Recent Posts

Hello World!

Hello World!

Never in a million years did I think I would be making a website. But here I am, so “hello”! I realized a few months ago that my food posts needed a home of their own, enter Naturally_Neen. This started out as a personal way 

Zucchini Lasagna

Zucchini Lasagna

I’m Italian aka I love all things sauce, pasta, and cheese. So, as you can imagine, things were tough when I first discovered I would need to go gluten & dairy free. Creating fun & unique takes on my favorite foods from growing up has 

Dairy Free Muddy Buddies

Dairy Free Muddy Buddies

Growing up, our family friend would always bring a “Blockbuster” bowl filled to the brim with Muddy Buddies to our Super Bowl party. Sidenote: IYKYK about the orange/yellow Blockbuster bowl AND lid. This were a staple and gone in minutes. Adults, infants, “health-nuts” all kept a look-out for when the coveted snack would make its appearance on the kitchen table. Even the most annoying of kids were invited to scramble around the bowl and grab a handful. I often wondered to myself how could something so small hold so much power over us?!

Dairy-Free Muddy Buddies

A childhood classic reinvented so all can enjoy.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: #chex, #chocolatechip, #dairyfree, #glutenfree, #muddybuddies, #puppychow

Ingredients

  • 5 Cups Rice Chex Cereal
  • 1/4 Cup Dairy Free Butter
  • 1/3 Cup Peanut Butter
  • 1 Cup Dairy Free Chocolate Chips
  • 1.5 Cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions

  • Measure out 5 cups of rice Chex cereal into a very large bowl and set aside.
  • In a double broiler, mix and melt your dairy-free chocolate chips, peanut butter, and dairy-free butter until it forms one cohesive mixture. This can be done in a microwave.
  • Pour the chocolate mixture onto your Rice Chex and stir until everything is coated. At this point you can judge whether you need more Chex.
  • Pour the powdered sugar and chocolate-covered Chex into a large Ziploc bag or Tupperware container and shake until it is coated evenly. At this point, if you still see dark chocolate colored pieces, you can add more powdered sugar.
  • These are ready to serve now, but I prefer to put them in the fridge/freezer to "set" for 30 minutes or so!

Notes

Tip: make a double batch….these never seem to last in my house. 
Paleo Chicken Tenders

Paleo Chicken Tenders

Here is an awesome and easy recipe for you guys to use with all of your chicken during this Quarantine. And do not even try to tell me that you don’t have any. I couldn’t find chicken for a MONTH in Pittsburgh, so I know 

D.I.Y. Coffee Nook

D.I.Y. Coffee Nook

Growing up, drinking coffee was a rite of passage and a way of life in my parents’ household. Waking up to the smell of coffee is nostalgic && comforting, bringing memories of my Mom in her matching pj set reading the news on the back 

Easy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Easy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

I used to love when my Mom would make soup. Some of my favorite memories were playing outside in the cold snow and coming in to soup and grilled cheese. This is an easy, yet flavorful, chicken and vegetable soup that is a perfect as a comfort meal or pick-me-up in this unsettling Pandemic we currently are facing.

While I follow the same steps each time I make this soup, the ingredients always change! That is why I love this soup so much, and I guess soup in general….it is fool-proof. I always start by browning my “base” veggies with oil and garlic. My “base” always has onions, sometimes carrots, and if I am lucky and Mia has leftover celery I will steal a few stalks. So consider yourselves lucky that today the soup I am writing about has all three. Another tip for soups is to always have a hearty aspect. I am pretty sure I do this because my Mom had to make a soup that would fill my five hungry brothers, but that is besides the point. For my soup today I used potatoes. You could always use rice, quinoa, etc.

Once, my veggies cook down I add in my broth. You could use any type – even homemade (I do not have the time to mop my floors, do you think I have time to make broth?). I let the soup simmer until the potatoes are fork tender and then add in my chicken. For this recipe I used shredded chicken, but you can use whatever you have on hand! The soup is ready at this point, but I let it sit for at least thirty more minutes so the flavors can marry!

Easy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

An easy to prepare and customize soup.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, lunch, Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: #chicken, #dairyfree, #glutenfree, #paleo, #soup, chickensoup

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil (use your fat of choice)
  • 4 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Onion, diced
  • 4 Stalks Celery, diced
  • 4 Large Carrots, diced (you can use baby carrots)
  • 2 Lbs. Red Potatoes, diced (you can use any potatoes on hand)
  • 1 tsp Rosemary
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Pepper
  • 16 ounces Organic Chicken Broth
  • 2 Cooked Chicken Breasts (shredded or chopped)

Instructions

  • Start by getting out a large stock pot and heating up 1 Tbsp of Olive oil.
  • Add in garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Let the ingredients cook down until the onions and translucent.
  • Add your seasonings. This is all on preference: I used Rosemary, Salt, and Pepper.
  • Add your chicken broth. This is also on preference. You can add more or less depending on how thick of a soup you would like.
  • Let the soup simmer until the potatoes are fork tender. At this point add your shredded or chopped chicken breasts. You can even use a rotisserie chicken here.
  • Stir and check if you need to add more salt or pepper .
    The soup is ready to serve, but I prefer to let the soup blend together for another 30 minutes or so.

Notes

This is a very easy recipe to customize depending on what you have on hand. I use whatever veggies are going to go bad first and I often times use my leftover chicken from the night before for the protein aspect. 
Paleo Pumpkin Muffins

Paleo Pumpkin Muffins

Yes, I know it is Spring and yes, I know it is definitely not Pumpkin Season – but, this is a Quarantine, people, so anything goes. I found this can of pumpkin in my pantry during a Spring Cleaning and knew I had to find 

Easy Paleo Banana Muffins

Easy Paleo Banana Muffins

Is there anything better than the smell of something warm and sweet baking in the oven? I think not. Ever since my last migraine, my doctor has been recommending bananas like no one’s business. At this point I think I am probably consuming the same 

What the French, Toast?!

What the French, Toast?!

French Toast. A crowd pleaser and, in my opinion, an overlooked breakfast food. Why do we always reach for waffles and pancakes when french toast exists?? It is easy to make and less clean-up, and in my opinion that is a win-win.

I used a Butterfly Cookie Cutter from Target for a fun Spring breakfast!

When we were younger, my Mom always made a big breakfast on Saturday mornings. Eggs, waffles, egg sandwiches, hash browns – the possibilities were endless. Because we were making such a large quantity we all were given “tasks”. Someone poured OJ, someone scrambled the eggs, and the least favorite was always being assigned Toast duty. You had to toast the bread on one side of the kitchen and walk to the other side to butter it, all while making sure you did not burn the next batch. Plus, you had to wait until everyone ate (FYI – teenage boys are late risers) to be done with your job. Looking back now, I would have gladly volunteered for French Toast duty. It is in one location, and its easy – dunk, cook, flip, and voila!!

Here is the link for the adorable mini cookie cutters I use on my fruit : https://amzn.to/2xqTGvI .

Gluten Free French Toast

The perfect weekend breakfast. Easy to customize and great for all ages.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: #dairyfree, #glutenfree
Author: NaturallyNeen

Ingredients

  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 cup Vanilla Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • 4 slices Gluten Free Bread I prefer Canyon Bakehouse
  • 1/2 tbsp Cinnamon

Instructions

  • Begin to heat a skillet over medium heat.
  • In a medium bowl mix together : eggs, almond milk, vanilla, & cinnamon.
  • Coat the bread slices in the mixture and place into the hot pan.
  • Cook until golden brown on both sides.
  • Serve warm with your choice of toppings. I like fresh fruit and a sprinkle of powder sugar. Matt likes Maple Syrup!

Notes

This recipe is fun and easy. I often cut my bread in to fun shapes before placing into  the egg mixture as a fun “surprise”. And don’t worry. The pieces that I cut off to form the shapes get eaten as french toast”dunking” sticks as well. 
A Toast for Butter Days

A Toast for Butter Days

Hey yinz. It’s Quarantine Day 7 here. I have occupied my days with painting my entire house (do not tell my boss) and trying new recipes. Gov. Wolf just issued a mandatory Quarantine for at least two weeks so I will be added lots of 

The Easiest Paleo Cookies

The Easiest Paleo Cookies

I am not a huge dessert eater anymore. No, I am not a serial killer. Don’t get me wrong, I like sweets. It is just hard to find delicious and easy desserts that don’t make you feel gross after eating. Also, when you have dietary