Gluten-Free

Sweet Potato Pie Baked Oatmeal

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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Vegan Chili Mac

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Vegan Chili Mac made with two kinds of beans, your favorite noodles, and vegetables. This chunky chili is great to make for fall meal prep.

Growing up, my mom *always* added macaroni noodles to the chili she made.

I loved the way the velvety noodles complimented buttery beans and veg in a flavorful tomato broth.

It’s something I didn’t see a lot in the chilis I made, ordered, and shared later in life.

So, since it’s soup, stew, and chili season, friends, I’m here to bring you my latest favorite combination of Chili + Mac.

I’m excited to share my first recipe in a bowl this Fall with you, this Vegan Chili Mac.

When I first mentioned the concept of noodles in chili to M, he looked mildly confused.

It could be said that we at F&V love thick chunky chilis in this house, so this Vegan Chili Mac didn’t disappoint.

This Vegan Chili Mac is made with two kinds of beans, your favorite noodles, and vegetables.

It’s super versatile so you can add your favorites and leave the rest.

This chunky chili is great to make for fall meal prep and reheat with all of your favorite toppings!

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SunButter Date Caramel Apples

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SunButter Date Caramel Apples made with apples topped with homemade caramel and rolled in sunflower seeds and dark chocolate chips.

In the past week, Flora took her first 1-mile walk with us!

The walk, which should normally take about 20-ish minutes, ended up taking over 30 because of lots of…

“Leave it, Flora!”, zig-zagging, “Drop it, Flora!”, dragging, “Heel, Flora!”, pulling…you get the idea.

Long story short: we’re still working on leash walking, and it’s a PROCESS.

She immediately came home and proceeded to lap water ferociously, lay down dramatically, and then initiated more play 10 minutes later.

Well, I guess we can’t tire her out.

With all this dog walking and dog training, I’m relying on healthy snacks to get me through this fall.

I’ve always been a sweet snacker, and this SunButter Date Caramel Apples hits just right for the season.

This good-for-you snack is made with your favorite apples topped with homemade caramel and rolled in sunflower seeds and dark chocolate chips.

It’s the best fall snack and a great way to use up all of those apples we collect this time of year!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Cake

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Cake made with rice cakes, creamy peanut butter, and melted cacao wafers. A healthy peanut butter cup snack!

If you’ve been around here a while, you also know that I’ve been dressing up rice cakes for years.

While some people see dry, boring, bland cakes, I see a neutral and nutritious vehicle for *all* of my favorite toppings.

I mean, the possibilities are endless, friends.

Which is probably why I was immediately taken with the viral TikTok Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Rice Cake.

(Well, that and the fact that my favorite dessert pairing in the history of dessert pairings is chocolate + peanut butter.)

Rice Cakes are also an amazing vegan and gluten-free substitution for toast, crackers, or anything wheat based.

It took me a while to finally try the recipe trending on social media, but now that I finally have, I *need* to share it with you.

This is my version of the Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Cake.

They’re easy to make for a solo snack or dessert with your favorite rice cakes, creamy peanut butter, and melted cacao wafers.

Basically, it’s a healthier one serving peanut butter cup, and I think we could all use one of those as Halloween creeps up!

Grab some rice cakes, your favorite jar of nut butter, and Semisweet Cacao Wafers and let’s make this sweet treat.

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Apple Pie Crumble Bars

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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

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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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Green Pesto Pasta Casserole

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Green Pesto Pasta Casserole with chickpea noodles, homemade pesto sauce, and green veggies baked to perfection. The best workweek dinner!

As a kid, my favorite colors were pink and purple.

If I ever had a choice between colors of backpacks and pens and school notebooks, pink or purple was my favorite shade.

As a teenager, I begin to. gravitate towards blue because it felt safe, cool, and inconspicuous.

As a twenties something, I loved teal and coral.

The pairing together made my heart happy and I made it the theme of my outfits and my wedding colors.

Now that I’m in my 30’s, I am in love with the color green.

From the sage of my yoga mat to the mint of my planner to the evergreen of my favorite cozy sweatshirt.

Sometimes when my cell phone case and Kindle cover color and blouse are all matching it feels like a problem, but, hey, I like what I like!

Which is why I *love* the dozens of plants scattered around the perimeter of our main level.

The color green transforms the space from empty and generic and stale to something alive: a living room.

I always look for green on my plates, too.

(Sometimes, I even heat up some steamed broccoli to serve with a monotone takeout meal for a little color…

Which I do realize defeats the purpose and gift of takeout, haha.)

Which is why I loved the idea of this Green Pesto Pasta Casserole from first glance.

It’s made in a casserole dish with chickpea noodles, homemade pesto sauce, and green veggies baked to perfection.

This is the best workweek dinner for colder weather no matter what your favorite color is!

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Portobello Mushroom Schnitzel

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Portobello Mushrooms Schnitzel made with breaded and air-fried portobello mushroom “steaks” served with a side of sauerkraut.

The first time that I visited Germany with M, we sat around the kitchen table as I met his family after a long flight.

Practically swaying from exhaustion, jet lag, and nerves, I took in the house and surroundings with dazed wonder.

M’s mom asked something to him in German, gesturing towards me.

He then turned to me and asked if there were any German dishes I was curious in seeing recreated during my stay.

“Hmm, maybe Schnitzel,” I said, knowing it was standard German cuisine and also knowing that *nothing* about it was vegan.

M’s mom laughed with a knowing smile, saying in German that we could definitely make that happen.

I did see plenty of Schnitzel during our trip, along with a lot of other standard German fare, either made by M’s mom or dining with friends.

Alas, the main meal in Germany consistently thumbed its nose at me.

While many of the sides are cabbage and potato based, lending themselves to vegan options, the main dishes are very decidedly meaty.

Typically I make my own protein and enjoy sides with the family, so I get to enjoy part of the meal M’s mom worked so hard to create.

This is the time of year that reminds me of my first trip to Germany, Oktoberfest, and hearty meals at home.

So I decided to make a version of Schnitzel that I would love on my plate as the star of the show.

This Portobello Mushroom Schnitzel is battered and breaded in breadcrumbs and air-fried to crispy perfection.

I love it served with a side of french fries and sauerkraut for a hearty plant-based meal in!

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SunButter & Jelly Energy Bites

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

SunButter & Jelly Energy Bites made with oats, Medjool dates, No-Sugar-Added SunButter, and your favorite jam. The perfect snack!

It’s that time of year where healthy snacks are invaluable, am I right?

Seriously, what I wouldn’t pay for a healthy homemade snack when I’m running from dog mom-ing to teaching yoga to shooting recipes.

It’s the weeks where I don’t meal prep snacks where I stare at the open fridge between meals asking myself, “What do I even eat?!”

Usually after this question I end up opening my chocolate drawer and grabbing a block of chocolate and calling it a day.

And while chocolate is delicious and I eat it daily, I think we can all agree that it’s not super sustaining.

Hello, sugar crash at 11 AM.

Then I found these prepackaged peanut butter and jelly bites at the grocery store a few weeks back and I enjoyed them!

The snack concept is that jelly is in the center and the doughy ball surrounding it is made of peanut butter.

They were nice plop in my mouth after finishing up weighted dumbbell sets, or while running from Flora’s puppy teeth (ouch!).

However, I didn’t want to continue to pay for the packaging, so I decided to make my own at home.

They’re easy to make and store well in the refrigerator for an energizing lift.

These SunButter & Jelly Energy Bites are made with oats, Medjool dates, No-Sugar-Added SunButter, and your favorite jam.

They’re the perfect bite-sized snack packed with plant-based protein and complex carbs to fuel your goals and dreams.

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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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