Skinny Butternut Squash & Carrot Soup

May 28, 2015 Amanda Plott

Oh, man - I've survived the great storm and flood of 2015 here in Austin! Not everyone was as fortunate as us. We had a 6+ hour power outage, multiple trees blown over, and several fences that were ripped apart by 70 mph straight-line winds here in my immediate neighborhood. At one point many places were evacuated to ground level central rooms, and I was ready to jump into the closet under my stairs with my grandmother and daughter at a seconds notice when we were under a tornado warning. Scary stuff!

Our wonderful lake is thriving off all the recent rain, which is one great thing that has come out of all this crazy weather here lately; going up from 37% full to 63% full!

Of course, as I was watching the weather on the news during the most recent storm, I was taking my mind off things as best I could by cooking. What goes better with a stormy day than a nice warm bowl of soup?...

Vanilla Chia Pudding & Strawberry Puree

May 12, 2015 Amanda Plott

As warmer weather starts to roll in, I'm always looking for meals and snacks that are easy, healthy, and also not requiring any source of heat. Chia pudding is and has been one of my favorite quick breakfast and snack options. Toss it together the night before and bam, the next day you have an easy breakfast or a beautiful treat.

Chia pudding is generally gluten-free so there's that as an added bonus, but I wanted to do something a little different today. I also wanted to make it dairy-free as well. I try to do what I can to provide recipes for all special dietary needs, and I often times feel like I lack a little when it comes to lactose/dairy-free.

This perfectly de{light}ful pudding is great for either a breakfast, snack, or even a dessert option. It's sweet enough for dessert and yet healthy enough for breakfast!...

Baked Spicy Chicken & Cheese Taquitos (Sponsored)

March 30, 2015 Amanda Plott

This post was brought to you by Collective Bias, Inc. and it's advertiser. I received compensation to write this post … but, all opinions expressed are my own. #JustAddRotel #CollectiveBias

Before I even get started, I should mention that there is a RO*TEL Coupon deal that ends April 6th (while supplies last.) Be sure that you get yours today to use on this amazing game day recipe.

I'm a Texas girl, so RO*TEL is just sort of a part of weekly life here. Whether it's to be used in queso, guacamole, or in something else all together. Today I'm using RO*TEL in a more non-traditional manner and actually incorporating it into a recipe to feed a crowd; a game day crowd that is!

Basket ball playoff games, as well as any other game day in Texas usually consists of lots and lots of appetizer style figner-foods, and today is no different! I'm whipping up some easy Tex-Mex chicken taquitos by using RO*TEL to spice up one of my favorite game day recipes.

Like I said, don't forget to get this RO*TEL Coupon deal while you can! The coupon expires April 6th. Right now, you can buy 3 and get 1 free! Since it expires soon, download it quickly and use it today at Walmart to get your RO*TEL for your game day grub!...

Skinny Jalapeno Popper Dip (Sponsored)

March 23, 2015 Amanda Plott

This post was brought to you by Collective Bias, Inc. and it's advertiser. I received compensation to write this post … but, all opinions expressed are my own. #BigGameSnacks #CollectiveBias

Game day food is so important in my family, it's always been a big part of our traditions. In fact, cooking on game day was so important that when I was younger we even had a television set up on top of the fridge so that those preparing food could multi-task and watch the game at the same time!

One of the most famous game day eats in our house has always been jalapeño poppers. My dad makes some of the best, next to my own of course. Hah! But, I'm also a big BIG fan of dips and spreads! So, today I've decided to combine the two into one amazing lighter version of a jalapeño popper dip...

Skinny Avocado Deviled Eggs

March 19, 2015 Amanda Plott

Ah, spring is in the air at long last. One thing that's always been a tradition in our house around Easter is deviled eggs. And man, oh man... I love me some deviled eggs. However, outside of my mother, I'm really the only one in the family that eats them. So, I guess you could say that deviled eggs aren't really a family tradition, but a mother-daughter tradition instead.

Another thing that both my mother and I love endlessly is avocado. I seriously feel as if avocado makes just about everything better. I wish that I could go back to my childhood and collect all the avocado and guacamole that I turned my nose up to then. Erf. What was I thinking?!...

Loaded Green Goddess Sweet Potato Fries

February 10, 2015 Amanda Plott

This post was brought to you by Collective Bias, Inc. and it's advertiser. I received compensation to write this post … but, all opinions expressed are my own. #GameTimeGrub #CollectiveBias

For me homegating is the way to go with any sport. Who doesn't like tailgating from the comfort of home? It's the best of both worlds! I get to watch my favorite teams live on television without the hassle of the hustle and bustle of crowds, lines, and over priced concession stand foods. Of course, to me, that's the best part - creating my own game day grub!

I always strive to put my own fun and healthful twist on what some might consider traditional. Fries and dips are always a staple of any good game day spread. So, today I give to you these rather guilt free, sophisticated, fiber full sweet potato fries.

My inspiration for this dish started with a stuffed sweet potato that I made a few weeks back. I had loaded a baked sweet potato up with sautéed spinach, black beans, and some homemade green goddess dressing. It was definitely not your typical baked potato, and was amazingly delicious. So, when I was deciding what to do with my Alexia Sweet Potato Fries, I had the perfect direction to start heading in...