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...

Granola Cups

July 7, 2016 Amanda Plott

I've been looking to make breakfast a little more interesting and fun round here lately while I've got my little one home for the summer. Ugh! I can't believe she's about to be a big first grader. Anyway, these cute little granola cups were the perfect way to do that! They're cute, and little, and so easy to make!

What I love about these cups is that they are so versatile. You can use them as mini pie crusts, fill them with yogurt and/or fruit (like I did) for breakfast, or even as the base of a tart or other sort of dessert. I'm thinking mini cheesecakes!

By the way, did I mention that they are also vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free? Yep, yep, and yep! These little cuties definitely hit all the right notes. If all that isn't convincing enough, there's also chia seeds in them too; adding super crunch and even more texture...

Skinny Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

July 1, 2016 Amanda Plott

So, I may or may not have gotten into a little bit of trouble with my mom to get this cupcake recipe here for you. Truth be told, my mom had started asking me about what sort of cupcakes were wanted for my birthday a week or two before it, but a whole lot of stuff went on and I never got an answer to her until we sat down together at my dad's birthday dinner.

She asked me again and I finally explained to her that I wanted to make my own cupcakes this year so that I could put it here. She was a little upset and thought it was completely strange that I wanted to make my own cupcakes. You see, she had her own little plan in mind, un un-benonced to me. Whoops!...

Skinny Mixed Berry Monkey Bread

June 23, 2016 Amanda Plott

I know what you're thinking... how in the world could monkey bread be considered skinny? Well, I've lightened this up as best I imagine anyone possibly could considering that it's a sugary, decadent, gooey, caramel mess of a breakfast treat. So bear with me for a bit while I try and explain all the good that I've done here.

Monkey bread is one of my favorite breakfast or brunch treats, largely in part to the fact that it's so easy to toss together and always comes out in an impressive form. I mean, you know... look at it. It's truly drool-worthy. The only down-fall of it is that it's usually one of the most sugary and unhealthy breakfast bites out there. So, I've taken this traditional treat and revamped it into something a little more guilt-free...

'Drunken' Birthday Cake Gummy Bears

June 13, 2016 Amanda Plott

My birthday is coming up in a week, and so of course... this just had to happen.

I've been chewing on the idea of soaking some more gummy bears, since last time was rather well enjoyed by all. With my birthday just around the corner, I wanted to change it up a bit and make things a bit more festive. And what says birthday better than cake?

One of my most favorite cakes is funfetti or confetti cake; white cake with plenty of rainbow colored sprinkles. So, that's sort of where the idea of this started to come together. What could I possibly soak rainbow gummy bears in that would be birthday-esque?...

Skinny PB&J Parfait

June 6, 2016 Amanda Plott

That's right. It's 'Peanut butter jelly time, peanut butter jelly time...'

This is for those of you out there that looove peanut butter and jelly! And trust me, I know there's a lot of you out there. Peanut butter and jelly has always been one of my most favorite sandwiches and flavor combinations. Over the years I've made it into cookies, candy, cupcakes and more.

Since this Skinny PB&J Parfait is about three years old now, I decided that it needed a little bit of a make over. Not only has my style of cooking and creating recipes changed, but my photography skills hopefully have too!...