Skinny Chicken Parmesan Casserole (Sponsored)

June 23, 2015 Amanda Plott

This post was brought to you by Collective Bias, Inc. and it's advertiser. I received compensation to write this post … but, all opinions expressed are my own. #GetSaucy #CollectiveBias

I love Chicken Parmesan, and since I'm always trying to come up with new and innovative ways to put my spin on old classics, I decided to make a Skinny Chicken Parmesan Casserole! I wanted this dish to be light, easy (with only a handful of ingredients), and super delicious.

This is one of those great weeknight meals that you can pull together easily. Almost all of the ingredients are pantry staples in nearly every house. Such a simple and honest dish got rave reviews from the household. Full bellies and a clear conscience is what it's all about!

One of the biggest bonuses was that I was able to cook this one dish meal in just 30 minutes, with the oven being on only minimally in this warm Texas summer heat!...

California Chicken & Vegetable Bowl (With Green Goddess Dressing)

June 22, 2015 Amanda Plott

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group®, Birds Eye®, and Tyson® but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #FastFreshFilling http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

The heat of Texas summer is upon me! The last couple of weeks I've been doing everything possible to use my oven as little as I can manage. It's amazing the difference that just a few minutes of the oven being on can make when it's above 90 degrees outside. So, I'm starting to get really creative with creating tasty and easy meals during the busy and rather hot days of summer without having to give up nutrition in the process.

I was wanting something fresh and light that also involved avocado, and then I remembered this Green Goddess dressing that I made a few months back that I was absolutely in love with. So, I decided I wanted to make use of it again in this California style Chicken & Vegetable bowl. Perfect!

The only change that I made to the dressing this time was around was using some fresh basil in placed of the thyme or tarragon that I had used before. Fresh basil just screams summer to me...

Skinny 'Fried' Green Tomato BLT

June 18, 2015 Amanda Plott

I know, I've been talking a lot lately about my local produce box that I've been getting weekly. But, I just have so much fun with it. I get a lot of fresh ingredients that I normally wouldn't think to cook with, so it really stretches my cooking muscles and pushes me outside my usual box.

This week I got some lovely green tomatoes. Green tomatoes? What's that? Basically it's an unripe tomato. Nothing fancy here. They are firmer and more tart than their ripened brethren. They are definitely one of those simple things that you just can't seem to find at the grocery store often (if ever at all.) Needless to say, I was pretty excited to get my hands on these green beauties finally!

Now, what do you do with unripe tomatoes? Well, in the south... we fry them. Since I don't like to fry anything though, I'm doing a lighter take on that. After all, I've made Faux Fried Tomatoes before; a great starting point...

Skinny Summer Breakfast Parfait

June 16, 2015 Amanda Plott

I love a good parfait, especially for breakfast! Parfaits are the perfect summer time breakfast. Why? Because you don't have to heat up or cook anything, which is a pretty big deal here in the southern states when we start pushing 100 degrees. Every little thing will set off that expensive air conditioner bill. Yikes! Let's not do that...

This beautiful little breakfast is the perfect way to start off your day; keeping you full, satisfied, and so happy! I mean just look at all those fun bright colors. How could you not get a smile on your face with eating that rainbow?...

Skinny Watermelon Agave Margarita Poptail

June 12, 2015 Amanda Plott

I love a good margarita, especially in the summer. Who doesn't? Recently, with the temperature climbing quickly here in Texas, I've become somewhat addicted to the idea of poptails. What's a poptail...? Well, it's the amazing notion of putting a popsicle and cocktail together into one amazing treat!

I've seen poptails done in a few different ways, whether mixing your ingredients and freezing together or adding a nice fresh popsicle to your favorite mix-ins. Today I decided to do my take on a Watermelon Agave Margarita using these amazing, local to me, GoodPops.

As the popsicle melts down the fresh fruit inside the GoodPop shows it's beautiful self with small chunks of watermelon and the cold frosty ice of the melting popsicle working together to tame the tequila and triple sec; working as a healthier replacement of a 'sweet and sour' mix...

Skinny Baked Eggplant Parmesan

June 10, 2015 Amanda Plott

I feel that I should explain right off the bat here that I am in no way a fan of eggplant. I don't particularly dislike it, but it just isn't something that I would order of a menu or pick up from the grocery store for my own indulgence. However, if it were offered to me in the form of baba ganoush or... eggplant parmesan, I would most likely eat it and enjoy it as well.

The only reason that I had eggplant on hand today was because I was given some in my recent 'local box' that came to me from organic local farmers. And let's face it, I'm not about to toss out any vegetable or fruit that is local and/or organic.

Since I had the eggplant already, I thought it would be a great opportunity to turn it into eggplant parmesan. I love anything that's doused in tomato sauce and cheese. I mean... who doesn't?...