caramel

This quick, easy, healthy, and dairy free caramel sauce is the perfect alternative to the real deal. Spoon it generously over ice cream, use it as a sweet and sticky dip for apples, or just simply eat it by the spoonful!

You know that I love food, right? Food has always played a big role in my life. In fact, some of my most memorable childhood memories revolve around food!

When we used to make the long drive up to Massachusetts to visit my Grandpa  I always knew there would be treats awaiting my arrival, along with hugs and kisses! My Grandpa was an incredible man- super handy (he rebuilt his outdoor screen room in his 90’s!), very loving, and always had a great outlook on life. I looked up to him so much and still do! He loved spoiling me and my sisters. It’s funny how many of my most cherished memories revolve around food.

My grandpa grew rhubarb in the backyard. I would go back into the garden and pick out the stalk with the biggest leaf, and he would chop it down, peel off the skin and hand it over to me. I loved dipping the fresh rhubarb into a dixie cup of sugar and savoring the bittersweet combination. I will surely make a strawberry rhubarb pie in his honor next spring and post it here!

Some additional food memories I recall fondly were fluffy and cheesy scrambled eggs, made in the microwave (so good!), marshmallow fluff in wafer ice cream cones, often served with peanut butter or ice cream, homemade clam chowder, and he always had a box of chocolates hiding somewhere in the house.

He would bring out the large rectangular white box and present it to us, and I would agonize over which chocolate to choose. I knew if I chose the unfortunate strawberry nougat I would be so very disappointed- yuck! My all time favorite was the smooth and silky caramel, but it was impossible to tell which one it was. I would close my eyes and pick and pray it came up caramel!

This quick and easy recipe is for all you caramel lovers out there, like me 😉 It’s also healthier than traditional caramel and dairy free! One quick tip- the longer you let it boil the thicker it will be. Also, the type of honey you choose and amount of time you boil it will affect the flavor. The 4 minute version does have a slight yummy honey flavor to it, but if you want to make a thicker sauce, boil 2 minutes longer and the taste will become less honey-like and more rich.