Caprese Quinoa Bake

April 4, 2024 Amanda Plott

Looking for a fresh twist on a classic dish? Try my Caprese Quinoa Bake recipe! This wholesome and nutritious dish takes the traditional flavors of a Caprese salad and combines them with protein-packed quinoa for a guilt-free meal that's bursting with flavor.

Imagine layers of juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, fragrant basil, and nutty quinoa all baked together to perfection. Each bite is like a taste of summer in your mouth! Not only is this dish delicious, but it's also packed with nutrients to fuel your body and keep you satisfied…

Caprese Pasta Salad

June 27, 2021 Amanda Plott

As it’s getting hotter and hotter outside I’m craving the cold stuff. The lighter stuff. The stuff I don’t have to turn my oven on to enjoy. This Caprese Pasta Salad is just that. Get it started in the morning when it’s cool out and then finish it off in the afternoon or evening as lunch, dinner, or a side for one of the two. The pasta dish itself is based off one of my all time favorites - caprese!

What’s a caprese? Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar in one form or another. I basically turned that into a light, easy to make salad that includes fresh baby spinach and some pasta to make it just a little more hearty…

Shisho Pesto

August 3, 2020 Amanda Plott

So, I realized the other day that due to the shape of world right now that I didn’t get to do as much with my backyard herbs as I generally do during the Spring and Summer. Usually I have a yard that’s plentiful with basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, limes, and grapes! Sometimes there’s some strawberries and tomatoes out there too.

With all the basil I end up making pesto all through the Spring and Summer months. And being as I didn’t have any this year? I haven’t been able to make my homemade pesto. Craving the tasty green stuff, I decided to be a little creative. I got my hands on some Shisho, which is an herb that’s used often in Japanese dishes…

Melon Caprese Skewers

July 30, 2019 Amanda Plott

It’s hot.

While I’m still absolutely refusing to turn my oven on right now, I still need to find creative things to eat without heating up the entire house. These Melon Caprese Skewers are a light and fun twist on a cypress.

Caprese salad is usually made with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and maybe some balsamic. Today though, I’m putting the salad on a skewer and using cantaloup instead of tomato. I know, sounds a little wacky, right? Well, I promise you that it’s a very very good combination…

Tomocado Salad

July 17, 2019 Amanda Plott

If you’re looking for a light and quick salad to make this summer, then look no further! This ‘tomocado salad’ is as quick and easy to make as they come. What’s tomocado? Tomatoes. Mozzarella. And Avocado. Get it? To-Mo-Cado!

What makes this Tomocado Salad even better is that it’s naturally low carb and gluten free. Plus, I mean… who doesn’t want to gorge on cheese and avocado? I should note too that I’m using the term ‘salad’ here pretty loosely since there isn’t actually any lettuce involved. It’s more of a salad in the sense of that it’s a combination of cold fruits/veggies along with some cheese and herbs…

Red, White & Blueberries Caprese (With Balsamic Reduction)

July 3, 2019 Amanda Plott

I thought I would squeeze one more festive dish in ahead of the 4th of July for everyone. This one is light and fresh and sure to impress with how simple it is and how amazing it tastes! With just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of hands on time, you’ll have a beautiful and patriotic caprese salad for all to enjoy.

Caprese salads have been some of my favorites for many many years now. They’re refreshing and notoriously simple. Which means they’re easy to make! Besides, who doesn’t love tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil? No one that I know of!…