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 Summer Jalapeño Corn Chowder (Crock Pot)

July 27, 2015 Amanda Plott

I know it's summer, and who could possibly want hot soup when it's 100 degrees outside... but, sometimes you just have to roll ahead with seasonal produce while you can. It's all about corn right now in central Texas, so I wanted to make something a little different that would stand out and make that corn shine.

This corn chowder actually reminds me quite a lot of a loaded baked potato soup, just with a lot less potato and a lot more sweet corn flavor. I got some red potatoes, jalapeño, and chives in my local produce box this week, plus I had some bacon stashed away in my fridge. All of those things instantly made me think to make my twist on on this corn soup...

Skinny Lean & Green Cauliflower Colcannon

March 6, 2015 Amanda Plott

A while back I had made this yummy Cauliflower & Hominy Smash as a lower carb and lighter alternative to mashed potatoes, and trust me... it is so sooo good. So, when I was trying to come up with a way to make a traditional Irish colcannon healthier, I knew exactly what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it.

Don't know what Colcannon is? Colcannon is basically an Irish dish that's made out of smashed potatoes with green cabbage and/or kale with cream, butter, salt and pepper. For this recipe, I basically used the same idea of the Cauliflower & Hominy Smash, but added in some kale and green cabbage to sort of combine the two ideas into one...

Vegan Cauliflower Rice Taco Bowls

February 26, 2015 Amanda Plott

A while back I came across the idea of cauliflower rice. At first I was a bit skeptical, but after the first time I tried it, I knew it would be an instant hit. I've made it several times now and somehow it just never manages to make it here, for one reason or another.

I knew that I wanted to make the cauliflower rice to go in some sort of taco bowl, but wasn't exactly sure where I wanted to go with it beyond that. Then I remember that I had made this green goddess dressing a while back, and absolutely fell in love with it. I kept trying to think of other ways in which to use it and finally came to the conclusion that the most of the ingredients in it would make for a perfect cilantro lime avocado dressing.

Aha! Perfect to go with my cauliflower rice bowl!

Once I had some of the basics nailed down, I let my local produce for the week speak for me and I ended up with a veggie-full bowl of wonderfulness...

Skinny Broccoli Cheese Soup

December 17, 2014 Amanda Plott

I gotta say, I'm a sucker for cheese! And I'm not cheese picky either, oh no-no. I will eat just about any kind of cheese that is out there. Blue, pink, soft, hard, sweet, sharp... You name it, I'll probably try it if I haven't already!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... I'm weak for cheese. So what's a girl to do about this known weakness? Certainly not cut cheese out of my life. I mean... that's just cruel and unusual punishment.

Nope! This girl needs her cheese fix. So, instead I'll opt to pack as much veggies in with my cheese as I can and do a little Jedi mind trickery on myself.

This is -not- the cheese that you want... but, this is!...

Cauliflower & Hominy Smash

September 10, 2014 Amanda Plott

This cauliflower hominy smash is a perfect lower carb substitution for potatoes. In fact, I would say that I enjoy this smash just as much as mashed potatoes, if not more. The texture of the two vegetables, along with the milk and a touch of butter leave this side dish tasting very close to a cheesy smashed potato with hardly any of the guilt!

Not that potatoes are a bad thing at all. They have their place in my heart too.

You get a nice heaping half cup of this smash for only about 72 calories and 13 grams carbs, and trust me... you won't miss their potato counter part at all. What's even better is that they are gluten free and clean!...