Carrot Cake Granola

March 3, 2018 Amanda Plott

Spring is coming.

I don't know about you, but I can see the changes in the season here in Austin Texas already. It's staying daylight out longer and longer in the evenings now and the sky is a brighter shade of blue. The birds are chirping, the grass is turning green, and it's warming up to a perfect 70 degrees on most days.

I know that we will likely have a few more 'winter' days or grey rain, but it's always nice to see the onset of Spring. It's probably my favorite season (when it comes to the weather especially.) That's why I've started this weekend off right with this Spring inspired carrot cake granola!...

Baked Beet Chips

March 1, 2018 Amanda Plott

Last week I had some beets leftover that needed to be used and decided to use them up in one of my favorite ways - as chips! Beets are really the perfect root vegetable to make chips with. They turn out crisp and crunchy while not having a completely overwhelming flavor. In fact, if you closed your eyes and ate one, you might not even know it was a beet at all!

Beets are truly one of my favorite vegetables, mostly because of their beautiful colors and versatility. I really don't think I've ever met a beet that I didn't like, but these chips are quick, easy, and simple; with just 2 ingredients needed...

Skinny Irish Apple Cake

February 23, 2018 Amanda Plott

Yaaay, St. Patrick's Day is coming. Maybe it's some of my Irish heritage or something to do with it being my Dad's birthday, but I really do enjoy St. Patrick's Day more than most. I can honestly say that it has absolutely nothing to do with green beer. Now, if they had green wine... that might be another story.

So every year I like to dive into Irish recipes leading up to St. Patrick's Day. I've made Corned Beef, Shepherd's Pie, Irish Soda Bread, Irish Cream Donuts, and so much more. This year though, I wanted to get in there and make another Irish sweet treat. So, Irish Apple Cake it is! It's a tender cake, similar to a coffee cake, that's loaded LOADED up with apples...

Skinny Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

February 7, 2018 Amanda Plott

When I think of Valentine's Day, I think of red velvet cake. I think that's because it's so perfectly bright and red and just looks like it's full of love. And this one right here? It's made with love too.

As far as cooking goes, baking has always been one of my favorite things to do. Even though it can be one of the most difficult, especially when it comes to adjusting and altering recipes to be better-for-you. Let's face it, baking is a science and requires it's fair share of accuracy. There's very little wiggle room for error, which makes me a nervous mess. Trial and error are the name of the game...

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...

Spiked Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad

December 20, 2017 Amanda Plott

This shop has been compensated by Mike’s Hard Lemonade. All opinions are mine alone. The below message is intended for ages 21+.

Being a mom during the holidays isn’t just busy… it’s STRESSFUL. Somewhere between all the shopping, cooking, and party planning, the magic of the Holidays can be lost. No one wants to have a blue Christmas. That's why I've brightened things up and made the holidays fun again with this Spiked Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad.

This chicken salad is bright, bold and full of flavor. It makes a great grab-and-go snack or part of a meal during this busy time of year and is even better as a holiday party appetizer. It's an easy, quick-to-toss-together, nosh-worthy bite...