Southwest Couscous Salad

September 7, 2018 Amanda Plott

I love couscous. I love it in traditional form and I love it Israeli style too. What's the difference though? Traditional couscous is smaller grained and the Israeli one is more of a 'pearl' couscous. Small little beads of 'pasta' that are extremely versatile and can be amazingly delicious!

The lunchtime struggle is real, and I know it is. I've found that if I don't have something prepared ahead of time for lunch, that I'll often go without or end up eating a less than stellar choice. With couscous being one of my favorite things, and pasta salad on the mind, I thought it would be a great time to make a couscous 'pasta' salad!…

Magical Color Changing Unicorn Noodles

June 26, 2018 Amanda Plott

I feel as though I should explain here that my daughter and I are pretty much obsessed with mermaids, unicorns, rainbows and glitter. So when 'science' week started, I just knew that we were going to have to make ourselves some magical color changing noodles!

Unlike most 'colored' noodles out there, we're coloring these naturally by way of a purple cabbage. This gives those rice noodles a beautiful all natural light purple color.

I should also explain here that this is a simple recipe. It's not 'gourmet' by any means. I mean... let's face it, they're basically garlic buttered noodles, but the magic of the color changing and the fun with these noodles are what make them stand out!…

Sunny Summer Strawberry Lemonade

June 17, 2018 Amanda Plott

Summer time means lemonade. And lemonade for me means MUST BE FRESH. Fresh lemonade is some of the best lemonade, because obviously... it's made fresh and not all garbaged up with a bunch of junk that no one needs.

Now... it used to be when I was younger that my grandmother and my mom were in the habit of making a little something called 'sun tea'. Which is basically just like it sounds. A tea, that's made in the sun. The bad thing about it is that I can't drink tea anymore due to migraine issues. SNARF. So what's the next best thing to make in the sun? Lemonade!…

Gluten-Free & Vegan Blueberry Peach Cobbler

May 22, 2018 Amanda Plott

It's about this time of year where my fridge is well stocked with fresh fruits and berries. Which is something I am not sad about. And there is little that tickles my pickle more than a homemade cobbler. So, when I got my hot little hands on local fresh blueberries and peaches, I knew it was high time to make a gluten-free and vegan version of a cobbler.

Being as cobbler is typically a fruit based dessert that's baked with a sweet 'crust' layer on top, how does one go about making it gluten-free or vegan? Well, to be honest, it's actually pretty easy! In fact, this has to be one of the most easy cobblers that I've ever made. And that's the truth of it…

Strawberry Grain-Free Granola (Gluten-Free too!)

May 18, 2018 Amanda Plott

Holy. Moly. We are well into the 90 degree days here in Austin Texas and summer is nipping at our heels. The house is stifling in the days, and even while the mornings are still decently cool, I am over here preparing for the onslaught that is about to befall us with raging 100 degree + days.

As the weather turns warmer, I'm starting to lean towards the cooler and more refreshing bites for breakfast. Cereals. Yogurts. Fruits. My only problem is that all the good granolas out there cost a pretty penny. That's why I've been opting to make my own. Plus, I love being able to make my own unique flavors and there is nothing more Summery to me than strawberries. Here in Texas, the strawberry season starts in Spring and seems to go almost all Summer long. We even have a festival for strawberries here in the summer! What's up Poteet Strawberry Festival!…

Strawberry Shortcake Energy Bites

May 11, 2018 Amanda Plott

Is it just me or is May one of those months where you're running around like a crazy person the most? Maybe it's because we're just ahead of summer break for the kids and everything is winding down. It's the sprint to the finish line and it is not for the faint off heart!

I know that for me, it's been one thing after the other. Every day there seems to be something important that NEEDS to be done. On top of all of that, I've been getting back into the swing of exercising. So right now, more than ever, my body is craving energy; every from good food and proper rest. That's why I decided to make myself these Strawberry Shortcake Energy Bites…