Southwest Veggie Wrap

March 9, 2025 Amanda Plott

Are you ready to take your lunch game up a notch? Introducing the Southwest Veggie Wrap, a vibrant, health-conscious twist on your classic wrap that’s bursting with flavors from the sunny Southwest! Perfect for meal prep, a quick lunch, or even a picnic, these wraps are not only super tasty but also loaded with nutrients. Let’s dive into how you can whip up this deliciously guilt-free treat!

Health Benefits

These Southwest Veggie Wraps are more than just eye candy; they’re a powerhouse of nutrients! The black beans provide a hefty dose of protein and fiber, while the colorful veggies offer a spectrum of vitamins and antioxidants. Avocado brings in those healthy fats, keeping you satiated and satisfied. Plus, they’re super customizable! Feel free to toss in your favorite veggies or add a protein like grilled chicken or tofu for an extra punch….

Southwest Cobb Salad in a Jar

April 25, 2022 Amanda Plott

This is one spiced up salad! I’ve created it in such a way that it is perfect for being a jar salad; layered so that it stays fresh for 3-5 days in the fridge and is great to have on hand for a grab-and-go lunch that you can also enjoy on the go or not!

The whole idea for this salad is to layer it in such a way that it can sit stored in the fridge for a few days and is completely ready to eat as soon as you are. Everything is all included, even the dressing. The trick to it is the layering. All the wet stuff on the bottom and the dry stuff on top. Clever, right?…

Southwest Chicken Soup (Instant Pot)

December 29, 2019 Amanda Plott

This Southwest Chicken Soup is based on one that I often get at fairly well known chain restaurant. It’s a broth-based soup that’s light and yet loaded with tons of southwest flavors. Instead of the usual pinto or black beans, chickpeas are used instead!

Bring as we’re at the tail end of the Holiday season, and there’s still a lot going on, I decided to once again make this soup in the pressure cooker. Why? It saves me time and energy. So, I kept this soup pretty simple and made all at one time and in one pot. Toss it in, cook it, and enjoy…

Skinny Southwest Egg Rolls + Avocado Vinaigrette Dip (Sponsored)

September 5, 2019 Amanda Plott

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

Here's another 'take-out fake-out' today for one of my old favorites. It’s no secret that I'm a big fan of baking things as opposed to most other cooking methods out there. I find that it's better-for-you and that it often comes out tasting even better than other versions. The flavors just seem to stand out more. This is also why I use Mazola.com.

Want to find out more? A clinical study showed Mazola Corn Oil reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about this claim, see Mazola.com.

With September being National Cholesterol Awareness month, and the fact that I'm not all about frying, I put my noodle to work to come up with a better-for-you baked version of Southwest Egg Rolls. So, with a little research and a lot of love, I'm pretty sure I got this one 100% right.

Egg roll and wonton wrappers have been a pretty big part of my kitchen play time lately. I just love how versatile they are. Plus, they are lower in calories than most other doughs. So, to keep these Southwest Egg Roll better-for-you, I made a few careful swaps. First, I used chicken breast as a leaner cut of meat. As a second swap, I used a reduced fat shredded cheese instead of a full-fat version. And finally, I used Mazola Corn Oil on the egg rolls and also in the vinaigrette dip!

Mazola Corn Oil is an all-purpose, cholesterol free cooking oil that is a smart heart-healthy* choice for your family. *See Mazola.com for more information on the relationship between corn oil and heart health. It has a variety of uses including baking, grilling, sautéing, stir frying, or mixing up a marinade or dressing…

Southwest Couscous Salad

September 7, 2018 Amanda Plott

I love couscous. I love it in traditional form and I love it Israeli style too. What's the difference though? Traditional couscous is smaller grained and the Israeli one is more of a 'pearl' couscous. Small little beads of 'pasta' that are extremely versatile and can be amazingly delicious!

The lunchtime struggle is real, and I know it is. I've found that if I don't have something prepared ahead of time for lunch, that I'll often go without or end up eating a less than stellar choice. With couscous being one of my favorite things, and pasta salad on the mind, I thought it would be a great time to make a couscous 'pasta' salad!…

Southwest Egg Bites (Instant Pot)

August 3, 2018 Amanda Plott

I've had a rough couple days of it. There were two recipes that I was SO excited about sharing, but... in the midst of testing them, they didn't turn out nearly as well as I had planned. They both tasted great. But, there was just something off about the process and the directions. ...Which means that I've still got some work to do.

So needless to say, it's been a couple of days in between recipes again. Which is not my favorite thing to do. I would much rather keep it fresh and new around here. But, I also don't want to put anything up here that I am not completely happy with. If I'm stressing over the cooking of a dish, that means you will be too! And that's just no good.

That's why today I woke up bright and early and reverted back to one of my current FAVORITES. Egg bites…