Skinny Creamy Jalapeño Ranch

September 22, 2022 Amanda Plott

This is another fun one that I absolutely had to update with some new pictures.

If you've ever been to Texas... you may have heard of a little place called Chuy's Mexican Restaurant. Mhn, the mere thought that place makes my mouth water. Seriously. They have some amazing Tex-mex. One of my most favorite things at Chuy's is their Creamy Jalapeño Ranch. It's something that they will serve along side chips, but... you have to ask for it! It's also used as a salad dressing option.

I've been trying for years now to find a recipe that's even remotely close to the infamous dip that Chuy's serves. There's a lot of options out there, but none of them can hold a candle to the original, especially when making any healthy substitutions…

Healthified Chicken & Mash Bowl

August 8, 2022 Amanda Plott

Okay, so there's this fried chicken chain restaurant that honestly I couldn't tell you the last time I ate at. They have these horribly amazing 'famous bowls' that I used to get back when I was younger and more naive when it came to food.

Fast-forward to today and I don't think that I could stomach sitting in that restaurants parking lot, much less eating anything that came out of it. Never mind that particular 'famous bowl' is nearly a whopping 800 calories and full of who-knows-what.

Even so, I decided to take on the task of re-creating that chicken bowl into one that I could eat and be proud of without feeling guilty...

Vegetable Curry Laksa

April 13, 2022 Amanda Plott

An oldie but a goodie! This Laksa soup is a great weeknight meal and a perfect way to use up leftover veggies in the fridge, freezer, or pantry.

If you aren't familiar with it already, laksa is a popular spicy noodle soup that is often found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

The version of laksa that I like to make, is a coconut-based red curry soup…

Healthified Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

February 3, 2022 Amanda Plott

This old post (originally from 2013 - my first year of The Skinny Fork) definitely needed to be updated. It was back from the days when I wasn't yet taking the step-by-step photos of my cooking process. Not that this recipes has all too many steps to begin with, it just needed some polishing up.

It was definitely interesting to go back and see how far I've come with my photography, and also my method of cooking and creating recipes. I've made a few adjustments to the recipe (very minor ones and all for the better), so don't let that scare you off. It's not only better, but even better for you now too!...

Pantry Pottage (Crock Pot & Instant Pot)

December 7, 2021 Amanda Plott

This Pantry Pottage became a traditional Thanksgiving Eve dinner many many years ago in my family. I think the original recipe was one that my mom had gotten off the local news station when I was still in high school. The idea behind the dish was to use up all the canned beans and vegatables from your pantry and toss them into a crock pot to cook up some fabulous and easy dish that would serve up a house of visitors.

Several years ago now, the original printed recipe that my mom had ended up disappearing among a chaotic move. I've since scowered the web to find it, though to no avail. I did, however, manage to find a similar version that I've tweaked to be closer to what my mom and I remember…

Skinny Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

November 28, 2021 Amanda Plott

It happens every Thanksgiving... What do you do with all that leftover turkey? And believe me when I say that I have a freezer full of it this year. And you know what? I'm not at al mad at it either.

I'm happy to say that I've got a solution for you right here.

I originally started making this soup after Thanksgiving a few years back, and honestly, I still haven't changed the recipe from my original version of it. That's just how good it is...