Homemade Gluten-Free Carrot Cake

January 19, 2018 Amanda Plott

I'm a carrot cake freak. I love me a good carrot cake. I have a favorite 'naughty' version of a carrot cake that I make for my dad's birthday since it's one of his favorites too. Being as I'm trying to cut down some of my carb intake lately when I can though, makes the cake (especially one of this general level) a no-go.

So I started looking. Researching. Googling my fancy little fingers off until I pieced together this beauty. The original base of the cake needed some upgrades to be anything near what my sinful bliss guilty indulgence one is. But, it was a starting point. I knew that I'd be adding in carbs with my adjustments, so I decided since it's not 'low carb' but 'lower carb' that I'd stick with it being gluten-free at the very least...

Chunky Monkey Trail Mix

January 12, 2018 Amanda Plott

I've been on a bit of a nut kick lately. I blame the granola that's been made and the fact that I'm trying to get a lot more healthy fats in my life right now. This. This right here? This is some magical stuff, I tell you. And a total nod to my childhood as well.

As a child (ahem and adult) I've loved ice cream. I mean... who doesn't? Two of my families favorites were Chubby Hubby and Chunky Monkey. The Chunky Monkey flavor is a banana ice cream base with pieces of chocolate and walnuts all through it. So, being as I'm so nutty right now... I figured I'd take those flavors that I loved and turn them into a snack trail mix!...

Vanilla Blueberry Coconut Nut & Seed Granola

January 6, 2018 Amanda Plott

So since even just before New Year's, I've been trying to eat a whole lot more nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. With my last 'Nut & Seed' grain-free granola getting eaten up readily, I decided that it was time to make a new version of it.

One thing that I didn't get to use last time in my granola, that I really wanted to be sure about using this time is coconut chips. While I'm not a coconut fan by any means, coconut chips are definitely one of my favorite additions to salad and/or granola. Without wanting to go too tropical with the coconut, I decided on vanilla and blueberries!...

Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

December 13, 2017 Amanda Plott

Can you believe that Christmas is almost here? And then after that, we're bringing in the New Year already? This year has flown by at times and at others has dragged along. It's been an interesting year here for me, and just like always, I'm happy and excited to see what the New Year brings.

Speaking of the New Year, that brings me straight around to resolutions! I can't say that I really make a staunch resolution, but I do like to challenge myself starting January 1st of every year to start eating even better. I know, that must sound like a strange thing for me to say, but even I could stand to eat better...

Grain-Free Nut & Seed Granola

December 9, 2017 Amanda Plott

It's no secret that I make the same loose resolution every year. To eat better. That's right, even I strive to eat better. That doesn't mean to lose weight or pick up some junky fad diet. No, no. That means... eat better. Eat more of what my body wants and needs and less of the stuff that I think I want.

This year my mom is hanging out with me for an extended visit and we've decided to cut down on carbs and to try and eat more wholly. It's not really been any sort of diet, but more so just a long-term way of changing eating habits instead. Breakfast has to be my most favorite meal of the day. So...

Santa's 'Magical' Reindeer Poop Cookies

November 30, 2017 Amanda Plott

You know that in the Spring and Summer I'm all about rainbows and unicorns but during the winter months I like to let my imagination go with snowmen and reindeer and all things holly and jolly.

Just the other day my daughter's Elf on the Shelf (Candy Cane) brought my little girl some 'reindeer poop' chocolate mints. And while I thought they were cute and all, they weren't quite the magical poo that I had imagined Santa's reindeer to have. I mean... come on, they guide Santa's sleigh and fly around the world!...