Apricot Chickpea Salad

February 8, 2023 Amanda Plott

So, I’ll be honest here in saying that I never really buy or use apricots a whole lot, and I’m not entirely sure why either. They taste good, fresh or dried so it’s not that I don’t like them. I just never really think to use them. But, this salad dressing just sounded really good to me for son reason or another. It’s sweet, but tangy, and yet has just a little bit of a kick from the ginger in there. It’s really one of my new favorite things on the planet.

This salad is a really good mix of textures and tastes. You really won’t miss meat here. And you won’t miss the dairy either. Somehow everything else going on really keeps you from focusing on what’s not there so that you instead focus on what is there. And that’s a lot of goodness!…

Pistou Soup

August 14, 2022 Amanda Plott

I know what you’re thinking… Soup? In the Summer?! Yeah, yeah. Maybe it’s wishful thinking on my part, but sometimes you have to lure the cooler weather in by enticing it with appropriate foods. I don’t know, maybe it’s working. It’s at least coming off the triple digits for a few days here. That being said, this Pistou Soup is very light and definitely is more of a Spring or Summer soup because of that.

It starts off with a base of onion, leek, and celery and is then layered with some potato, green beans, peas and more! Like I said, this is soup that’s packed with vegetables while also being meatless. The soup is topped off with a pistou, which is basically a pesto that’s made with basil, garlic, and some cheese too…

Mediterranean Veggie Wrap

July 3, 2022 Amanda Plott

With a busy holiday weekend and a holiday itself cutting into the week, I like to be sure that I have plenty of ready-made lunches on hand so that I don’t have to fret about it in the midst of chaos. This Mediterranean Veggie Wrap is one of my new favorite grab-and-go lunches. It’s cool, and crisp, and filling while also being light and vegetarian too!

This wrap starts out with lavash bread, which is honestly my preferred wrap because it can double as a tortilla, and triple as a flat bread pizza crust! Plus, it’s super high in fiber and low in calories. So, you get a lot of bang for your buck. They can do pretty much anything and have just enough stretch to make for the perfect vehicle for a wrap…

Tofu & Green Onion Wontons + Chili Broth

June 24, 2022 Amanda Plott

Ever made homemade wontons before? You totally should! They’re a little time consuming, but they are super easy to make and delicious too. These Tofu & Green Onion Wontons are meatless and depending on the base of stock you choose for the Chili Broth, they might be completely vegetarian too! The chili broth here doesn’t mess around either. It has a real kick to it. So if you aren’t big on spicy things, you may want to use a plain broth or lessen the amount of spice in here.

The broth here isn’t meant to be a soup, but more of an additional coating of flavor for the wontons to get to roll around in. Trust me, you need the broth here as it really adds a whole lot to the dish! It’s spicy, tangy, and perfect to pair with the neutral wontons themselves…

Salt & Vinegar Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

June 12, 2022 Amanda Plott

It’s almost too hot outside here to grill lately. Almost, but not quite. And being as my kiddo is in love with steak right now, it’s become a part of the weekly rotation. Even if a good steak is on the meal plan each week, I like to keep things fresh and new as far as the sides go. That’s where these Salt & Vinegar Roasted Fingerling Potatoes come in.

I got my hands on some local fingerling potatoes recently, the yellow ones are ‘banana’ fingerlings and then I also got some purple fingerlings. Instead of just the usual oil and salt, I took them a step further this time and pre-cooked them in some vinegar. What’s the point of that, you ask…?…

Southwest Cobb Salad in a Jar

April 25, 2022 Amanda Plott

This is one spiced up salad! I’ve created it in such a way that it is perfect for being a jar salad; layered so that it stays fresh for 3-5 days in the fridge and is great to have on hand for a grab-and-go lunch that you can also enjoy on the go or not!

The whole idea for this salad is to layer it in such a way that it can sit stored in the fridge for a few days and is completely ready to eat as soon as you are. Everything is all included, even the dressing. The trick to it is the layering. All the wet stuff on the bottom and the dry stuff on top. Clever, right?…