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Chloe's Kitchen: 125 Easy, Delicious Recipes for Making the Food You Love the Vegan Way

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Making waves with her healthful, beautiful, delicious vegan food, Chef Chloe Coscarelli presents more than 100 original recipes—with stunning four-color photography—that bring fun and energy to a wide range of dishes.Classically trained Chef Chloe burst into national media by winning the Food Network’s hit reality show challenge, Cupcake Wars—the first time a vegan chef won a challenge. An exciting young talent, Chef Chloe is widely heralded as a rising star for her ingenious recipes that make vegan food delectable and accessible.

Chef Chloe’s first-ever cookbook explains the vegan diet—how to get all your nutrition from a plant-based diet and why it’s so healthy—in her fresh, dynamic style, as she provides delicious, incredibly appetizing, inventive recipes she has created, from savory starters to decadent desserts. What makes Chef Chloe’s recipes new and exciting is that she makes healthful vegan versions of America’s favorite foods, from comforting macaroni and cheese to creamy Fettuccine Alfredo to crave-inducing sliders and fries and adaptations of the most popular Chinese, Indian, and Mexican dishes. With Chef Chloe, eating vegan doesn’t mean giving up your favorite treats and flavors. Here’s a way to enjoy family favorites and her coveted desserts—including the first publication of her Cupcake War-winning vegan cupcakes—without busting your belt.

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 6, 2012

About the author

Chloe Coscarelli

15 books91 followers
Chloe Coscarelli is an award-winning vegan chef who is taking the culinary world by storm with her, creative easy-to-make vegan recipes. She first earned national attention after taking the top spot on an episode of Food Network's Cupcake Wars.

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5 stars
1,121 (50%)
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635 (28%)
3 stars
318 (14%)
2 stars
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43 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
Profile Image for Lisa Vegan.
2,857 reviews1,290 followers
April 20, 2012
4 ½ stars as I’m mostly reviewing for the recipes/food.

So, the advice isn’t great, particularly the promise of weight loss when switching to a vegan diet, if weight loss is needed. I’m really sick of that one. And there are lots of “model like” photos of the author that kind of annoyed me (though similar ones in Alicia Silverstone's book didn’t bother me at all, nor in most books) but then there was a great photo of the author with her two rescued dogs and I warmed up to the photos. And there is some great vegan primer and vegan cooking information.

And the author certainly has credentials: she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute of Health and Culinary Arts school in NYC, and completed Cornell University’s plant-based nutrition program, and she was an intern/worked at my favorite San Francisco vegan restaurant, Millennium. And she won a cupcake contest!

I’d use more whole grains and less oil, but many vegan cooks will be happy to make the recipes exactly as intended. Many are healthy as is.

The index doesn’t seem to be adequate for some searches. But what’s cool is in the contents, each section’s recipes are in alphabetical order by name; that is helpful.

Many of the recipes are very family and kid friendly, there are luscious photos of many of the recipes, and there are pithy and fun comments at each recipe, so it was fun to read this book. And many of the recipes greatly appealed to me. The ones with a * really, really, really appeal to me:

From Small Bites: * Jalapeño Cornbread Poppers with Maple Butter; Garlic Knots; Garlic White Bean Dip, Mini Potato Skins Stuffed with Avocado Salsa, Warm Spinach Artichoke Dip

From Soups and Salads: Cheesy Broccoli Soup in Sourdough Bread Bowls, Curried Spinach Lentil and Apple Stew, Tomato-Basil Bisque with Pumpernickel Croutons, Tuscan Beans and Greens Soup over Garlic Toast

From Simply Vegetables: * Guilt-Free Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Lemon-Olive Oil Asparagus, Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Hazelnuts, Thyme for Creamy Scalloped Potatoes

From Eat with Your Hands: Avocado Toast, Rosemary Tomato Galette with Pine Nut Ricotta

From Oodles of Noodles: * Best-Ever Baked Macaroni and Cheese, * Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Butter, Avocado Pesto Pasta, Orecchiette in No-Cook Spinach Sauce, Fettuccine Alfredo, Ooh-La-La Lasagna, Pasta Italiano, Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce, Wild Mushroom Stroganoff Fettuccine

From The Main Event: Barley Bliss Casserole, Eggplant Timbales, Pancakes for Dinner

From Cupcakes and More: * Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls, Chloe’s Award-Winning Ginger Nutmeg Spice Cupcakes, “Chlostess” Crème-Filled Cupcakes, Buckeyes, Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes with Raspberry Sauce, Happy Birthday Cake, Cinnamon-Expresso Chocolate Chip Cookies,

and, best of all: * Peanut Butter Dog Treats. (I’ve never met a dog who doesn’t enjoy peanut butter.)

The Basics section is wonderful and contains: Basic Pizza Dough, Beans and Grains, Homemade Seitan, Pressing Tofu, Sweet Tomato Ketchup, Sour Cream, Barbecue Sauce, Marinara Sauce, Sweet-and-Sour Sauce, Soy-Free Soy Sauce, Toasting Nuts

and the Menu Suggestions’ names/themes are: Weeknight Italian, Date Night, Potluck Dishes (something I’m always looking for!!!), Kids Birthday Party, Holiday Feast, Game Day, Comfy Cozy Southern Supper, Teen Slumber Party, Ladies Lunch, Light Lunchbox

Yummy! I do recommend this book, for kids, teens, and adults, vegan and not vegan.
38 reviews2 followers
March 12, 2013
I recently transitioned from being *just* a vegetarian, onto a completely vegan lifestyle. [I watched Vegucated. I was horrified. I can't even LOOK at animal products right now.] Anyway, I picked up the desserts book- and decided to pick this one up as well.

I've tried 3 recipes from this one so far, and am trying a 4th this afternoon. Everything has turned out absolutely amazing. And the way I cook, I make it by the recipe the first time, then adjust and fuss with the flavors afterwards until the tastes suit my preferences.

I haven't felt the need to change ANYTHING.

Onto the book itself- the recipes are written in a clear, concise, easy to follow method, and the photographs of the meals are mouthwatering. [Really, this was the main reason that I ended up buying it.] There are a large variety of recipes in the cookbook, so you won't end up eating 25 different variations on the same meal if you're willing to experiment with more than one recipe.

Recipes I've tried:
Moo Shu Vegetables with Homemade Chinese Pancakes: Full flavor, savory Chinese taco like deliciousness. It's delightfully savory, and smelled so amazing that my roommate kept coming to snag another one. And hovered. Just.... MMmmm...

Jalapeno Cornbread Poppers with Whipped Maple Butter: Made this for a party I had, and they didn't last long at all. However, I was widely agreed upon that the maple butter tasted far better with the fruit on the fruit tray than with the appetizer itself. We chose to simply dip them in the tofu dip I had made instead. But the poppers were delicious- crusty and sweet with not too much kick to them.

Crispy Potato-Leek patties with Lemon Dill Dip: This was by far the best loved recipe of that night with company over. The patties were just so tasty- we didn't even need the sauce. Didn't need it, but used it anyway, because it was horrible addictive. Oh. My. God. They were so good.
Profile Image for Mckenzie.
18 reviews
November 15, 2012
Pro's- Simple recipes, both in regards to ingredients and assembly. Good for people starting to eat a plant based diet and to cook vegan.

Con's- The pictures of the food are nice, but they should have included more pictures of food and less of Chloe, I mean, she isn't hard on the eyes but this is a cookbook.
The design is very simplistic, and the content a little childish at times- this girl is a classically trained chef that worked at Millenium (have you seen their cookbook? pure vegan bliss)! I was hoping to see a bit more complexity and maturity in the recipes and the content.
Some of the content does not belong. Putting avocado on toast does not belong in a cookbook. It belongs in your brain, under, 'simple things to do with bread'.
Other vegan cookbooks offer more bang for the buck, but it makes a nice addition to my vegan cookbook collection.
***They claim healthy cooking, but I will offer the disclaimer that vegan food does not always equal healthy food. Things like coconut milk, oils, vegan butter, and nuts are all very good for you but, like all fats, in limited quantities. While some of these recipes are certainly health-ier than their non vegan counterparts, they are not all healthy.
Profile Image for Amy M..
256 reviews22 followers
May 11, 2012
I have only tried a couple of recipes so far, but they have all been amazing! The photos alone are drool worthy or food porn-ish as we like to call it. Especially the dessert section. I can't help but stare at the baked doughnuts - so yummy looking! However, the recipes themselves are easy to follow and most of the ingredients are basic. This is definitely a cookbook worth buying!

Recipes made so far:
* Chloe's Favorite Five-Minute Salad: 5* So simple yet incredibly good. Once avacados are in season I'm not buying salad dressing!
* BBQ Pineapple Pizza: 5* Never really like pineapple on my pizza but the combination of them with the BBQ sauce and caramelized onions are unbelievably good!
* Basic Pizza Dough: 5* A simple dough but more than worth making instead of buying prepared dough.
479 reviews3 followers
September 21, 2015
I'm a cookbook snob. The photos of her food are beautiful, but there aren't enough of them. Drop the pics of Chloe herself, and highlight the recipes and the luscious food. Many of her recipes call for more oil or nuts than I would ever use, so I didn't try those. I liked some recipes, didn't care for others. I did like that she uses everyday ingredients in some interesting combinations. Great for someone just starting out, but I'm looking for more.
Profile Image for Maggie.
170 reviews1 follower
March 15, 2012
Likes: Make ahead tips, easy to follow instructions

Dislikes: Some of the recipes to me weren't recipes, Avocado on Toast to me is not a recipe. Some of the pictures throughout the book were of Chloe instead of food, I would much rather have seen more pictures of the food.

Overall I think this would be a good cookbook for anyone who wants to give vegan cooking a try.
Profile Image for Max.
873 reviews27 followers
April 8, 2019
Chloe Coscarelli always has great vegan recipes. :-) Love the idea for this book - veganizing your favourite dishes. This book has some focus on weight loss, which I'm not a fan of, to eat vegan just to lose weight. But I just skipped over that onto the recipes and they are great and easy!
Profile Image for Susan.
1,640 reviews11 followers
March 26, 2012
In a word, YUM! I wish there had been fewer pictures of the lovely Chloe looking radiant and more pictures of the dishes she cooked.
Profile Image for angeleen.
73 reviews42 followers
December 12, 2012
So far I've made the Tomato-Basil Bisque (my husband said it was the best tomato soup he's ever had and he's a tomato soup connoisseur), the Fettuccine Alfredo (really good), Penne alla Vodka with the Best Garlic Bread in the World (this was my favorite - the garlic bread lives up to its name), the Mongolian BBQ Seitan using her seitan recipe in the back of the book (the sauce was good although I'd made something very similar on my own before out of ingredients in my fridge, so nothing revolutionary and the seitan wasn't great - on the rubbery side and didn't taste like much), and the Macaroni and Cheese, although I made the stovetop version from her blog which is identical up until the sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake steps (good and fast but definitely not my favorite vegan macaroni and cheese recipe).

I've made and enjoyed at least one other recipe from her blog too. It's no doubt she has some great recipes. She explains everything clearly so it's not difficult to follow the directions and get the same results in your kitchen. She also uses fairly "normal" ingredients that I'm able to get at my grocery store. The only thing she called for that I've never seen before is canned lentils. Only dried lentils 'round these parts.

I didn't give the book five stars because it's light on the photos. There are no photos at all of several of the recipes which is pretty lame, in my opinion. Her (free) blog has photos and she clearly hired a food photographer for this (not-free) book so what's the excuse for not having at least one photo for each recipe? We need to know how the finished product is supposed to look! Also, the index is not great.
Profile Image for Laurie .
546 reviews49 followers
May 15, 2013
Chloe has a very wide variety of recipes in her book. There are dinner party-type appetizers, hearty burgers and Italian pastas, Asian and Carribbean-inspired fare and oh-so-mouthwatering desserts.

While I waited for this to become available at the library I went ahead & made a few dishes from Chloe's blog. These included:

~Pad Thai Noodles, 4* (so tasty, will be putting in regular rotation)
~Roasted Apple, Butternut Squash & Caramelized Onion Pizza, 3* (I pretty much love every pizza, but this was ho-hum; great the first night and pretty bland warming up the next day)
~Chocolate Chip Banana Cake, 5* Awesome
~Mac 'n Cheese, 4* (This is in her book, only with bread crumbs and baked; I thought it was too salty)

After these pretty good successes, I was looking forward to exploring all the recipes in her book.

~Mongolian BBQ Seitan, 4* Fun dish!
~Shallot-Dijon Vinaigrette, 1* (All it tasted like was oil!)
~Herbed Polenta Cutlets with Marsala Mushroom Ragout, 3*
~Garlicky Greens, 2* (I've had much better)
~Yoga Cookies, 3*

So basically you get a very mixed bag. Also, she seems to rely on too much salt and oil. You could probably stand to cut way back on those in many recipes without sacrificing taste. There are plenty of recipes that I still want to try, so I'll probably be checking this one out again, but I certainly would not buy it without trying tasting more.
Profile Image for Ren.
1,290 reviews15 followers
April 2, 2023
Recipes tried:

Fettuccine Alfredo - YUM! I make this quick and easy sauce often. Great over homemade sourdough pasta!

Teriyaki Wok Vegetables - Another easy and yummy sauce!

Baked Sprinkle Doughnuts - yum! I did have to make additional glaze to finish doing the doughnuts.

Best-ever Baked Mac & Cheese - okay, but the mac &cheese from Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food is better IMHO.

Chloe's Award-winning Ginger Nutmeg Spice Cupcakes - pretty good but came out a little sticky.

Chlostess Creme-Filled Cupcakes - made in silicone and let cool fully before popping out

Chocolate Walnut Fudge - really rich so cut small. I've also left out the nuts and added 2 tsp peppermint extract

Peanut Butter Dog Treats - With just one dog now, I make a half batch at a time unless I'm sharing with friends. Dogs LOVE these!
13 reviews1 follower
September 25, 2018
My favorite vegan cookbook - every recipe is truly delicious and very easy to make!
Profile Image for Andrea.
279 reviews13 followers
February 12, 2019
Whatever your reason for wanting to try eating one or more plant-based meals a day, finding those books out there that are worth owning requires much trial and error.

I have consistently gone back to Chloe’s recipes in this book and they’re almost always a hit with us and our guests.

My best hits tips:
1) any recipes call for soy milk I always substitute Almond Breeze Original almond milk or make my own. (See Tal Ronnen’s “Crossroads” for why as well as his company’s Kite Hill products- closest to dairy milk I’ve found - Kite Hill ricotta is the bomb)
2) If I want a sauce to be creamy I soak cashews in water for a few hours and put in food processor to purée. Add to tomatoes sauce or whatever else and bam! you’ve got creamy (neutral) flavored texture!
Profile Image for Lara.
4,194 reviews347 followers
December 31, 2018
I've spent the last few weeks looking through this and Chloe's Italian cookbook after finally stumbling across her most recent book and absolutely loving it. I like that her recipes are so simple and she doesn't seem to have that mindset that doing things the hard way is necessary or doable for everyone. It's stuff that really can be thrown together on a weeknight in a half hour or so--we've tested it and it works! I have a feeling I'll be purchasing this one as well before too long and saying goodbye to some other cookbook I've bought in the past that has turned out to be less than practical.
Profile Image for Deb Oestreicher.
375 reviews9 followers
March 7, 2018
Easy to follow vegan cookbook

I enjoyed reading this cookbook and look forward to making some of the recipes, which seem fairly simple and straightforward. A good variety of global cuisines are represented. For me, there is a bit too much reliance on soy, seitan, and tofu, but some of those recipes seem easily adaptable to omit those elements. On the whole, a solid vegan recipe collection.
Profile Image for Jennifer Hanicq.
13 reviews2 followers
April 22, 2018
Another fantastic cookbook by Chloe (also love her Italian book). Most of the recipes are fairly simple and quick. Below are the recipes I've made so far, and they've all tasted delicious!

Sea salt and vinegar French fries
Double double drive thru burgers
Portobello pesto panini
Best ever baked macaroni and cheese
Drunken noodles in cashew shitake broth

I don't think there's a single recipe in this book that doesn't sound tasty! Can't wait to make even more from this cookbook.
Profile Image for gem.
742 reviews18 followers
April 4, 2019
A brilliant collection of vegan recipes which even the most novice of cooks can have a go at!

The key thing I picked up in this book is her use of flavours; I am loving sweet potato gnocchi with sage butter, and the idea of the grilled pesto pizza with sweet potato and balsamic reduction sound incredible.

It’s full of great ideas and helpful tips on best practice for cutting herbs etc.

A big four stars!
Profile Image for Kate Cronin.
679 reviews
August 10, 2018
This cookbook has many recipes that adapts the "classics" to be vegan recipes, e.g. meatloaf etc. It's well written and has great photos. Great resource for someone who wants to figure out how to transition away from meat based cooking.
Profile Image for Angie Kennedy.
166 reviews2 followers
August 4, 2019
Not as many recipes I want in particular, BUT I will definitely be trying the pineapple fried rice recipe, which is served in the pineapple half just like the dish I had at a Thai restaurant last week.
Profile Image for Brindi Michele.
3,605 reviews51 followers
September 14, 2022
Chloe is truly the go-to when I need to create vegan recipes for my friends, or switch it up for my own dinners. This book includes great vegan alternatives for some classic comfort food.

And her cookie dough recipe (not featured in this book, but in her desserts book) is still THE best ever.
Profile Image for Kirsten.
644 reviews4 followers
October 30, 2023
I'm not a vegan, but I love the opportunity to find healthy alternatives to family favorites...like pasta! There are several recipes that my husband and I adore, and I'll definitely reference this book when we want a refresh of old standards.
February 5, 2020
Man this is one of my most favorite things vegan cookbooks. Her recipes are yummy, you must try the coffee cake. My family had no inkling it was vegan, they loved it.
1 review
March 27, 2020
Great recipes

Fun book to read. Interesting recipes. Delicious offerings. Good success with this cookbook and hope to try more during the next week.
Profile Image for May.
160 reviews9 followers
Read
August 18, 2022
bought this back in 2014 and tried a few of her recipes. the only one I was able to make that tasted good was her pasta because I have a cooking skill of a fetus. none.
Profile Image for Carol.
1,006 reviews9 followers
May 22, 2023
Fun to read through and eager to try some of the recipes which look amazing!
Profile Image for Jessica.
181 reviews10 followers
November 6, 2013
Oh goodness, I just wrote a long review of this cookbook but it appears that Goodreads swallowed it up. I'll try to hit the main points again.

This cookbook is a great choice for someone who is trying out veganism or doing VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good. The recipes are straightforward, the photos are beautiful, and the ingredients are not terribly exotic. Even if you have no vegan tendencies whatsoever, you might want to keep this book on hand for inspiration when you have guests.

Here are the first three recipes I tried:

LA-Style Chimichurri Tacos: These were so good I've made them twice already! I love the herbs in the chimichurri sauce and the use of black beans and mushrooms as taco fillings. The second time I prepared this, I cooked the sauce down more to make sure that the tacos weren't super-messy!

Perfect Peanutty Noodles: Everyone needs a recipe like this in their repertoire: noodles and veggies smothered in peanut sauce. You probably already have all the ingredients in your kitchen, but if you don't, the recipe is super-flexible. You can easily add more veggies, or change out the kind of noodles and veggies (brown rice noodles, carrots, and scallions, as written).

Orange You Glad I Made Crispy Tofu: This is the only recipe I tried that did not live up to my expectations, but I'll admit to never having the "real thing" (fast food Chinese orange chicken). Jeff, who has, says this recipe matches the flavor and texture quite well. Next time, I think I'll amp up the orange and make the tofu extra-extra-crispy.

I know from preparing recipes out of Chloe's Vegan Desserts: More than 100 Exciting New Recipes for Cookies and Pies, Tarts and Cobblers, Cupcakes and Cakes--and More! that the author writes excellent dessert recipes. I can't wait to try some from this cookbook too -- especially Chloe's Award-Winning Ginger Nutmeg Spice Cupcakes.
Profile Image for Sara.
1,517 reviews73 followers
December 1, 2012
I first picked this book up because I'd seen the author on Cupcake Wars, thought her winning cupcakes looked delicious, and went to her website, which mentioned this cookbook. I am so glad I found it because I LOVE this cookbook! It contains so many delicious recipes, beautiful photos, and is such a great go-to cookbook for quick, easy, and tasty dishes. A number of the recipes in here are very simple and/or basic, which is great for someone who isn't quite a fearless home chef, and it's an excellent introduction to vegan cooking. I especially like the fact that although there are meat "substitutes" in here (ie, recipes featuring tofu or tempeh, etc.), none of the recipes are trying to be meat.

I've probably made nearly half the recipes in here, and none have been bad. Some favorites:

*Brussels Sprouts roasted with hazelnuts and maple syrup - SO good!

*Double Double Drive-Thru Burgers - not exactly a copy of the famous In-N-Out burgers, but what I love about these is how quick they are to throw together (you use a food processor and it takes maybe 15 minutes) and the amazing sauce that you put on it. It's a super healthy, quick meal that tastes wonderful!

*Chickpea Burgers with Sweet and Spicy Sauce - Another super quick burger recipe. The sauce didn't sound particularly appetizing but it turned out to be the perfect complement to the burgers. I really love how this cookbook doesn't just give a recipe for burgers; it also provides recipes for condiments to go with the burgers!

*Stuffed Shells with Arrabbiata Sauce - The shells are stuffed with a "cheese" mixture (it does NOT use fake cheese). After I made this, I served them to others who raved about the dish. I said, "Can you believe they're vegan?" I got some incredulous looks and the question, "...these are vegan?!?" They're that good. And probably much healthier than regular stuffed shells.

*Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Butter - It takes some time to make the gnocchi but they sure tasted good.

This cookbook is a great introduction to vegan cooking, and I'd easily recommend it to others, vegans and non-vegans alike. I suppose I already have recommended it to others, and the ones who've bought the book love it too.
Profile Image for Sam.
214 reviews30 followers
December 23, 2016
Lovely Cookbook! I'm so happy I discovered Chloe! She was the winner of Cupcake Wars when her vegan cupcakes beat out the non-vegan contestants. How cool is that? She also has a restaurant in New York. Definitely someone to check out in the culinary world!

Whether you are vegan or not, these recipes are delicious, easy to make, and contain accessible ingredients (most) already in the kitchen pantry. The pictures of the food are mouthwatering to look at as well. The recipes are well-tested and come out great!

I got this from the library but after making a few recipes, we decided we want to purchase it soon as we will be making many of the recipes again. I purchased this for me and I would also recommend this to purchase as a gift. That's how much I enjoy it!

Some favorite recipes:

Green Curry Crepes (only I made the curry and served it with rice instead of the crepes)
Curried Lentil, Squash, and Apple Stew (comfort food)
Chloe's Favorite Five Minute Salad (OMG this is so simple and really good but takes longer than 5)
Southern Skillet Black Eyed Peas with Buttery Biscuits: Skipped the biscuits because we had cornbread in the house...however, the black eyed pea recipe was spot on! The flavors all complimented each other so well. Another 5 star recipe!
Caribbean Vegetables with Coconut Rice and Plantains: So exotic. I love plantains. Not a fast recipe but definitely another winner!
Scalloped Potatoes: WOW! I can't believe it's not dairy.
Guilt Free Garlic Mashed Potatoes: So gourmet tasting. Adding this to the holiday menu so we can eat this every year.

Would Skip Next Time (not that they are bad, everything is good but weren't my faves):

Banana Cupcakes with Lemon Icing (expecting cupcakes, got muffins with icing)
Barley Bliss (so healthy but too healthy tasting for me)
Chloe's Award Winning Mango Masala Panini: OK....I really wanted to make this. But then when I finally did...it took forever to make. Also, tamarind paste was pretty pricey at Whole Foods. It pains me to not say this is a favorite because the components by themselves were good but it was such a heavy sandwich. The men loved it though.

Will update when I make more recipes but I think I've made enough to review the book. I'm a huge Chloe fan!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews

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