Gluten-Free

Cinnamon SunButter Star Cookies (Zimtsterne)

Vegan Cinnamon SunButter Star Cookies (Zimtsterne) made with almond flour, SunButter, and a coconut butter icing. Perfect for a Christmas cookie exchange!

Today I’ve got a Christmas cookie recipe for you that’s anything but ordinary.

Move over sugar cookies, I give you…Cinnamon Star Cookies!

When we visited M’s family in Kentucky this fall, they pulled out some old German textbooks for me to continue to learn the language.

One of my main goals for next year (are we allowing new year’s resolutions yet?) is to improve my German!

They also pulled out some classic German cookbooks, including a recipe for these Cinnamon Star Cookies, or, Zimtsterne, in German.

I had a sneaky feeling that I could easily adapt the original to be vegan and gluten-free, and I was right!

The cookies are traditionally made with egg-whites and powdered sugar, but I subbed in flax egg and coconut sugar with a delicious outcome.

The result is these vegan Cinnamon SunButter Star Cookies (Zimtsterne) made with almond flour, SunButter, and coconut butter icing.

They’re perfect to make and bake for a Christmas cookie exchange this holiday season!

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Sesame Tahini Soba Noodles

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Soba noodle bowl with sesame, tahini, broccolini, and edamame. Ready in under 30 minutes for a cozy better-than-takeout plant-based meal.

It feels like M and I have been away more this fall than we’ve been home!

I can’t complain, because it’s all good things filling up our calendar.

This past weekend we were near Charlottesville, VA, exploring the outdoors and celebrating one of my friends’ birthdays.

We hiked Humpback Rocks and visited some local breweries and good eats all while staying at a beautiful B&B.

We arrived home last night and stuffed our suitcases up in the attic storage until next year.

As much as I loved all of our travels from this past year, I’m equally excited to cozy up at home until 2023.

That’s not to say that we don’t have things planned– there’s holiday parties and game nights and social engagements on the horizon, for sure.

But they’re all day trips and events that will find us sleeping in our own bed at the end of the day.

The temperature also dropped about 20 degrees this weekend, from the mild 60’s to the much chillier 40’s.

So I’m ready to make all of the cozy comforting food until it’s time to bring out the holiday menu.

This Sesame Tahini Soba Noodles is the quickest, most comforting meal I’ve made in a while.

It’s ready in under 30 minutes for a cozy better-than-takeout plant-based meal!

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Figs & Pecans

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Sweet and savory oven-roasted brussels sprouts with chopped dried figs and pecans. Perfect to make for a winter appetizer or holiday side.

I know I say this every November, but I truly can’t believe that Thanksgiving is just a few short weeks away.

This year I’m preparing dishes for both my family Thanksgiving AND a Friendsgiving the following day.

That’s a lot of kitchen time here at F&V, friends!

For each of those feasts, you bet I made sure that brussels sprouts were included on the menu.

They’re one of my favorite vegetables and definitely one I think of first when I prepare a fall plate.

If you’re not a big fan of brussels sprouts, then today’s recipe is for you.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Figs & Pecans is my new favorite way to enjoy sprouts.

It’s a little salty, a little sweet, with a slight kick of spice and a lot of texture and crunch.

This dish is perfect to prepare for an easy and delicious winter appetizer or holiday side!

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Candied Yams with Cacao Nibs & Pecans

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Candied yams naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and pure maple syrup served with cacao nibs and pecans. Perfect for a vegan holiday side to share!

Whenever we went to my grandma and grandpa’s house my grandma served candied yams for dinner.

I loved them because to they tasted *so* much better than your average sweet potatoes.

That’s probably because they were dripping in sugar-y syrup, which little Lauren thoroughly appreciated.

I haven’t had candied yams in years, but I wanted to make a lightened up version that’s vegan and naturally sweet.

This version is totally refined-sugar-free and lightly sweetened with coconut sugar and pure maple syrup.

These Candied Yams with Cacao Nibs and Pecans are still sticky sweet and comforting.

Top them with cacao nibs and chopped pecans for a fun vegan holiday side to share!

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Pumpkin Apple Baked Quinoa

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Pumpkin apple baked quinoa bakes in an hour for a delicious meal prep breakfast full of fall flavor. Serve warm or chilled with your favorite cozy toppings!

When I was visiting North Carolina this past summer my family surprised me with all sorts of plant-based baking!

My favorite was an Apple Baked Quinoa that my aunt made for our Sunday morning breakfast.

It takes an hour to bake, so I recruited everyone for a family yoga session so we could stretch while it baked.

We moved into tree and triangle while the oven filled the living room with the smell of baking cinnamon and apples.

After savasana, we enjoyed the quinoa warm with nut butter, granola, and more baked apples.

It was so delicious that I immediately started scheming of my own variation…one including pumpkin.

This Pumpkin Apple Baked Quinoa bakes in under and hour for a delicious meal prep fall breakfast!

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Spanish Rice & Beans Stuffed Peppers

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Baked bell peppers stuffed with Eden Foods Spanish Rice & Pinto Beans and served with your favorite toppings. Perfect for an easy warm weeknight dinner!

Friends, since we last chatted I became a marathoner.

I ran the 26.2 miles to complete the Chicago Marathon in under 5 hours this past Sunday and felt unstoppable after I crossed the finish line.

It was an emotional and rewarding experience, with anxiety-ridden lows and pride-filled highs.

I’m so glad that I trained and conquered and feel so eternally grateful for the support of my friends and family who saw me to the finish line.

This week I’m taking it easy, with lots of long walks and yoga and stretching.

And, of course, lots of hearty plant-based foods to refuel and recharge!

After expending so much energy with the race and traveling. I honestly haven’t been in the mood to spend hours in the kitchen.

So I loved making these Spanish Rice & Beans Stuffed Peppers for an easy dinner for M and me during the workweek.

These baked bell peppers are stuffed with Eden Foods Spanish Rice & Pinto Beans and served with your favorite toppings.

They’re perfect to prepare for an easy warm weeknight dinner to share!

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10 Warm Breakfast Bowls to Make

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10 warm breakfast bowls to cozy up to on cold fall and winter mornings. Sweet and savory options packed with plant-based protein to start the day strong!

This week I’ve been craving hot breakfasts.

The kind that make stumbling out of bed and into the kitchen a little easier.

My go-to lately has been grain-free hot cereal with blueberries, granola, and nut butter.

These bowls will warm you from the inside out and are perfect paired with a mug of steaming coffee.

If you’re still in an only oatmeal rut, maybe you might want some cozy vegan breakfast bowl inspiration, too?

At first this post started as a collection of warm cereal bowls, but then I decided to add some savory breakfast bowls, too.

This collection of 10 Warm Breakfast Bowls to Make has sweet and savory options that are packed with plant-based protein to start the day strong!

I’ve included lots of creative options like baked quinoa, tofu scramble, and even millet for breakfast.

Bookmark this recipe collection and come back to it for some warm inspiration to help you get out of bed on cold mornings.

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Chocolate Baked Oatmeal

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Chocolate baked oatmeal made with nuts, banana, almond butter, and dark chocolate chips. It bakes in under an hour and tastes like dessert for breakfast!

I’m going to get straight the point of this post: I love this Chocolate Baked Oatmeal so much!

So much that when M decided he liked them too, I baked him another pan so we could each have our own.

I packed both pans in our cooler and took them to southern Virginia this summer to visit family.

In the mornings at the mountain home, I enjoyed my baked oats with fresh berries, yogurt, and granola.

This Chocolate Baked Oatmeal is made with nuts, banana, almond butter, and dark chocolate chips for a nourishing breakfast that tastes like dessert.

Make a pan for a cozy breakfast situation that is concise, decadent, and nutritious!

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Chickpea Macaroni Casserole

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Cozy and quick chickpea macaroni casserole made with Chickapea Elbows, and frozen vegetables baked in a creamy cashew sauce. Ready in an hour!

When I was growing up my mom used to make a terrific tuna noodle casserole.

It was bubbling with flaky tuna, garden veggies, and noodles in a cheesy sauce.

I remember it being hot, hearty, and oh so comforting.

This Chickpea Macaroni Casserole has all of those same nostalgic vibes made entirely vegan and grain-free.

It’s made with Chickapea Elbows and frozen vegetables baked in a creamy cashew sauce.

This plant-based meal is wonderful straight out of the oven and equally as delicious reheated as leftovers.

Bake it in under an hour for a cozy warm meal to share!

You’re going to love this cozy casserole in your oven and on your table this fall and winter!

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Maple Cinnamon Baked Mochi

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Oven-baked mochi dipped in maple syrup and topped with cinnamon and toasted pecans. Bakes in under 10 minutes for a unique sweet snack or dessert!

This past weekend I visited Colonial Williamsburg with my cousin, my cousin’s husband, and M for a couples weekend getaway.

Williamsburg has a special place in my heart because it reminds me of the family trips we took there as a kid.

I have fond memories of ginger cakes from The Raleigh Tavern Bakeshop, strolling down Duke of Gloucester Street, and shopping in the market square.

So it was a lot of fun to be there with family and show M all of my favorite spots!

We walked the historic area by day, dined in taverns by night, and spent the after hours at a beautiful Bed & Breakfast.

While historic Colonial Williamsburg doesn’t exactly lend itself to the vegan diet, there were plenty of “hip” places nearer to the William & Mary campus.

It was a lovely weekend, and I came home with a full heart and a well-rested mind.

When we got home, I felt so refreshed and rejuvenated I created this Maple Cinnamon Baked Mochi.

This unique sweet snack or dessert starts with oven-baked mochi dipped in maple syrup and finished with cinnamon and toasted pecans.

It’s the perfect energizing fall bite!

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Cinnamon SunButter Star Cookies (Zimtsterne)

Sesame Tahini Soba Noodles

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Figs & Pecans

Candied Yams with Cacao Nibs & Pecans

Pumpkin Apple Baked Quinoa

Spanish Rice & Beans Stuffed Peppers

10 Warm Breakfast Bowls to Make

Chocolate Baked Oatmeal

Chickpea Macaroni Casserole

Maple Cinnamon Baked Mochi

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