Favorite Recipes of 2014

by 4 Comments

Favorite Recipes of 2014 | Natural Chow

Can you believe 2015 is almost upon us? I tell ya, this year just flew right by! And while it was an amazing year, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2015.

I want to take a second to let all of you wonderful readers that you are THE BEST! I can’t thank you enough for all of the support that you’ve given me, and all of the opportunities that have opened up for me because of you.

Soooo, because you guys are awesome, today I wanted to share with you a list of all of your favorite recipes from 2014. This list is organized into categories, with the most popular for each category followed by 2 runner-ups.

[Read more…]

Salted Honey Caramels

by 6 Comments

These homemade salted honey caramels are melt-in-your-mouth luscious, chewy, and heavenly. They make great gifts and are WAY healthier than the storebought kind.

Salted Honey Caramels | Natural Chow | http://naturalchow.com

So, I made candy. And I didn’t even mess it up!

I know, I know, candy isn’t technically real food. But I made these caramels because I wanted to share how easy it is to make a homemade treat that everyone will enjoy during this merry holiday season without the use of corn syrup (or HFCS). And, besides, these are meant to be treats, so obviously I’m not encouraging you to eat an obscene amount of these in a day/hour/minute.

I just can’t believe I didn’t totally botch these caramels. I mean, I was working against all odds. How was I, the 15-year-old girl I am, supposed to stir/whisk caramel, watch a candy thermometer, make sure the caramel doesn’t burn to death, make sure I don’t get burned, AND read a book all at the same time?!?!

What? Sounds like mission impossible I know. But I did it. 

[Read more…]

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

by 29 Comments

A simple, vegan, gluten-free dessert! These bite-sized peanut butter chocolate chip cookie dough balls are dreamy and creamy all because of a secret ingredient.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites | Natural Chow | http://naturalchow.com

I’m not going to deny it.

Chocolate is my weakness. Like, I don’t think I could go a week without eating some. I wouldn’t say I’m addicted, but it’s definitely something I don’t think I’d be able to live without. Ahem. 

When a friend first told me about these cookie dough bites, I was a little hesitant to try making them. I mean, no flour, no butter, and they’re naturally sweetened? I sort of figured there was some secret behind what made them taste so great. Turns out I was right. And guess what the secret ingredient is!

[Read more…]

Gluten Free Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

by 42 Comments

Learn how to make the best gluten free cut-out cookies from scratch! They couldn’t be easier to make and are great for making with little ones!

Gluten Free Cut-Out Sugar Cookies | Natural Chow | http://naturalchow.com

These have got to be the best gluten free sugar cookies I have ever had. 

They may not be the prettiest cookies out there (my decorating skills are practically nonexistent), but they still taste amazing! Despite the fact that these are cookies, I tried to make them as healthy as possible, using unbleached pure cane sugar as a sweetener and uncolored icing to decorate with.

I’ll admit, the sprinkles were a compromise, but the way I saw it, I had two choices. Either make a few small bowls of icing and dye them with food coloring or just make one large bowl of uncolored icing and decorate with sprinkles.

Obviously, I went with the latter. Because sometimes we make exceptions so we don’t go crazy.

[Read more…]

Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

by 2 Comments

Learn how to make perfect mashed potatoes every time with this visual step-by-step tutorial. These easy garlic mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish for any meal!

Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes | Natural Chow | http://naturalchow.com

Oh my gosh—you guys!

This time of year, I’m running around like a crazy person trying to fit a million things into a day. And I tend to end up with more uncompleted tasks on my to-do list at the end of the day than I started with. 

As the temperatures drop and the days get busier, I usually opt for a slow cooker meal. But if I don’t even have time in the morning to toss all of that into the crock pot, at least I know that I can crank out these mashed potatoes and serve them with pretty much anything.

[Read more…]