Instant Pot Summer Vegetable & Chicken Curry

August 4, 2017 Amanda Plott

I've kind of completely and utterly fallen in love with my new pressure cooker, y'all. Before I got this baby, I was all about the slow cooker. But, now? Just toss it in the pressure cooker for a few minutes and you've got yourself a full on meal that would have taken HOURS in the slow cooker. And the best thing is, if you like a slow cooker - it can slow cook too! It's amazing for one pots too, like this curry right here.

Curry is another one of my favorite 'use up leftover' meals. No matter what veggies or meat you have on hand, you can most likely make a curry with it...

5 Ingredient Skinny Summer Vegetable Dip

June 8, 2016 Amanda Plott

It's getting warm here in Texas, though I'll be the first one to say that so far we've had a perfectly mild summer. Usually by now we are well into 100+ degrees days, and so far we've barely broken past the 90's. No, that's not a complaint either! It's these perfect summer days that I love to spend out in my backyard entertaining. Whether that means my little family or the whole lot of us.

No matter who's around, it's always about 'what to eat' and this 5 Ingredient Skinner Summer Vegetable Dip is the perfect spread! I've loaded this dip up with bell pepper, jalapeño (for taste - not heat), sweet summer corn, and olives! I know, bare with me, it might sound like a rather creative and interesting combination... and it is! It's completely amazing and full of flavor. You'll fall in love from the first taste...

Steamed Vegetable Dumplings

April 16, 2016 Amanda Plott

I've been debating buying a bamboo steamer for a good long while now since I've been in full on wonton mode, and there isn't any better (or healthy) way to make potstickers or dumplings other than by steaming them. Needless to say, I finally broke down and got the steamer. I love it too because I can use it to steam other things too, not just dumplings.

I need something for steaming tamales too! So this was a good excuse to cover all my steaming bases.

The first thing I wanted to make with my bamboo steamer was some perfectly easy vegetable dumplings. These dumplings seriously couldn't be more easy to put together, and I'd like to think that after sealing up my fair share of wontons lately that I've become a lot more proficient with it...

Crispy Tofu & Roasted Vegetable Buddha Bowl

April 5, 2016 Amanda Plott

It's National Soy Foods Month, and I couldn't be more excited. I've been working pretty hard lately to try and meet a more plant based diet. So to celebrate, I've created a perfectly light and flavorful plant powered Buddha bowl!

This Buddha bowl (or Hippie Bowl) has a base of purple cabbage, it's layered on top with roasted vegetables (brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and edamame) and crispy tofu fries that were paired with a perfectly spiced Skinny Sriracha Aioli - perfect for dipping! It's easy to make too! With just two baking sheets and the oven doing almost all of the work for you...

Vegetable & Stars Soup

February 1, 2016 Amanda Plott

So, last week I was in the midst of what had to have been one of the worst colds of my life. I kid you not. This cold was fierce. It came with aches, the worst sinus pressure I've had, and was just all around bad news. Thankfully this week, I'm finally on the mend after the two week long fiasco. Unfortunately, it seems that my little princess has taken over where I left off.

Even so, while I was in the midst of my head-cold from my nightmares my girl and I were busy in the kitchen. One thing that I knew we just had to make was soup. And lots of it! Since my Healthified 'Swamp' Soup isn't really her jam, she decided on a soup that she would eat. When it comes to her simple food (and usually meatless food) is always the route she takes...

Skinny Matcha-Monster Smoothie (Sponsored)

January 14, 2016 Amanda Plott

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

My mom is not only one of my friends, she's really my very best friend and she has been for as long as I can remember. Of course, just like any other set of besties, that doesn't come without our occasional squabble. She's my complete opposite in almost every way, even down to our hair color.

I stuck out like a sore thumb as a child. A perfectly blonde and blue-eyed fair-skinned child among a gaggle of dark brown hair and beautiful olive complexions. And although it sounds like it, I wasn't adopted. That's just how things turned out as my mom remarried when I was four years old.

All of my life I've known my mom to be one of the softest and sweetest souls out there. She's the sort of person that would give any of her friends and family anything and everything just to see them smile and be happy. She's kind, generous, easy-going and all about fun. On the other end of things, I'm independent, stubborn, and sometimes rather brash. I'm a perfectionist to the core and entirely a homebody. See? She's my complete opposite, hah!...