Breakfast

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chips Muffins

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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Red Velvet Baked Oatmeal

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Red Velvet Baked Oatmeal made with beets, cacao powder, and chocolate chips. Bake it in under an hour for a delicious colorful breakfast!

Timing in life is such a delicate and tenuous balance of push and pull, isn’t it?

When embarking on new adventures, projects, and plans, I often ask myself, is this the *right* time for this venture?

Sometimes there is this knowing that, yes, my energy is aligned and my calendar is open and I want this now.

However, more often than not, the path is not so obviously yellow brick road.

It’s hard for me to accept that, for many things, there is no *right* time, there is only the time you make.

Some things, like moving, having kids, and organizing the attic (yikes), feel too daunting to tackle in the present.

And yet other things I pursue relentlessly, like adding a new puppy to our home, running my small business, and teaching yoga.

We have the autonomy to create these chapters in our lives, and not the other way around.

So, I’m excited to share that I registered for my YTT 300 hr teacher training this April!

Five years after completing my 200 hour training, I’m hungry for more yoga knowledge and excited to apply it to my class.

I’m also hungry for Red Velvet Baked Oats for breakfast.

Valentine’s Day might be over, but I’m still committed to making food pink and red, at least for the rest of February.

Ever since being sick a few weeks back, oats have made a huge comeback for breakfast as a cozy source of nourishment.

These Red Velvet Baked Oatmeal are made with beets, cacao powder, and chocolate chips.

Bake them in under an hour for a delicious colorful breakfast!

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Sweet Potato Waffles

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Sweet Potato Waffles made with oats and Organic SunButter. Serve with berries for a sweet elevated breakfast!

One of my favorite juice shops in Virginia has a small menu of food items, too.

Sometimes you want a little something to nibble on while you’re sipping on your green juice, you know?

This is particularly helpful during the times I stop for juice after a run or hot yoga class and need something a little more substantial.

My *favorite* menu item is a sweet potato waffle that is both vegan and gluten-free.

The presentation on this waffle is a work of art in itself.

It’s plated as one giant circular waffle, topped with a sweet lemon-y glaze, fresh berries, matcha powder, and, if memory serves, edible flowers.

(Side note: I never ate the flowers because I was too scared, but they’re so very pretty!)

Every time I order one, I think to myself, “Lauren, you need to learn how to make this at home and share with everyone (AKA you!).

So, friends, I bring you, Sweet Potato Waffles.

Now, my version is a little more humble; an every day version, if you will.

But that’s how I usually like my eats; easy, nourishing, and delicious.

It doesn’t have a fancy presentation or fancy ingredients but it’s now my favorite waffle recipe I’ve ever made.

These Sweet Potato Waffles are made with an oat base with Organic SunButter.

Serve them with berries and maple syrup for a sweet elevated breakfast to share!

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Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Cookie Dough Overnight Oats made creamy with cashew butter, vegan yogurt, and chocolate chips. Perfect for meal prep breakfast!

Hello 2025!

It’s been a second since I sat down and wrote a blog post, so let’s see if I remember how to do this.

Forgive me if I ramble and grumble a little but I promise we will get to a recipe at the end of all of this, ok?

POV: January is a strange month.

I personally feel a lot of contradictory feelings and energy; anyone else?

On the one hand, there’s this dizzying forward momentum.

The increase of newcomers at the climbing gym, the annual goal setting we’re witness to via social media, the marketing campaigns promising, “New year, new you.”

On the other hand, there’s an unsettling quietness after a hustling holiday season.

And maybe instead of goal setting, go getting, and planning all out 2025 vacations, maybe we just want to take a nap.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m still very much into the intention setting world.

I indulged in a cozy journaling session to think back on 2024, the good, the bad, and everything in between.

And then followed that session with another to look forward into 2025; to dream, manifest, and cultivate.

Every year I choose a word of the year; something that sums up the goals I’m trying my hardest to make a reality.

Usually it’s also a word that I choose a little based on feeling, because if it’s the “right” word, I feel a tugging in my gut when I read it out loud.

This year’s word that gave me butterflies, is SPACE.

The word might have an entirely different connotation to you than it does for me, and that’s OK!

For me, it encompasses a feeling of mental expansion, a physical move (that we anticipate making later this year), and a allowance of physical presence.

I’m working on creating this idea and mantra of space slowly but surely.

Kind of like easing back into recipe creation when it felt right.

(I did promise you that this prologue would lead to something yummy, didn’t I?!)

I want to kick off our 2025 recipe calendar with something easy, accessible, and delicious.

These Cookie Dough Overnight Oats have been fueling my busy mornings and I’m excited to share them with you.

They’re made super creamy and cookie-licious with cashew butter, vegan yogurt, and dark chocolate chips.

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Sweet Potato Pie Baked Oatmeal

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Sweet Potato Pie Baked Oatmeal made with sweet potato, pumpkin pie spice, and candied pecans. Perfect for a fall meal prep breakfast!

Last week I signed up for a 10K run on Thanksgiving Day!

If you’ve been around here a while, you know that I’ve been a runner for over a decade now.

I come and go with the sport, inspired by the seasons and the weather and what races I have on the calendar.

My longest run was a full marathon I did back in 2022, but these days I’m more of a short distance girlie.

When I lace up my runners and hit the pavement now, 3 miles feels tough; forget about 26.2!

But if you know me you know I’m a goal oriented person, and I love having something to work towards and train towards.

I’m in a season of life where dog training is keeping me busy, but making time for personal goals hits differently.

So I hit the “purchase” button when I was all fired up about running and excited to enjoy the fall weather.

Now, I’m feeling slightly sick knowing that this run (and Thanksgiving!) is a short few weeks away.

If there’s one thing I am good at, though, it’s sticking to a training schedule.

Well, and making new variations of baked oats to enjoy.

I’m counting on these Sweet Potato Pie Baked Oatmeal to keep me fueled this fall as I get back on track with running again!

This dish is made with mashed sweet potato, pumpkin pie spice, and candied pecans.

It’s the perfect energizing fall meal prep breakfast to support your lifestyle with complex carbs, protein, and healthy fats.

And, it would be a fabulous Thanksgiving breakfast for the whole family!

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Apple Pie Crumble Bars

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Apple Pie Crumble Bars with an almond oat crust and crumble topping with a stovetop apple pie filling. The best fall breakfast or snack!

I *love* apples, mostly because I can let them sit on the counter for a while and ponder delicious ways to use them.

They’re not fickle like summer berries, where you need to use them THE DAY you purchase them.

Or like Flora’s leash training, which some days feels easy and other days (read: most of the time) I think she’s the one walking me.

But, I digress.

We were talking apples, not Aussies!

One of M’s favorite recipes that I make this time of year is a vegan apple crumble.

It’s also one of my favorite ways to use up a bunch of apples that I got at the grocery store, farmers market, or apple orchard. This year, I decided to get a bit creative and turn his favorite apple recipe into…bars!

These Apple Pie Crumble Bars are made with an almond oat crust and crumble topping with a stovetop apple pie filling.

It’s still easy to make with simple ingredients, but crumble turned bars means they’re portable, concise, and convenient.

Slice them into squares and enjoy them for the *best* fall breakfast, snack, or dessert.

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Tofu Scramble Breakfast Burrito

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Tofu Scramble Breakfast Burrito made with tofu scramble, fajita veggies, breakfast potatoes, and sautéed kale. Perfect to meal prep!

This has been the year of savory breakfast for me.

I realized that waking up and enjoying a plate of vegetables and protein *always* makes me feel amazing.

So I’m leaning into that with my latest recipe, Tofu Scramble Breakfast Burrito.

If you’ve been around here a while you know that I love a good tofu scram.

Adding it to a breakfast burrito with peppers and onion, sautéed kale, and breakfast potatoes raise it to the next tier of culinary captivation.

I also love these breakfast burritos because M and I typically make them together.

We don’t always eat breakfast together, but when we do, it’s usually something savory.

Because there are a few components to this meal, it just makes sense to heat them up at the same time and enjoy good company.

This past week, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed throwing breakfast burritos together in the kitchen while Flora gets into trouble in the living room.

We take turns monitoring the pup-induced chaos and the burrito assembly until we’re both sitting at the kitchen table with a loaded burrito.

Try these burritos out as a cozy fall breakfast meal that is as customizable as it is delicious.

And, these burritos aren’t *just* for breakfast.

You can also make them for lunch, dinner, or anytime a big burrito will make all of your troubles go away!

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Vegan Walnut Coffee Cake

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Vegan Walnut Coffee Cake made with oat and almond flour with Artisana Organics Raw Walnut Butter and a creamy coffee frosting.

When people ask how things are going, I *try* not to default to “Good, but busy”; as my standard response.

It feels true, but I’d like to get a little more creative.

Because busy has a connotation of the mundane, the dragging, the blah.

And truthfully, my “busy-ness” is completely comprised of things of my own doing and choosing.

I’m spending a lot of time in the kitchen creating fall recipes for YOU, friend! A job that doesn’t always feel like work and definitely never tastes like it.

When I’m not in the kitchen for work (read: you!) , I’m in the kitchen for us (read: me!) meal prepping so the fridge isn’t *only* full of the treats I’m testing.

My days are also peppered with puppy training, articulating “Touch!”, “Let’s Go!”, and “Down!”, with an encouraging lilt and a bag full of homemade dog treats.

Then I have the hours devoted to sequencing my next Saturday yoga class; noting the shapes, the breath, and the themes.

I always squeeze in non-negotiable movement into my days, whether it’s yoga, climbing, running, or just a long neighborhood walk.

All in all, these are problems that past Lauren would have *loved* to have had.

Yes, my days are exhausting and full, but I’m usually smiling at the end of them.

So, friend, if you ask me how I’m doing, I’m going to smile and shove a piece of Vegan Walnut Coffee Cake in my face.

How’s that for a response?

This Vegan Walnut Coffee Cake made with oat and almond flour with Artisana Organics Raw Walnut Butter and a creamy coffee frosting.

You’re going to want to enjoy a slice later with a mug of something warm.

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Pumpkin Stovetop Oatmeal

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Pumpkin Stovetop Oatmeal made on the stovetop in 10 minutes and served with nuts and dried fruit for a fun and fast fall breakfast.

After Labor Day, bam, it’s time to eat all things pumpkin.

This is one social expectation that I am perfectly happy to fulfill, friends.

For the past few weekends, M and I have been packing up Flora in the car to take her on a Sunday coffee run.

We’ve been doing a lot of car trips and outings with her in general to “socialize” her to people, places, and things in the outside world!

Last weekend, she had her first *pup cup*, which she lapped up great enthusiasm and a newfound interest in our coffee cups.

M tried his first pumpkin spice latte, and I grinned just *smelling* it because it reminds me of being a teenager.

Many afternoons I walked to Starbucks (about a 40 minute walk if memory serves?), grab a warm drink (read: caffeine), then walk all the way home again.

It felt like a little delicious slice of freedom that I could do before having a driver’s license and a car.

Another pumpkin highlight to my very adult week was making Pumpkin Stovetop Oatmeal for a quick and hearty workweek breakfast.

Lately in the mornings it was actually chilly outside when I asked Flora to “Go Potty!” around 6 AM.

This Pumpkin Stovetop Oatmeal is made on the stovetop in 10 minutes and served with nuts and dried fruit for a fun and fast fall breakfast.

It’s not fall quite yet, but it will be soon!

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Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Bread

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Bread made gluten-free with almond flour and oats. Super moist and chocolate-y with pumpkin puree and dark chocolate!

Don’t mind me while I ease into stew, casseroles, and baked goods.

This week we had Flora in the kitchen while I opened the oven and slammed the fridge and rattled pots and pans.

If there’s one thing you can count on me for, it’s to make a *lot* of noise while I’m baking.

Luckily, Flora seemed more curious about what everything was than scared by the clatter.

(Unfortunately, this recipe is not pup safe, but you can bet more homemade dog treats are coming!)

My first bread of the season turned out to be a wild success, and M and I have enjoyed slices all week long for breakfast and snacking.

It’s not chocolate, it’s not pumpkin, it’s Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Bread.

And if that wasn’t enough to entice you, I added dark chocolate chunks to really seal the flavor profile into something irresistible.

I *love* baking with pumpkin because it makes your baked goods moist and rich without a ton of oil.

In fact, this bread is baked with no-added-oils and instead relies on healthy fats from nut butter and almond flour.

This Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Bread is also made gluten-free with almond flour and oats!

It’s super moist and chocolate-y with pumpkin puree and dark chocolate for a healthy snack, breakfast, or dessert.

I love it sliced straight from the fridge as a mid-morning snack topped with peanut butter.

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Breakfast

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