Banana Nut Breakfast Parfait

May 25, 2016 Amanda Plott

One of my fondest memories from when I was little was my mom making her banana nut bread. It wasn't something that she would make very often, usually a treat around the holidays when she had time to bake. Friends and family will often find it tucked away in their yearly basket of baked goods at Christmas.

Even still to this day she makes it every now and again for all of us, especially my little girl, to enjoy. But, with summer and hotter weather closing in on us here in Texas... it's time for me to start cutting the use of my oven way down. So, to sate my craving for the dense and rather out of season bread, I've opted to turn it into a parfait!...

5 Ingredient Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

May 23, 2016 Amanda Plott

Another busy weekend behind me and I couldn't be looking forward to next week anymore than I am! My little girl will be out of school and done with her dance for this season; giving me a much needed little break. With the last few days, weeks, and months all blurring together, I needed something easy and light to toss together after milling around the store today for my weekly shopping trip.

I decided some homemade hummus would hit the spot perfectly. I've made my share of hummus before, but hadn't yet dabbled with a roasted red pepper variation which happens to be one of my favorites to buy...

Southwest 'Fried' Pickles

May 5, 2016 Amanda Plott

Recently, I had the honor to speak with Brooke Griffin, creator of SkinnyMom.com! I've been part of the SkinnyMom community for a while now, and it was truly a pleasure to get my hands on and review the new SkinnySuppers Cookbook that Brooke just released. It's full of 125 lightened healthier meals for your family.

She has some super yummy looking recipes, plenty of tips, tricks, and advice for the kitchen and surviving dinner time! It's a great read with plenty of home style and southern flavors. One of the first recipes that stood out to me was her Southwest 'Fried' Pickles. After all, who doesn't love a good fried pickle?...

Skinny Pizza Bite Dippers

May 3, 2016 Amanda Plott

It's no secret that pizza (in one form or another), is in my weekly rotation. When you have a little one, it sort of has to be a staple on the menu. Today I wanted to step outside the box a bit, using up a few of my favorite versatile ingredients that I almost always have on hand.

Cheese is definitely an integral part of my eating habits. It's one of those things that I couldn't see myself living without. I've also found that wonton wrappers are a perfect vehicle for many different sorts of finger foods and small bite meals; which is exactly what this is. These little bites are perfect for dipping, dunking, and enjoying for a guilt-free bite of amazingness...

Matcha & Strawberry Bran Muffins

April 25, 2016 Amanda Plott

I've been playing with matcha more and more lately, trying to find clever ways to integrate it further into my daily life. So far I've made everything from Gluten-Free Matcha Waffles to Strawberry & Coconut Matcha Chocolate Bark. Today I decided to try my hand at another baked matcha treat; muffins! After all, who doesn't like a good muffin for breakfast?

So, what's so great about matcha? Plenty.

One cup of matcha has the nutritional content of 10 cups of regularly brewed green tea. And that's not all. It has 137 times more antioxidants in it too. Meaning it detoxifies your body and calms your mind naturally. It enhances your mood, boosts metabolism, and burns calories. All in a mere cup of tea...

Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs with Skinny Cheesecake Dip

April 21, 2016 Amanda Plott

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sara Lee Desserts and Cool Whip. All opinions are my own. Be sure to check out SaraLeeDesserts.com/recipes and KraftRecipes.com/CoolWhip for more delicously easy recipe ideas!

Well, I hope that everyone else is dry and enjoying the warmer spring weather! Here in Texas, we're getting nothing but rain. Not that I'm complaining, I mean... let's face it, we need it desperately still just as most of the rest of the country does.

Despite the weather, I'm still dead-set on getting my grill on this week (even with it raining me out of my own backyard.) Thank goodness for indoor grills though! It has been my best friend for a few days now since I had something planned nearly every day this week that was intended to be grilled. Thank you, mother nature...