The Main Meal

Avocado Collard Greens Pesto Pasta

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.

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!

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

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

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!

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.

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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Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

By Flora & Vino 4 Comments

Oven-baked oatmeal that tastes just like carrot cake! It’s perfect to prepare in advance and serve warm or chilled for an easy meal-prepped breakfast.

When I stop and think about how far into 2021 we already are, it gives me whiplash.

Is the year going quickly for you, too?

Anyway, April 2 was my birthday, my second birthday in careful quarantine.

My sister dropped of hand-wrapped gifts to my doorstep and my amazing cousin delivered an exquisite bouquet of flowers.

I video-chatted and texted with my friends, believing that this time next year I’ll be squeezing them instead of the volume button on my phone.

And let’s not forget food!

M made me pancakes– the first pancakes he’s ever made– and they were delicious.

For dinner, we ordered Sweetgreen, because it’s the most “Lauren” thing I could think of that was within the delivery range for Uber Eats.

The week of my birthday I tested a cake (coming soon!!!) and made a delicious Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal.

It’s easily mixed up and baked in advance for easy springs breakfast during the week.

This is a recipe where you can have your cake and prep it for breakfast, too, boo.

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Chickpea & Wild Rice Soup

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Chickpea & wild rice soup packed with garbanzo beans, wild rice, and savory herbs in a light broth. A classic soup staple for all year round!

It’s a good day, friends.

Today I woke up early to make the trip to my local Giant pharmacy to get my first COVID vaccine.

Other than a sore arm that smarts every time I lift my shoulder, I’m doing great, and I’m grateful.

Grateful to have had the opportunity to receive something that a year ago was only a dream, a hope, a wish.

I’m thankful for this protection for my health and the health of all those around me, along with the peace of mind it brings.

I’m starting to excitedly plan to see family and friends in a more intimate way after we’re fully vaccinated.

The thought of enveloping my family and friends in a giant bear hug makes me outwardly squeal with anticipation.

It’s going to be so good.

I want all of this for you, too, friend, and more.

But until then, I’m going to gift you with a new soup recipe that’s sure to make you feel cozy and comforted in the mean time.

This Chickpea & Wild Rice Soup is made in 1-pot in 30 minutes with garbanzo beans and real wild rice!

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Grain-Free Flatbread Wraps with Tandoori Chickpeas

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Grain-free flatbread wraps with crispy chickpeas, baked kale, dill hummus sauce, and your favorite toppings. Perfect for a date night dinner in!

This week one of my girlfriend’s asked in a group text to share one word that best summed up our week.

“Overwhelmed”, I found myself typing, grateful for the space to be open and honest.

It’s true, there is a lot going on here at F&V lately.

I finally started photographing for the cookbook this week; making all of the dishes pretty propped on a white marble backdrop.

I finished my taxes by myself for the first time in my adult life; squinting at a monstrous Excel spreadsheet to enter formulas and expenses and payments.

I created a resource for cookbook updates so anyone interested can sign up and receive updates on cookbook progress, pre-ordering, and publication.

I also presented to my cousin’s middle school class on what it’s like being a digital creator and entrepreneur.

The interesting thing about the word overwhelmed is that it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

You can be overwhelmed by joy, overwhelmed by love, overwhelmed by gratitude.

With this post, dear friends, I hope you are overwhelmed by deliciousness.

These Grain-Free Flatbread Wraps with Tandoori Chickpeas are an easy plant-based meal that is easy to create and fun to share!

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Mushroom Marinara Stuffed Collard Greens

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Collard greens stuffed with mushroom and vegan grounds, smothered in marinara, and baked to perfection. Perfect for an elevated plant-based dinner!

Hi, friends.

Since we last spoke, I submitted my cookbook manuscript!

I hovered my computer cursor over the “send” button on the email to my publisher’s email, wavering.

When my index finger finally made contact with a *click*, sweet relief washed over me.

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of edits, formatting, and measurement conversions to match the publishing style guide.

Not to mention mixing and matching 60 recipes into a 6-week meal plan.

I shifted recipes back and forth across the weekly grid like puzzle pieces, waiting for that perfect fit.

On a Zoom this evening, my friend Laura asked me what I was doing to celebrate my cookbook submission.

I’m honestly torn between going to sleep at 6 PM and popping open a bottle of champagne.

Here’s a plan C– make these Mushroom Marinara Stuffed Collard Greens.

They feel fancy and elevated for a nice plant-based dinner at home with simple ingredients!

Let’s stuff some collard greens!

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Veggie Lover’s Flatbread Pizza

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Veggie lover’s pizza made grain-free with Bob’s Red Mill Flatbread Mix. Add sauce, vegan cheese, and your fav toppings for a fun plant-based pizza night in!

Story time: M and I have never been on a *real* dinner date; you know, the whole dinner and drinks thing.

Yes, dating during a pandemic is, well, less than ideal.

On our first date we went hiking, and I showed up in hiking boots, a loose olive green shirt, and yoga pants.

“You look ready to hike,” he said. I was.

Honestly, I found it a lot more fun to walk and talk than to sit and stare across a blank tablecloth, anyway.

It was nice to have something to do with my legs and arms while my mind was spinning like the tea cups at the amusement park.

But eating together is a fun way to connect, so it wasn’t long before we started sharing food at home.

On our second date I cooked for him at my place, the 1-Pot Pasta from the blog.

Since then, we’ve curated a collection of recipes that we enjoy making together, including but not limited to: tacos, spaghetti squash, and anything in a bowl.

Lately, one of the things we enjoy creating together is homemade pizza.

We ask Alexa to “shuffle songs by Alt-J” and start pizza prep across the gray granite kitchen island.

Together, we craft two personal pizzas, one for each of us, both similar but deliciously unique.

So today I’m sharing this Veggie Lover’s Flatbread Pizza with you that we made on a recent date night.

It’s ridiculously easy to make while being magically vegan, grain-free, and gluten-free!

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Cashew Butter Soba Noodle Stir Fry

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Simple stir-fry with buckwheat soba noodles and tender-crisp vegetables in a creamy cashew butter sauce. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner!

Lately I’ve been struggling with persistent nightmares.

It’s a little funny that at the ripe old age of 32, I’m plagued by bad dreams.

I wake up in bed, whimpering and writhing, uncertain what’s real and what’s a twisted tall-tale told by my subconscious.

Sometimes I say things, too, the words heavy like cement on my lips as I thrust them out in slurred sentences.

Occasionally I remember what was so terrifying– a loved one leaving, being chased by bad guys, or a new classic, finding myself in a crowded public space without a mask.

What never gets old, though, is the very real relief I feel after realizing that the dream was just a dream.

My reality instantly feels like something worth cherishing and celebrating, like something I’m seriously grateful to wake up to.

So, I’m blaming my less than restful beauty sleep on stress.

Yeah, it’s a little nerve-wracking running a business and writing a cookbook.

I know you’re probably busy, too, starting 2021.

So let me make dinner easy, comforting, and nutritious for us, OK?

This Cashew Butter Soba Noodle Stir Fry……

Avocado Collard Greens Pesto Pasta

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

Apple Maple Tempeh Marinade

Nut Butter & Jam Breakfast Quesadilla

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

Chickpea & Wild Rice Soup

Grain-Free Flatbread Wraps with Tandoori Chickpeas

Mushroom Marinara Stuffed Collard Greens

Veggie Lover’s Flatbread Pizza

Cashew Butter Soba Noodle Stir Fry

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