Gluten-Free

Vegan Shortbread Cookies

Vegan and gluten-free shortbread cookies made with just three ingredients. Enjoy these dairy-free “buttery” cookies with a glass of Prosecco!

This past week on Instagram stories I asked everyone to name one positive thing that happened this year.

The response was overwhelming.

I received notes of weddings, engagements, births, graduations, personal triumphs, friendship, and family.

Guys, I was brought to tears reading all of the beautiful, positive things that happened to and for our community this year.

During 2020.

I was smiling through the tears, though, feeling so much joy for and through each and every one of you and your wins.

It seems that despite all of the hardships of living through a global pandemic, we have lots of reasons to celebrate.

And I know just how to do it.

Pop some bubbly and let’s make some seriously easy 3-ingredient shortbread cookies.

These Vegan Shortbread Cookies & Prosecco are the celebratory cookie and wine pairing you need to finish up 2020 with a bang.

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Homemade Christmas Chocolates

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Homemade vegan dark chocolate Christmas candies made with fun holiday silicone molds for an easy 1-ingredient refined sugar-free Christmas treat!

Does it snow where you are, friends?

Today we got our first snow of the season in Virginia.

The white stuff started coming down around 10 AM and by 11 AM the grass, asphalt, and neighboring rooftops all had a fluffy frosting.

I don’t care what anyone says…I *love* snow.

Snow days always make me feel giddy with childlike anticipation and energy.

I plowed through a holiday shoot in the studio today, powered by holiday hits and the gorgeous light reflecting off my snow-saturated deck.

Afterwards, I dawned my Sorel snow boots, fuzzy hat, and heavy duty gloves to explore the winter wonderland.

If you’re home for the holidays, maybe you’re in the mood for a sweet homemade present.

These Homemade Christmas Chocolates are the perfect DIY Christmas treat that you can make from home!

All you need is some seriously delicious dark chocolate and your favorite holiday silicone molds….

Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds

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2-ingredient chocolate covered pomegranate seeds topped with shredded coconut. Store in fridge for a chocolate-y snack throughout the week.

Guys– I finally got my mini Christmas tree up this weekend.

Do you have yours up yet?

I picked one out at Whole Foods last week, walking up and down the sidewalk outside, searching for the most symmetric and full branches.

The trees were cute and well taken care of, with already attached tree stands and fine needles that don’t shed much.

Just my type.

Last Friday, I knelt on the woven red tree skirt and searched for the *perfect* place to put all of my childhood ornaments.

When M asked how he could help, I put him to work attaching green wire hooks to glass balls.

Together we distributed the trinkets amongst branches while Alexa played contemporary Christmas music in the background.

I don’t have any electric lights or a tree topper, but the result was still colorful and just the right balance of comforting and nostalgic.

Everything felt cozy and Christmas and nice.

I also seeded a pomegranate (and then covered it in Hu chocolate) this week.

These Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds require just TWO ingredients for a quick holiday inspired treat!

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Moroccan Mason Jar Salad

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Safeway. All opinions are 100% my own.

Mason jar salads with raw chopped vegetables, chickpeas, quinoa, herbs, and a zesty Moroccan-inspired dressing. Perfect for meal prep!

Psst.

Did I tell you that I’m writing a cookbook?

If you’ve been following me on social media, you might have heard the news about my first book.

Because the cookbook is meal prep inspired, I’ve been living the meal prep lifestyle here at home.

This means reserving time on Sunday and stuffing lots of fresh food into Tupperware and mason jars.

You might not equate the holiday season with meal prep, but honestly, it’s one of the times I crave stability the most.

Amongst a string of holiday commitments and festive food, it’s easy to feel a bit frazzled and malnourished.

So, it’s amazing to have a fresh meal from the fridge to balance things out between all of the happy chaos.

These Moroccan Mason Jar Salads are so easy to prepare for a portable lunch that’s packed with raw vegetables, herbs, and a zesty Moroccan inspired dressing.

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Vegan & Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free gingerbread cookies sweetened with coconut sugar and molasses. Roll them into round cookies or cut into gingerbread men!

This past Sunday I ran a half marathon in my neighborhood.

While it was the longest run of the year, it was also by far the coldest.

My Apple electronics that I used to track the 13.1 miles started dying rapidly after the first 5K (which I later learned was probably a factor of the extreme cold and wind), so I finished the race with an educated guess at distance.

I went off of the established fact that 1 loop around the duck pond is equal to ~1 mile — in case you were curious.

It was quiet while I was running (I’d turned off the music to preserve battery life) so I had plenty of time to think.

I thought about 2020, about what a wild and heart-wrenching ride it’s been.

I thought about how I had signed up to run this race as an empowerment run; it was something to work for to establish my newfound post-divorce identity.

I also thought about Christmas, and how the holidays have a comforting way of showing up every year no matter how hard the months and days before it were.

Lucky for you, I also had time to think about Christmas baking.

So here’s a seasonably appropriate recipe for you, just in time for your holiday cookie exchanges.

These Vegan & Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies are naturally sweetened with blackstrap molasses and coconut sugar.

They also happen to be oil-free, grain-free, and an absolute delight to make and consume!

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Vegan Dark Chocolate Swiss Roll

By Flora & Vino 3 Comments

Vegan dark chocolate swiss roll with coconut swirl rolled in chocolate cake with a 2-ingredient chocolate ganache.

Guys, since we last spoke, I received my first Christmas card via snail mail.

Which is kind of a big deal, because I always tape all of my received holiday cards on the back of a door in my house.

A tradition my mom started in our house that I carry on in my own, watching the door fill up with Merry Christmases and Happy New Years!

The closer it gets to Dec 25 the harder it is to find space to tape up photos and greeting cards.

Yeah, this time of year had always been special to me and always will be.

The pearly white ceramic Christmas tree my grandma made for me sits to my left, faintly glowing with multi-colored bulbs.

M asked me last week what the function of a particular reindeer serving bowl was on my dining room table.

It has no function, I said, laughing. It just is.

And that’s the beauty in it, right?

Usually I’m team function over form any day of the week, but when it comes to Christmas, anything goes.

I have a special holiday inspired recipe to share with you today that has beautiful rolled form and a delicious function.

This Vegan Dark Chocolate Swiss Roll has a rich taste and appearance that is made with less than 10 good for you ingredients!

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Tahini Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

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Chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies with a tahini twist and plenty of dark chocolate chips. A vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free dessert!

OK, it’s officially cookie season, and I’m excited to share a cool new cookie with you.

I don’t use macadamia nuts enough, do you?

I’m always nuts for nuts, but macadamia nuts are one I tend to overlook.

My parents used to get a canister of them from Costco growing up and I savored the rich buttery nuts like golden nuggets.

These healthy holiday cookies are absolutely decadent, combined with tangy tahini and bittersweet dark chocolate.

You’re going to want to add these Tahini Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies to your holiday baking list this season.

They’re vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free made in 1-bowl with just eight easy ingredients.

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Miso Mushroom Soup

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Simple vegan and gluten-free miso soup made with mixed mushrooms, tofu, organic shiro miso and greens. Serve as a side soup or light dinner!

Happy December, friends.

How was your Thanksgiving?

It was different this year, yeah?

I definitely teared up when I saw the Macy’s parade broadcast on the TV on Thanksgiving Day.

It’s the most ordinary and normal things that make my heart swell and my heart ache, lately.

But I had a really special holiday with the best food and company that I’m oh so grateful for.

I’m still working my way through leftovers and coming down from that holiday high.

We won’t be down long, though, because Christmas is just 25 short days away.

My evergreen wreath is already hanging against my brick red front door in a festive complementary color scheme.

I’m getting a miniature Christmas tree sometime this week to perch in my living room and cover in all of my childhood ornaments.

I’ve been craving some simpler, lighter meals to balance things out after a heavier holiday feast.

It’s getting colder here in Virginia, so I thought we could cozy up to a bowl of Miso Mushroom Soup.

This vegan and gluten-free take on the classic ensures each spoonful is teeming with umami flavor and mushrooms.

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Roasted Cabbage Steaks

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Vegan cabbage steaks that are oven roasted and served over quinoa with tahini. Perfect for an elevated weeknight dinner or date night in!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, friends!

How are you preparing for the big day?

It just hit me this week that this is the first Thanksgiving ever that I will prepare the entire meal by myself.

At first it seemed a little sad-ish, but then it became super exciting.

This year looks a little different, but let’s choose to see it as a chance to make the holidays literally whatever we want them to be.

It’s the perfect opportunity to start and solidify new traditions.

I’m taking off work today, and planning to spend most of the day tackling all of the Thanksgiving side dishes for tomorrow.

My refrigerator is packed with produce, and I can’t wait to coax everything into a cohesive meal.

I know you’re probably saturated right now with holiday dishes, but I wanted to share something with you today that you can bookmark for all winter long.

These Roasted Cabbage Steaks are the perfect, cozy, plant-based meal for colder weather!

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Coconut Quinoa Porridge

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This post is brought to you by Bare Snacks, but all words and eats are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me hungry!

Coconut quinoa porridge with cinnamon and maple ready in 15 minutes on the stovetop for a quick breakfast alternative to oatmeal!

I can’t sleep if it’s hot.

Every night before I got to sleep I bump down the number on my Nest thermostat to 69 degrees.

Yep, even in the fall and winter.

I love dosing off to sleep cocooned in cozy cotton sheets and comforter with the cool air current whirling around my face.

The next morning I break the stillness by stretching into pajama pants and long sleeves and take the descent downstairs.

My place doesn’t regulate temperature very efficiently, so there’s a noticeable ten degree temp drop each time you run down a flight of stairs.

So if it’s cold upstairs, it’s colder downstairs, and frigid in the basement.

Hot breakfasts on the main level are necessary as I stand in wool socks and wait for the sun to warm the wooden floor boards.

This Coconut Quinoa Porridge simultaneously warms and fuels you for the day ahead.

It’s ready in just 15 minutes for a quick breakfast alternative to oatmeal!

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Gluten-Free

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