Skinny Dark Chocolate & Cherry Scones (Sponsored)

January 11, 2016 Amanda Plott

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

So, I'm kind of in love with scones. They're easy to make, delicious, and extremely versatile. Today I wanted to make some scones that would help me bring in the New Year and help me reach my goals while also getting me into the spirit of Valentine's Day (because you know that's just around the corner too!) What better way to achieve both other than with dark chocolate and some cherries? Yum, yum.

I used one of my older scone recipes to start out as the base for this one. And it worked out beautifully with the few changes and new additions that I made to it.

What can I say? It's fun to sometimes go back to revisit older recipes while also adjusting them to my ever changing taste and desire...

Skinny Beet Pesto

January 6, 2016 Amanda Plott

You're wanting me to... beet it, beet it!

Lettuce turnip the beet and dance.

I'm dropping fresh beets, yo.

Okay, okay. I'm done with the beet puns and word-play for now. But, seriously - this beet pesto is amazing, easy to make, and super versatile too! Plus, I mean... look at that color. With Valentine's Day creeping up on us already, this would be a perfect thing to make and use around the day of love.

This beet pesto is full of flavor too; it's a little sweet, a little earthy, and super delicious. I recently this year became a beet fan, so I've been trying to come up with fun ways to use them. Especially with February coming up, beets are the perfect natural red and/or pink food coloring...

Skinny Mixed Berry Mimosarita (Mocktail + Cocktail)

December 28, 2015 Amanda Plott

With New Year's just around the corner it's always a party around my house. And with all of that, I wanted to be sure to get some fun lighter takes on my favorite sparkling treats and eats that could also be family friendly! One of our family traditions is to go pajama bowling on New Year's day, and this year is no different. Almost everyone is piling up at my house on New Year's Eve and I'm planning on making up some yummy breakfast enchiladas and these lovely mimosaritas to go along with them for New Year's day brunch!

Since I always like to involve my little girl in everything, and not everyone cares for alcoholic beverages, I decided to be sure and have a mocktail of this cocktail ready to go for her and anyone else that might want the same. This way, everyone can be a part of the fun and no one is left out in any way...

Skinny Nog Pecan Blondies & Nog Cream Cheese Sauce

December 8, 2015 Amanda Plott

As we're getting into the thick of the holiday season, I wanted to step out of the box again and create a lighter take on one of my most favorite desserts in the world, a blondie! Any blondie just won't do. It had to be full of pecans, white chocolate, spice, and topped off with a decadent cream cheese sauce.

Yes, I went there. And I brought my 'Egg Nog' with me.

I wanted this blondie to have more of a holiday twist, so I infused with the flavors of egg nog while omitting (most of) the guilt. I am all about small indulgences, especially around the holidays...

Skinny Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies

December 3, 2015 Amanda Plott

Thank you Splenda for sponsoring this post.

We all know that the holidays are all about the sweet stuff. I know that in my family, my mom and I get together once a year (close to Christmas) and spend a day baking up some of our most favorite holiday cookies.

The two of us each have several of our own favorites that we bring to the table; and tend to rotate between a few each year. These butterscotch cookies have been in my deck for a good long while now. I think the first time that I made them was many years back now when I was in search of a soft gingerbread that wouldn't be too spicy for my toddler at the time.

These definitely did the trick. They are perfectly spiced with just enough of that gingerbread flavor that we all know and love while being softened with the sweetness of the butterscotch morsels...

'Leftover' Turkey Wonton Soup

November 28, 2015 Amanda Plott

What can I say? I absolutely love to come up with fun and inspired new ways to use up leftovers, especially Holiday ones! Like I've said before, their's just something that's gratifying about being able to create a new dish from leftover parts of another meal.

I've been working pretty hard with racking my brain and trying to come up with interesting twists that were somewhat outside the box; repurposing my holiday leftovers in a way that maybe isn't something most would think of. My inspiration comes in many forms. This time around it was my wonderful cry-haired bombshell of a mother.

While my mom and I were planning our usual Thanksgiving meal she had mentioned using the leftovers in wontons. Uhm. Excuse me? I'm stealing your idea, mom!...