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Smashed Edamame Toast

Smashed Edamame Toast made with tahini, seasoning, and herbs spread on sourdough bread and topped with sauerkraut and hemp hearts.

Recently, we dropped off Flora at her first doggy daycare experience.

It was significant because:

This is the first time Flora has *ever* been away from us with other people, except for the vet visits when they take her back for bloodwork.
Flora is scared of other dogs! From an early age just a dog barking or slightly approaching was enough to elicit a full blown fear response.

As her doggie parents, we struggle between the dichotomy of wanting to both protect and socialize her.

A neighbor of ours recommended a local family-owned small business that does doggie daycare, so we booked an appointment.

I’m glad that socialization won out and that all three of us were brave enough to give it a chance.

At first, we received photos of Flora looking half terrified (but alive!) and then later pictures of Flora playing with a new best friend named Maisie.

We joked that here we were all worried for nothing, and Flora was making friends easier than M and me.

(Making friends in your 30’s is HARD, y’all!)

When we picked her up at the end of the day, she was ecstatic to see us.

Tail wagging, whining, jumping, colliding, uncontrollable on a leash happiness.

The daycare providers warned us that Flora would be exhausted after a day full of mental and physical stimulation with other pups, so we planned for her to pass out.

WRONG.

If Flora is consistent about anything, it’s being inconsistent with what how dogs *usually* behave.

She strutted inside and immediately initiated play with a rubber squeaky ball while M and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

You can’t keep a good dog dow-wow-wow-wow-own (anyone get the reference?).

I propose a toast, to trying new things, like this Smashed Edamame Toast.

It’s made with tahini, seasoning, and herbs spread on sourdough bread and topped with sauerkraut and hemp hearts.

The perfect spring toast packed with protein for a light lunch, breakfast, or snack!

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SunButter Chocolate Easter Eggs

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Easy SunButter Chocolate Easter Eggs with just 5-ingredients! Perfect for an Easter treat or anytime healthy candy substitute.

A few years ago, at a get together at my cousin’s house, my sister made a point of getting M to try some marshmallow peeps.

Growing up in Germany, M had no idea what to expect from Classic Peeps.

(I’ll note that this moment was made arguably even better by the fact that my sister had purchased neon pink peeps instead of the classic yellow.)

So M, ever adventurous, bit into the marshmallow fluff covered in pink sugar, chewed a few times, and said, “This is pretty gross!”

We all burst into laughter, our suspicions confirmed.

M isn’t a sugar lover, and peeps are nothing but pure sugar!

Although peeps were always a part of my Easter basket, they were never my thing, either.

They were too sweet, too airy, too artificial tasting.

Not that the rest of the Easter candy I was consuming was by any means healthful, but at least they had normal coloring.

Which is why I stand by the fact that Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs are by far the superior Easter dessert.

They always had what I’ve heard described as “the perfect ratio of chocolate to peanut butter”, even more so than chocolate peanut butter cups!

That is, until today, because I made you some SunButter Chocolate Easter Eggs that are the real winner.

These easy SunButter Chocolate Easter Eggs are made with just 4-ingredients!

They’re perfect for an Easter treat or anytime healthy candy substitute.

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Cauliflower Cashew Alfredo

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Cauliflower Cashew Alfredo made with fresh or frozen cauliflower, raw cashews, and Eden Foods Organic Unsweetened EdenSoy.

Hello, friends!

Since we last chatted I had a birthday spent with M and Flora doing my favorite things.

We completed a 3.7 mile hike at Seneca Creek State Park, which happens to be the longest hike Flora has ever completed with us!

She had the *best* tongue-hanging-out-of-the-side-of-her-mouth time, even though she was afraid of the geese around the pond trail loop.

When we got home, she passed in the entry way (her favorite sleeping spot) for most of the rest of the day.

That’s when we realized that in order to have a calm puppy, we *just* need to hike her for four miles every day.

Easy, right?

On my birthday evening, we ordered a new vegan + gluten free pizza place near us that might be the best I’ve had since going vegan.

So it was a great day!

After that, it feels like the month of April was put on fast forward.

It’s been a whirlwind of appointments, commitments, and chaotic spring energy.

Do you feel this too, in the springtime, where everything seems to start at once and your energetically pulled in 100 directions?

A lot of my time and energy has also gone into trying to learn to use a new cooktop for work and reschedule all oven recipes for a later date.

The oven-less saga continues, however, we did receive an induction cooktop in the meantime so I can continue creating recipes while we wait for new oven parts.

Luckily, it’s spring time, and most of us are craving fresh and lighter recipes for incoming warmer weather.

However, we’re back down to the 30’s overnight here in Maryland this week, so I’m still craving warm dinners for the chilly spring eves.

I’m waiting to plant my seeds outside, but I’m not waiting to make this pasta.

This Cauliflower Cashew Alfredo is easy to make on the stovetop with a homemade alfredo sauce and spring vegetables.

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10 Vegan Cheesecake Recipes

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

10 Vegan Cheesecake Recipes made gluten free and refined sugar free with whole food ingredients. Perfect for any occasion cake is required!

Hello, friends!

We just got back from a beautiful weekend away in Shenandoah, Virginia for my annual birthday weekend trip.

I’m the kind of person who really leans into my birthday and likes to feel celebrated, you know?

M and I have escaped for a blissful weekend away for vineyards + hiking for the past two years, so that made this our third visit.

However, it was the first time bringing along our 10-month old Aussie, Flora, for the ride.

As it turns out, the literal car ride itself was the hardest part for Flora.

She has a *lot* of anxiety in the car, and looked pretty expired by the time we reached our Air B&B in Free Union, Virginia.

Once we were there, though, she surprised us with how well she behaved at the vineyards and at our new home for the weekend.

It was a lovely few days of morning coffee on the patio, late morning hiking, and afternoon vineyard visits followed by a cozy evening at the house.

We loved exploring Sugar Hollow Reservoir and sipping wine at Glass House Vineyard, Moss Vineyard, Stinson Vineyard, and Knight’s Gambit Vineyard!

My personal favorite was Glass House, because the vineyard contains a glass conservatory area filled with tropical plants.

I mean, could anything BE more Flora & Vino?!

We (read: I) bought way too many bottles of wine but justified it by eating leftovers all weekend (beautiful area + wineries but not so many vegan options!).

Anyway, all said and done, it was a great way to turn 37.

So, where does this leave us?

Well, I got home to a still broken oven unit, so while I wanted to give you a new cake recipe to celebrate your girl, I’m currently unable to bake.

But that doesn’t mean that you can’t!

Here are 10 Vegan Cheesecake Recipes made gluten free and refined sugar free with whole food ingredients.

They’re perfect for any occasion cake is required; especially this recipe creator’s birthday.

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Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto made with miso paste, shiitake mushrooms, and arborio rice. Perfect for a spring meal with umami flavor!

It took me 36 years to try making my own risotto.

Almost 37, considering that next week is my birthday.

I saw a recipe on social media for a risotto with spring vegetables, and the possible pairing infiltrated my subconscious and refused to retreat.

So, I made risotto.

My first surprise was that you need a special kind of rice for risotto, and not just the leftover rice in my pantry.

I bought some arborio rice and read the instructions and prepped my space.

The second surprise came in how much liquid you need to use…almost 5 cups per one cup of rice!

(I didn’t follow this on my first recipe test and that’s why the recipe came out my fried than anything else. M shrugged and loyally ate it so I didn’t have to.)

The third and final surprise was how much you need to stir risotto.

I believe the word on the instructions was “constantly”.

Or maybe it was “consistently”.

But either c-word requires a level of attention that I’ve never devoted to rice in my life.

I watched my dream of hiding upstairs to read and sip kombucha while the rice cooked disappear a little more every time I swirled the spatula over the steam.

But the smell of the rice cooking encouraged me to forgive it for being so maintenance.

It smells HEAVENLY.

“Look, it looks like risotto!” I shouted at M when he entered the kitchen to see what smelled so good.

After stirring in the mushroom and asparagus, I was 10/10 excited to try this recipe.

After the first bite, I forgot how much effort risotto takes to make and vowed to have this Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto every day!

Put aside your risotto-fears and make this creamy Mushroom & Asparagus risotto made with spring veggies and arborio rice!

It’s bound to be your new favorite “splurge” meal this spring.

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Vegan Applesauce Waffles

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Vegan Applesauce Waffles made with oat flour, coconut milk, and unsweetened apple sauce. Perfect to make for a nutritious breakfast!

In our house, I like every item to have a space, a home, a location where we can always find it.

M can attest to the fact that I’m always tidying, organizing, and putting things away.

Which is why whenever he looks for his empty coffee mug to refill it, it’s already in the dishwasher.

Sorry, M!

Anyway, this is especially important for me in the kitchen during busy photoshoot and recipe testing days.

However, being a food blogger, I tend to amass a certain amount of kitchen gadgets that…have no home.

And living in a condo, let’s be honest, I don’t have the biggest kitchen.

So, these kitchen gadgets usually end up in our storage closet or the attic waiting for me to miss them and eventually unearth them 6 months later.

That is, they don’t get to take up *precious* kitchen real estate.

Yes, I’m sorry to admit that the ice cream maker, the air fryer, and the crock pot all live in varying degrees of dust and rumble when not making recipes.

However!

The waffle maker that I told you guys about recently might be the exception to the rule.

Because I just don’t have it in my heart to put away, so it might just have to live on the kitchen counter forever.

I don’t know how M will feel about it blocking the coffee grinder, but we can find out after I share this new recipe with you.

These Vegan Applesauce Waffles are made with oat flour and coconut milk for a nutritious breakfast.

Unsweetened apple sauce is the secret ingredient to making them brown and crispy!

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Tofu “Egg” Cups

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Savory Tofu “Egg” Cups made with firm tofu and sautéed garden vegetables baked in a muffin tin. Perfect for a meal prep breakfast!

As I write this blog post, Flora is asleep in her favorite spot on the linoleum floor of the kitchen.

Every time she lies down to nap on her own (without being crated), I do a little (silent) happy dance.

Yes friends, I consider it a major win that my 9 month Australian Shepherd puppy is starting to rest on her own!

Of all the dogs I’ve bene lucky to have in my life thus far, Flora is by far the craziest, most energetic, and most challenging.

Lately, with spring right around the corner, she’d taken to chasing robins as they hop and skip across the lawn.

She also *loves* eating the dirt of my indoor house plants, so I’m wondering how the future seedlings I plan to sow outside will ever make it.

But when she looks up at you with those piercing blue eyes, it makes all the craziness worth it.

March has felt a bit chaotic with bipolar weather, the time change, and lots of personal and professional commitments.

Something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately is the theory that tasks will expand to the time that you allot to them.

With a puppy around the house, naturally, I don’t have all day to get the *perfect* shot anymore.

So I’m learning to be productive and prompt and the anti-perfectionist in my approach to recipe shoots.

9 times out of 10, I am able to finish a recipe shoot in a truncated time-block instead of allowing it to expand into…the whole day.

Not that I don’t want to look at these Tofu “Egg” Cups all day, but we need time to eat them too, right?

These Savory Tofu “Egg” Cups are made with firm tofu and sautéed garden vegetables baked in a muffin tin.

They’re absolutely perfect for a meal prep breakfast to have on hand for the week ahead.

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Thai Mason Jar Salad

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Thai Mason Jar Salad with raw vegetables, baked tofu, herbs, and a creamy SunButter dressing. Perfect for an easy meal prep lunch!

When I was younger, the time change never really seemed to phase me.

I woke up losing an hour, shrugged at the differing light, and went on about my day as usual.

These days, at the ripe old age of 36 (almost 37, eee!), I feel like it takes me a solid week to fully adjust to a change of 60 minutes.

All week I’ve felt a bit jet-lagged, a bit foggy, and my biological clock definitely is still living by the old time.

I get hungry, tired, and motivated all at the times that I did prior to setting our clocks forward.

Doh.

But friends, the longer daylight is *so* nice.

We’ve been taking long unhurried walks with Flora through the neighborhood, basking in the sun and marveling at budding flowers.

It feels like my soul is waking up from a looooong hibernation, and, after shaking off the seasonal depression, and is ready to light up spring break in a bikini.

So, if you too are dragging after losing an hour, you’re not alone.

But we have so much to look forward to!

Luckily, I made us a recipe that will make the week ahead *so* much easier.

These Thai Mason Jar Salad are made with raw vegetables, baked tofu, herbs, and a creamy SunButter dressing.

They’re perfect for an easy meal prep lunch to bring you into spring.

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Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chips Muffins

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins made with oats, almond flour, and lots of vegan chocolate chips. Perfect for meal prep!

Last week we spent almost a whole day without running water at F&V HQ.

It was basically camping without the appeal like the nature, campfire, and s’mores.

Apparently a *very* large water pipe burst in our area, leaving us and many neighbors without running water during it’s longer than normal repair.

I definitely panic-purchased water from the store by the gallon, unsure of how long we’d need to get by with empty pipes.

If you’ve never been without running water, it might not seem like that big of a deal.

You might be thinking, “Just go buy some bottled water and you’re good, sis!”

I wish it were that simple.

Sure, with bottled water you can get by with minimal hand washing and hydration, but not much more.

But toilets require a lot of water to flush (1.6 gallons to be exact, I Googled it!), and if you’re without water for many many hours…well, you get the idea.

So the simple act of human-ing felt like a chore on Wednesday of last week, to the point that I almost went to my local gym just to take a shower.

I cancelled my shoot and any recipe creation or food prep for the day, because without running water none of that is possible either.

Gloriously, the water came on around 8 PM and I took the longest hottest shower I could stand and emerged a new woman.

Seriously, though, the whole ordeal was a reminder how precious a resource water is, and the immense privilege in having constant access to it.

So, the recipe I’m sharing with you today does not require any water, haha!

But it is one that I feel grateful to have in my life and made as soon as we had running water again.

These Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins are made with oats, almond flour, and lots of vegan chocolate chips.

They’re perfect for a meal prep snack for the week ahead!

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Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwiches made with tahini, fresh herbs, and smashed chickpeas. Smash it on sourdough bread with your favorite toppings!

This past year I became a sandwich person for the first time since high school, when I brought smashed peanut butter and lettuce sandwiches to school for lunch.

(Don’t knock it ’til you try it.)

To be honest, I think once I started food blogging I deemed sandwiches not elevated enough for a recipe.

Then there is the whole issue of finding bread that’s vegan and gluten-free…

And, the whole toxic diet culture monologue that still whispers in the back of my head, saying, “but, bread is BAD.”

Nope, bread is amazing and it’s even more amazing with stuff smashed between it.

Which leads me to today’s recipe.

I’ve been unintentionally gatekeeping this Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich for *way* too long.

It ends with us…eating this Vegan Chickpea Salad together.

I can honestly say that this is the best sandwich that I’ve ever had, and one that I keep coming back to on a regular basis.

This Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwiches made with tahini, fresh herbs, and smashed chickpeas.

Smash it on sourdough bread with your favorite toppings!

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