Lightened Up Carrot Cake

March 27, 2019 Amanda Plott

I’ve made a good lot of carrot cakes in my time. Anywhere from traditional to gluten-free, and a few others along the way. There’s a few things I’ve learned in my carrot cake making journey. One is that you always ALWAYS need a good simple cream cheese frosting with it. And two is that it needs to be chunky.

I like my carrot cake loaded up with plenty of the good stuff. Carrots, raisins, pineapple, coconut, and yes… even nuts!

I based this ultimate carrot cake off of the one that I made for my daughter’s 2nd birthday. It’s an ingredient heavy cake, just like most carrots cakes are, but I promise you that the cake itself is rather easy to make. No overly complicated instructions…

Rainbow Carrot Salad

March 17, 2019 Amanda Plott

Spring is well on the way and when the weather starts to turn warm, I start to crave that bright burst of citrus and salad. Namely lemons and anything cool and crunchy. This Rainbow Carrot Salad is one for the books. It’s light, easy to make, and a perfect little side dish for any good weeknight meal.

This Rainbow Carrot Salad is one that I love to serve along side my Crunchy Garlic Baked Chicken, since both have just a touch of that fun lemon zip. The carrots are a good base for this salad. They’re cool and crunchy while being able to soak up all the other flavors going on here…

Garlic & Parmesan Baked Potato Wedges

March 11, 2019 Amanda Plott

Why do potatoes get such a bad rap these days? They’re rather low in calories and truly one of the most versatile things out there. I mean… sure, they aren’t the lowest in carbs. But low carbs isn’t always a good thing. Unless that’s just what you or your body need!

For me? As a busy mom. Potatoes have always been a staple. And let me just say that I’ve made my fair share of homemade bakes fries and potatoes of all kinds in the past. There are definitely a few tricks and tips that I’ve picked up a long the way to make for some really stellar potato wedges…

'Everything' Pigs in a Blanket

March 5, 2019 Amanda Plott

Like I said, when I got my hands on that ‘everything’ seasoning, I instantly made a lot of plans of things to do with it! These 'Everything' Pigs in a Blanket where actually one of the very first things I wanted to make. So, here we go!

Pigs in a Blanket are always a fun and easy appetizer, but the ‘everything’ seasoning on them makes them… dare I say it… even better! Yep, that’s right! With just three ingredients, and a few minutes, you can have one hell of a delicious finger-food…

'Everything' Deviled Eggs

March 2, 2019 Amanda Plott

Everything Bagels and the seasoning used on them is ALL the rage right now. So when I got some of the seasoning in my hot little hands this weekend… I knew that I was going to have to make a few fun things with it! These 'Everything' Deviled Eggs were first up on the list.

Deviled eggs are sort of staple in my house. They’re a favorite around here, which of course I don’t mind one bit since they’re pretty damn good for you. Low-carb, low-fat, high protein, and of course… gluten-free! Good stuff all the way around. And when you add ‘Everything’ seasoning into the mix? Well, you just can’t go wrong…

Italian Couscous Salad

February 21, 2019 Amanda Plott

This Italian Couscous Salad is as quick and easy as a ‘pasta’ salad can come. With a few chops here, some dices there, a good hefty few stirs and a little while in the fridge, this salad is ready to go and full of flavor! It’s pretty loaded with fun bits too such as salami, fresh mozzarella, basil, olives, and plenty of Italian veggies.

I’d like to think that it’s sort of a fun twist on Antipasto. It’s light, it’s pasta based, and it’s served cold. While usually it’s as a side, I’ve enjoyed eating this for lunch with a hard-boiled egg on the side. But it would also be great served as a side at dinner. Say… paired with a pesto marinated grilled chicken breast…