Flora & Vino

The Main Meal

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Almond Butter “Gravy”

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Lightened up mashed potatoes made with a mix of Yukon potatoes, cauliflower, and a creamy almond butter “gravy”. Perfect for a plant-based holiday side!

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Almond Butter “Gravy” by Flora & Vino

Thanksgiving is in one week, friends! 

Last night during my virtual family game night, we plotted and planned all of the fun things we’re going to do to celebrate in person next week. 

Including but not limited to: our annual Thanksgiving walk, GAMES, movies, and food. 

Lot’s of food.

My parents oh so gently steered me away bringing the sweet potato casserole to our holiday feast this year. 

Because I think I might be one of the only sweet potato lovers at the table. 

My love for sweet potatoes isn’t exactly a secret, and I often use them in place of regular potatoes in recipes. 

But perhaps there is a time and place for regular potatoes in a potato-dish, eh? 

Like Mashed Potatoes. 

How about Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Almond Butter “Gravy” ?!

Hey, no one said I couldn’t add cauliflower. 

These Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes are bound to be a hit with everyone at your holiday table this year!

These lightened up mashed taters are made with Yukon potatoes and cauliflower, mashed up and served with a creamy almond butter-based gravy. 

Let’s get excited for all of the sides!

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Kale Quinoa Mushroom Risotto

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Easy gluten-free and vegan risotto made with quinoa, kale, dried maitake mushrooms, and nutritional yeast. Perfect for a cozy plant-based meal or side dish.

Kale Quinoa Mushroom Risotto by Flora & Vino

I’ve been getting back into running, lately. 

I settled into a running routine at my new place that I love. 

I’m usually a there and back kind of a runner, pushing myself to a predetermined halfway point that makes the way back feel both easier and inevitable.

You’ve got to get home somehow; why not do it quickly and fiercely?

Last weekend I hit 8 miles, which I haven’t accomplished since my solo half-marathon last winter. 

There’s something about watching the mileage on my Apple Watch go up in tiny increments that makes me feel unstoppable. 

Feet forced forward, arms pumping, lungs bursting, I feel acutely alive. 

And when I get back from a run, you can guarantee that I’ll be hungry all day long. 

Lately, I’m all about warm cozy meals that warm you from the inside out, whether it’s back from a cold run or a cozy day on the couch.. 

Like this new risotto recipe I’m sharing with you today that’s perfect for fall and winter dinners. 

This Kale Quinoa Mushroom Risotto is made on the stovetop with cooked quinoa, dried mushrooms, and leafy greens. 

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African Peanut Butter Stew

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Vegan peanut stew made thick and creamy with organic peanut butter, collard greens, and root vegetables in a tomato broth. Serve by itself or over grains!

African Peanut Butter Stew by Flora & Vino

When we had my friends over for dinner a few months back, they raved about a peanut stew they’d made together. 

“It tasted *better* than takeout!” they both agreed. 

I’m all about reducing my takeout budget, and the thought of a peanut stew really sounded like something special. 

So I set out testing my own peanut stew with root veggies, leafy greens, and plenty of peanut butter. 

What I came up with is my variation on African Peanut Stew that tastes like a big winter win.

This African Peanut Butter Stew was an instant favorite of ours, so I’m really excited to share it with you.

It’s flavorful, thick, creamy, cozy, and so versatile! 

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Vegan Chocolate Chili

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Vegan chili packed with vegetables, legumes, and a delicious dark chocolate twist. This chili is cozy, thick, and perfect for a winter weeknight meal. 

Vegan Chocolate Chili by Flora & Vino

Hi guys, what’s up?

I’m sitting on the couch in my living room as I type up this post. 

The patio is to my right, showcasing the changing colors and falling leaves through sliding glass doors. 

I’ve been feeling like I want to do all of the outdoor things, like, NOW, because I know fall is so fleeting and this perfect weather won’t last. 

So I’ve been prioritizing hikes with friends, dining outdoors at sunset, long runs, and outdoor climbing with M. 

It hit me today that we basically only have two more months left in 2021. 

Two months left in the year after 2020; is that even possible? 

A lot happened this year that invited me stay in and go inward– moving to a new state, working on a cookbook, reconnecting physically with friends and family.

But I’m not here today to do a recap of 2021 (yet), I’m here to share a uniquely cozy recipe that you’ll have on repeat this fall and winter.  

Say hello to Vegan Chocolate Chili.

It’s made in 1-pot with a thick broth with legumes, vegetables, and a dark chocolate twist. 

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Vegan Zucchini Pizza Poppers

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The cutest plant-based pizza bites made with a zucchini base and loaded with more vegetables. Serve solo as an appetizer or over grains for a meal!

Vegan Zucchini Pizza Poppers by Flora & Vino

I just finished my bookclub book for the month! 

It’s always a bittersweet feeling to read a book cover to cover and lose the characters after the epilogue. 

During last month’s bookclub meeting, we had an epic discussion via Zoom. 

I remember the meeting clearly, because I tested these zucchini pizza bites while on the Zoom call.

While talking motifs and heroines and historical context, I sliced zucchini and veggies and made mini vegan pizza poppers. 

When the were done I plated them and proudly showed my friends my creation through the screen. 

I quickly decided that they were absolutely fantastic and deserved a place on the blog. 

I’m so excited to share them with you today! 

These Vegan Zucchini Pizza Poppers are a delicious plant-based pizza alternative baked and served in under 30 minutes!

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Sweet Potato Kale Quinoa Cakes

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Easy plant-based patties packed with sweet potato, quinoa, and leafy greens! Perfect for meal prep and easy weeknight meals. Serve with your favorite sides!

Sweet Potato Kale Quinoa Cakes by Flora & Vino

What adventures have you been on lately?

Recently I went a winery adventure with a girlfriend to a vineyard in Virginia. 

…on a Thursday. 

It was a bit of a wild adventure for a weekday evening, driving into Southern Virginia for girl’s night. 

But it was totally worth it to get out and see, taste, and experience something different. 

We sipped on Petit Verdot on the winery terrace, marveling at the unique decor of the tasting room. 

In a moment of recognition, I turned to her and noted that our spontaneous trip was the furthest I’ve been from home since 2019. 

But you don’t have to drive for hours to do something new, boo. 

How about a fun kitchen adventure for this week? 

Let’s make Sweet Potato Kale Quinoa Cakes.

These pretty plant-based patties are full of my favorite flavors in an easy one-bowl recipe that’s perfect for meal prep. 

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Avocado Collard Greens Pesto Pasta

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Easy avocado pesto made with collard greens and no added oil. Serve for an easy pasta dinner with juicy heirloom tomatoes and toasted pine nuts.

Avocado Collard Greens Pesto Pasta by Flora & Vino

These past few weeks I’ve been getting back into meditating.

I sit cross-legged on the couch, eyes shut, listening to a guided meditation as I wait for my dark roast coffee to cool to the perfect drinking temperature. 

It’s always hard at first– making the time, leaning into the discomfort of doing nothing, accepting the ferocious flood of mental activity.

But it feels good when I’m done, when I flutter open my eyes and feel a calm and clarity that I didn’t know existed beneath the chaos.

A few weeks back my fridge was in chaos too– due to an unexpected (or, rather, overlooked) produce delivery in addition to a full grocery visit.

I threw the plentiful collard greens in this plant-forward pesto with avocado, fresh herbs, lemon, and garlic. 

It’s super creamy and flavorful without any added oils!

Let’s make Avocado Collard Greens Pesto Pasta as a final summer-y celebration of sweet basil and ripe tomatoes. 

Grab your favorite legume-based pasta, some avocados, a handful of herbs, and let’s make pesto pasta!

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Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

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Vegan and gluten-free burgers made with mashed sweet potato, black beans, cooked quinoa, and almond flour. Serve by itself or between buns!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers by Flora & Vino

Hi, friends!

I’m writing to you from my *new* studio space in my new home in Maryland. 

It’s been quite a week here at F&V. 

The main focus has been unpacking boxes, arranging and rearranging furniture, and searching for many metaphorical needles in haystacks. 

The night we moved in, my girlfriend pointed out that we didn’t have a microwave. 

“Yeah we do,” I said matter-of-factly, searching around the messy kitchen for a microwave box and handle that didn’t exist.

Somehow in the process of falling in love and signing on this place, neither M or I recognized the lack of or thought to ask about…a microwave! 

We hurriedly ordered one for the counter, because, takeout leftovers after a long day of moving are better hot. 

Anyway, I’m really looking forward to getting the kitchen set up and starting back up with recipe testing and creation. 

For now, let’s settle on these Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers that are perfect for backyard barbecues, outdoor entertaining, or your summer meal prep menu.

They’re made totally vegan and gluten-free with mashed sweet potato, black beans, cooked quinoa, and almond flour! 

My place is a bit messy at the moment…mind if we bake them at yours? 

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Apple Maple Tempeh Marinade

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Easy 30-minute tempeh marinade made with apple butter, yellow mustard, and pure maple syrup. Perfect to make for meal prep and serve with sides!

Apple Maple Tempeh Marinade by Flora & Vino

Hiiiiiii, I know I’ve been quiet lately, friends. 

I’ve been shying away from the social spotlight.

Letting my stories go blank on Instagram; content without sharing serial snapshots from my daily life. 

Relishing in the my own architected anonymity.

At first I was concerned.

What does it mean if I’m not constantly sharing?

Well, it means I’m making leaps and bounds behind the scenes.

Preparing for a cookbook launch, making my new house a home with M, and doing personal and professional work to undo old habits and mindsets and shift to new ones. 

I feel a lot like a caterpillar at the moment, curled up in cocoon awaiting a miraculous metamorphosis. 

You know what else undergoes a metamorphosis that is effortlessly natural? 

Tempeh, in this new recipe I have to share with you today.

This Apple Maple Tempeh Marinade is ready in just 30 minutes for a quick and easy plant-based protein option that you can mix and match in meals!

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Nut Butter & Jam Breakfast Quesadilla

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Sweet and satisfying breakfast quesadilla made on the stovetop with nut butter, homemade strawberry chia seed jam, granola, and coconut flakes.

Nut Butter & Jam Breakfast Quesadilla by Flora & Vino

What’s better than a peanut butter & jelly for breakfast? 

A peanut butter & jelly in a quesadilla.

An adult-ish quesadilla served first thing in the AM. 

I enjoyed these all last week and couldn’t wait to share them with you so I practically *begged* M to let me make him one. 

When he finished the first one and asked for a second, my ego was doing a very hubris-saturated victory dance. 

Friends, it’ *that* good, and that simple! 

Yes, we share a love of sweet breakfast quesadillas and I can’t wait to share that love with you. 

These Nut Butter & Jam Breakfast Quesadillas are made on the stovetop with nut butter, homemade strawberry chia seed jam, granola, and coconut flakes!

Let’s get quesadilla-ing!

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