Vanilla Blueberry Coconut Nut & Seed Granola

January 6, 2018 Amanda Plott

So since even just before New Year's, I've been trying to eat a whole lot more nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. With my last 'Nut & Seed' grain-free granola getting eaten up readily, I decided that it was time to make a new version of it.

One thing that I didn't get to use last time in my granola, that I really wanted to be sure about using this time is coconut chips. While I'm not a coconut fan by any means, coconut chips are definitely one of my favorite additions to salad and/or granola. Without wanting to go too tropical with the coconut, I decided on vanilla and blueberries!...

Honey Beer Cupcakes with Fresh Blueberry Buttercream

June 18, 2017 Amanda Plott

My dad's birthday always falls around Father's day, which usually means... double the celebrations! Some of his most favorite beers are from the local Austin brewery, Infamous Brewing Company. I've had the honor of meeting the owner (Josh) and hanging out at the brewery a few times. They've won a LOT of medals for their selection of regular and seasonal beers. Their Pumpkin Massacre is a family favorite when it comes around in the fall.

Their brewery was literally right down the street from my parents when they lived over near the lake. Now it's a bit of a trek for either of us, so unfortunately we don't get to go there much anymore. The good news is that they sell Infamous beer in almost any store here around Austin and most of Texas too. If you can't find Infamous near you though, you could always use another beer of your preference for these cupcakes...

Mini Blueberry Scones

May 1, 2017 Amanda Plott

Breakfast has to be one of my most favorite meals of the day. I'm not sure why. I suppose because I enjoy the fact that it's really the only meals of the day that you can go sweet or savory. For the past three weeks now, I've been loaded up with fresh local blueberries. So I've been wanting to do something extra special with them. Of course, there's always muffins but I thought I would take it a step further and go for scones today!

These aren't your average scones though. They are lightened up in the best of ways using white wheat flour, coconut oil, and no sugar. That's right. NO SUGAR. And they still taste absolutely amazing. I left these scones in 'mini' form since I prefer snacking around for my meals to keep things fun and interesting to my palate. But, they're also the perfect 'tea party' size...

Lemon, Blueberry & Poppy Seed Parfait

April 18, 2017 Amanda Plott

So, remember that Lemon Poppy Seed Granola from a couple of weeks ago? And how I told you that I had big plans for it? Well, here you go! My idea all along for #TopItTuesday was to incorporate it into some sort of super fabulous luscious lemon parfait. And what goes better with lemon other than blueberries? I got some gorgeous local blueberries in last week, and just knew that they would be the perfect addition to this particular parfait.

I'm so happy that it's Spring time. I love the mild weather and the sudden influx of seasonal fruits and berries too! Nothing says Spring time to me more than lemons and blueberries though. There's just something about that bright burst of citrus flavor that I can't help but crave being paired with those sweet blueberries...

Grilled Market Salad & Zesty Dressing (Chick-Fil-A Copy Cat)

February 18, 2017 Amanda Plott

So, I was telling my mom about one of my all time favorite salads at a pretty well known fast-food chain the other day when she was looking for some quick lunch options. Anytime the family wants to 'be bad' and have chicken nuggets at this place, I always tend to opt for their Grilled Market Salad. It's a really large hearty salad that's extremely filling and easily could be turned into two meals rather than just one.

That discussion got me to thinking about the salad, how good it is, and how simple it is too. Surely there had to be a way to make it myself! The hardest part would be the zesty apple cider vinaigrette. Thankfully, I found a good starting place and made a few more tweaks to that to get exactly what I was looking for after reading the ingredients on the actual dressing packet...

Blueberry Bagel French Toast

February 8, 2017 Amanda Plott

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BagelMyWay #CollectiveBias

Who's busy on the weekday mornings? I am! I am! Morning time is no joke, y'all! I'm the only morning person in the house, so rallying my 6 year old in the morning is exhausting all on it's own. She has literally hid from me to avoid the inevitable morning routine to get her up, out of the house, and off to school.

One way I can manage to soften the blow of the early morning hours is to come up with fun and easy breakfasts that I can lure my daughter (and myself) downstairs with. Cereal? Pancakes? French Toast! This isn't your average french toast thought. How about french toast made out of bagels? Everything is better on a bagel or made with a bagel, even french toast!...