Gluten-Free Banana Nut Pancakes

September 21, 2016 Amanda Plott

All ideas, recipes, & opinions are entirely my own however, this is a sponsored post on behalf of wholesome brands, Vans Simply Delicious® & Wallaby® Organic.

My mom lives out by one of the lakes here near Austin, and she keeps talking about this restaurant by her that serves some giant banana nut pancakes. And after a few too many (dozen) mentions of them, I guess the thought sort of stuck with me as inspiration. Banana nut anything is okay by me.

There's something about the smell and the taste that takes me back to my childhood. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that my mom makes some of the best banana bread around.

With the idea already locked in my mind, I decided to go ahead and try my hand at making some banana nut pancakes for myself. But, in a more wholesome way that won't leave me feeling guilty or sprinting to the gym right after indulging...

Loaded Zucchini Skins

August 25, 2016 Amanda Plott

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. All opinions are entirely my own.

I'll be the first one to admit that I'm pretty much in love with zucchini and summer squash. They are possibly the most versatile and easy to work with vegetables that you'll ever encounter. You can do anything from eating them raw, to grilling, baking, steaming, and back again. I've definitely had my fair share of fun with zucchini based recipes.

With tailgating season upon us, I thought it would be a great time to try something new, fun, and a little different than what I'd done before. These Loaded Zucchini Skins are basically a lighter version of Loaded Potato Skins. Don't get me wrong, I love potatoes too, but this option is great for these end of the summer days where it's hot and you want something a little less heavy on your stomach...

Healthified Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomato

August 23, 2016 Amanda Plott

Maybe it's the south in me, but I love me some chicken salad. And I don't mean chicken... on a salad. I mean actual chicken salad; shredded chicken combined with all sorts of wonderfulness to make for a perfectly sweet, salty, crunchy, soft, simply-complex bite.

The first time I ever saw chicken salad stuffed into a tomato was at this place I worked in the summer while I was in college, Stone Werks Big Rock Grille in San Antonio Texas. They had this wonderful salad that mainly consisted of a stuffed tomato that you could get loaded with either chicken or tuna salad. It was simple and also ended up being one of my favorite dishes at the place with the more rich chicken salad being brightened up with the citrus of the tomato. Yum!...

Immunity Boosting Sunrise Sipper

August 8, 2016 Amanda Plott

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #Healthy4School #CollectiveBias

This past weekend my mom wanted a very specific drink from a very specific place for part of her breakfast, but come to find out... they don't even make it anymore. Gasp! Shows just about how often my family visits take-out or fast food places anymore. I'm not complaining.

Funny enough, I already had a similar slurp on the menu for the week with a few needed upgrades. In fact, my mom got in trouble for using up some of the orange juice that I had specifically went out and purchased for this exact recipe! She's just lucky that I had enough to do what I wanted and needed...

Healthified Juicy Lucy Burgers

August 2, 2016 Amanda Plott

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so... I'll just leave this right here for a moment and let you take all of this glorious golden cheese amazingness in.

...

Good? Good.

When I decided to try my hand at making a Juicy Lucy burger this week, I've got to admit, I was a little nervous! The last time that I attempted making a Juicy Lucy was with my dad grilling them up, and let's just say they didn't turn out as planned. Not at all.

The cheese completely disappeared out into the burger meat and/or oozed out in a sad waste. Leaving us with just plain old burger patties. How boring! It was cheese abuse at it's finest. So much cheese was lost that day... may it rest in peace. Today though, that wasn't the case. I was determined to have my Juicy Lucy, and eat it too with all of it's amazing cheese goodness tucked away inside where it's supposed to be...

Skinny Frozen 'Hot Chocolate'

July 15, 2016 Amanda Plott

The heat of the summer is definitely upon us! Whenever it's humanly possible, I'm steering clear of using my oven and stove at all right now. I've been focusing on staying cool with little or no cook meals, or things that can be grilled outside. Even so, I'm dreaming of the cooler months to come. The summer heat here in Texas can be brutal.

So, what's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of winter, snow, and the Holidays? ... Hot chocolate, of course! Trust me, I'll be all over hot chocolate when the time comes, but for now - it's all about this Skinny Frozen 'Hot Chocolate'! Basically, this is a frozen take on a classic hot chocolate, so it's perfectly enjoyable during the summer while you're waiting for the cooler months...