Tortellini Bites (Sponsored)

July 27, 2016 Amanda Plott

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BackToSchoolReady #CollectiveBias

I've been so busy with the end of summer and getting my little one ready for back-to-school that it's been a task to be a the balanced mom I know that I am. I'm all about using quality ingredients and offering better-for-you options to my family, but let's face it... sometimes schedules and lifestyle will try and to force us to make compromises.

These baked tortellini bites are the perfect balance of being quick and easy to make while also being more health conscious without sacrificing any taste! Another great thing about these little bites is that they make for a great after school snack or even used as part of a dinner; served with a side salad and some sauce for dipping...

Granola Cups

July 7, 2016 Amanda Plott

I've been looking to make breakfast a little more interesting and fun round here lately while I've got my little one home for the summer. Ugh! I can't believe she's about to be a big first grader. Anyway, these cute little granola cups were the perfect way to do that! They're cute, and little, and so easy to make!

What I love about these cups is that they are so versatile. You can use them as mini pie crusts, fill them with yogurt and/or fruit (like I did) for breakfast, or even as the base of a tart or other sort of dessert. I'm thinking mini cheesecakes!

By the way, did I mention that they are also vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free? Yep, yep, and yep! These little cuties definitely hit all the right notes. If all that isn't convincing enough, there's also chia seeds in them too; adding super crunch and even more texture...

Chicken & Waffles Sliders with Buffalo Maple Syrup (Sponsored)

June 29, 2016 Amanda Plott

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PowerTheirPlay #CollectiveBias

My little girl is a busy little bee! Phew! I never realize that more than when she's home with me for long bouts of time (like during the summer.) Of course, I do all I can to fuel her play, creativity, and mind. One way that I do this is by keeping her little tummy full and satisfied with wholesome things that I approve of.

Recently she's found her love of chicken nuggets, so today I thought I'd try my hand at creating a perfect little bite-sized slider for an old classic that most of us adults know and love; chicken and waffles! It's a great little play on sweet and savory that almost any kid or adult will love...

Dinosaur Snack Mix

June 21, 2016 Amanda Plott

Eee! I'm so excited to be sharing one of my most cherished childhood movies with my little girl this week that I just had to celebrate with the perfect movie night snacks! The Land Before Time movies are ones that I watched regularly when I was about my daughter's age. I've been spinning my wheels trying to come up with some fun movie night ideas and popcorn recipes to tie into the theme and The Land Before Time characters. We're all about themes in my family, if you haven't noticed.

This Dinosaur Snack Mix is full of sweet and salty add-ins to make those little (and big) mouths happy during the movie! Plus, I've added in some better-for-you tidbits that make for a great blend of what you want and what you need for yourself and your little ones alike...

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...

Chocolate Chia Pudding

May 28, 2016 Amanda Plott

I'm up and at it this morning! It felt pretty nice being able to 'sleep in' to a ripe old 7 o'clock this morning. Truth be told, I wallowed around in the bed for another 30 minutes before I actually managed to peel myself up. It's been a busy few weeks around the Plott house between school coming to an end for the year, dance recital chaos, and a head cold that just won't quit.

Needless to say, I was ready to hit the kitchen today to whip up this tasty little number that I've had in my head for a while now. A few weeks back (maybe a month even) I tried out a new chia pudding that the little cafe/juice bar located inside my gym had started offering. It was pretty tasty and I was surprised with the actual 'pudding' like texture.

A lot of chia puddings out there have that tapioca texture. Which is just fine with me, but not always with everyone...