Edamame & Avocado Power Sandwich

April 14, 2017 Amanda Plott

This post is sponsored by Soyfoods Association of North America in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

Did y'all know that April is National Soy Foods Month? There's probably not a girl out there that love soy anymore than I do either. I could turn around and be a vegetarian tomorrow if I really wanted to. And trust me, I have threatened myself with doing that very thing. For over a year now, I've strived to create at LEAST one vegetarian family dinner a week. Though generally it turns into more like two or three dinners a week.

Eating meatless meals a few times a week can not only be better for you, it can also save you a lot of money at the grocery store. I'm talking... I can easily shave $50 off my weekly grocery bill for a small family of three...

Birthday Cake 'Cake Batter' Protein Shake

April 12, 2017 Amanda Plott

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Axe Wellness. The opinions and text are all mine.

Okay all, this is going to be my last birthday cake inspired recipe for the week! This birthday bonanza was all in honor of my little girl's birthday, which officially kicks off birthday season for my family. Almost ALL of our close family has birthday's in Spring and early Summer months. Now that the excitement is starting to wane from my mini me turning 7, I can get back to some bit of normalcy. Let's face it, none of our 'adult' birthdays are nearly as important as the little one's.

With my own birthday on the horizon and the inevitability of being another year older I thought what better time than now to introduce this Birthday Cake inspired protein shake! It's loaded up with plenty of birthday cake flavor, plus a boost of protein and collagen to keep you strong and satisfied...

Healthified BBQ Chicken Pizza

March 31, 2017 Amanda Plott

I don't know about you, but it's been a super busy week here for me! Somewhere between getting ready for my weekend trip out of town and my grandmother coming in, I managed to whip up this fabulous BBQ Chicken Pizza. Hey, a girls gotta eat too ya know! While I knew that this pizza was going to be delish, I didn't think it would be quite as amazing as it ended up being.

Basically this BBQ pizza is a great way to use up any leftover chicken that you might have. I happened to have some on hand from a night or two before and instantly knew what I wanted to do with it. Shred it, toss in some BBQ sauce and let the fun begin!...

Deli Snack Box

March 28, 2017 Amanda Plott

As if you couldn't tell, I'm a snacker, y'all. I love snacky little plates and boxes that give me a variety of things to enjoy so that I don't get bored with what I'm eating. Whether is actually a snack or a lighter meal is always debatable since we all need and want different things as snacks and meals. Me? I like BIG snacks or small meals. And this Deli Snack Box is just that!

So, I'm calling this a 'snack' box because it would really be good as a pre or post workout 'fill me up', but honestly it's nearly filling enough to take the place of a lighter on-the-go meal. It's somewhere between snack and meal, which is exactly where I wanted to be today...

Lemon Poppy Seed Granola

March 26, 2017 Amanda Plott

I'm so happy it's spring time finally. I seriously love all the bright flavors of citrus and the beautiful berries that I'm seeing at the store; like these jumbo blueberries that I got this past week. I mean... just look at those suckers! They are the size of two or three whole almonds. Yowza! Some of my favorite spring flavors have to be lemon and blueberry, so naturally I wanted to pair my giant blueberries here with something bright and lemony!

It's been a while since I baked up some granola, so I thought it was high time to make a fun 'Spring' granola that's loaded up with the good stuff. Poppy seeds along with some chia seeds, almonds, and oats. The honey I used for this was a 50/50 blend of honey and stevia; giving me less calories and the same flavor. It's just good all the way around...

Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls

March 23, 2017 Amanda Plott

I've been on a mediterranean kick lately. Can you tell with my Mediterranean Toast and now this Quinoa Bowl? I have always been a fan of Mediterranean and Greek inspired dishes. I think it's the mix of savory, salty, and the bright bold flavors that go along with it. This bowl starts out with a simple cooked quinoa on the bottom and goes from there. It's light enough to enjoy as a simple dinner and yet hearty enough to have as a filling lunch.

For this bowl, I kept it traditional with fresh tomatoes, zucchini and lemon. To get some salt in there I added greek olives, feta, and of course those artichoke hearts. The avocado is there for some smooth creamy healthy fats that you can use along with the lemon juice as a dip/spread/dressing for everything else. And... who doesn't love avocado anyway?...