Grain-Free

Gingerbread Bliss Balls

Gingerbread inspired energy balls made with oat flour, Medjool dates, molasses, and a festive spice blend. Perfect for a holiday season pick me up.

Hey, how was your Thanksgiving?

If you’re like me, the morning after the big meal you hastily turned on the Christmas music.

Something about blasting Michael Bublé and Mariah Carey instantly transports me into the holiday spirit.

Do you have your tree and decorations up yet?

I’m 50% of the way there.

I have the miniature red and white tree-skirt I couldn’t resist buying from Target, before, you know, finding a mini tree to go with it.

The ornaments are out too; a heart-warming hodgepodge of handmade childhood ornaments, classic glass balls, hanging figurines dated by birthdays and ages, glistening cupcakes and my favorite, a sparkling avocado toast (no explanation needed).

So when I finally get my tree, I’ll be decorating it with all of this plus Gingerbread Bliss Balls.

Because everyone needs a little festive fuel to deck the halls!

These gingerbread inspired energy bites are ready in under 10 minutes to fuel you through your busy holiday season.

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Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with your favorite chili toppings. Perfect for football Sunday and easy weeknight meals.

In yoga teacher training recently we talked about our cold-weather food cravings.

Which makes sense because the room we congregate in for teacher training is FAH-REEZING.

BRRR.

It also makes sense because doing all the yoga makes you crave all the food.

Anyway, we (the collective YTT group) agreed that all we want to eat lately are carbs, and by carbs, we mean sweet potatoes.

And what better

You might have had sweet potato in your chili before, so this is a similar concept…except better.

Sweet potatoes and chili are two of my favorite plant-based comfort foods, so together, they create unparalleled edible bliss.

These Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are ready in under and hour to add to your weekly winter meal rotation.

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Butternut Squash Noodle Cranberry Salad

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Roasted butternut squash salad with squash noodles, yellow onion, fresh sage, and dried cranberry. Perfect for a vegan and gluten-free holiday side dish!

A few years ago my parents served a warm butternut squash cranberry salad for the Thanksgiving Day spread.

One fateful forkful and I was in love and obviously I went back for seconds.

It was simple and elegant; equal parts sweet and savory.

After our plates were cleared I asked my mom about the recipe and she admitted that it was a Whole Foods pick up.

No shame in the catering game, friends.

Anyway, years later, (this year, to be exact!) I discovered the same squash dish at Whole Foods in the hot foods section.

I picked it up and checked out the simple ingredients: butternut squash, cranberries, onion, sage, and seasonings…etc.

Cart frozen in action, blocking the hot bar, I had an epiphany.

“Hey, I can make this. And I might be able to make it even better.”

Tis Butternut Squash Noodle Cranberry Salad is quick and easy with naturally sweetened dried cranberries, succulent squash, and savory sage.

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Vegan Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie

By Flora & Vino 8 Comments

Vegan dark chocolate pecan pie with a grain-free crust, a Medjool date-sweetened filling, and plenty of dark chocolate chunks. A decadent holiday pie!

Today on Instagram I stumbled across a quiz with deep questions, like…

Coffee or tea? (Matcha, obviously.)

Breakfast or Brunch? (Breakfast is the best meal of the day!)

Cake or Pie? (Hmmm…)

Now this is a tough one, guys, but, when pressed by the bold letters of the quiz screenshot, I had to say pie.

There’s just something about warm filling inside a crispy triangle crust that just GETS ME.

Particularly if it’s this Vegan Dark Chocolate Pecan Pie.

This decadent pie needs to make an appearance on your holiday dessert table this year!

It’s made with just seven ingredients while being oil-free, gluten and grain-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free.
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Golden Sesame Squash Fries

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Butternut squash “fries” seasoned with turmeric and cumin with a sesame seed twist! Bake a pan for a healthy snack or side paired with your favorite dip.

Let’s commiserate on cold weather for a minute, because it’s cold here in Virginia and I’m cold right along with it.

My townhouse isn’t well insulated and when I open the cabinets and dishwasher a rush of cold air hit me and the dishes I remove are icy cold and uninviting to the touch.

So I blast the temperature on my Nest thermostat up up up in hopes that the bottom two floors defrost while the top floor rests at a balmy eighty degrees.

Are you chilly too?

I love the changing seasons, but colder weather has never really been my cup of tea.

It requires so much work, you know?

All of the layers, heavy socks, and moisturizer — bonus points if you get a little Vitamin D for the day.

Anyway, I’ve got a recipe today that will warm your house and your heart and your insides.

These Golden Sesame Squash Fries are oven-baked with warm turmeric and a crunchy seeded exterior!

Open, sesame.

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My Go-To Trail Mix

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

5-minute mix it yourself trail-mix with cashews, cranberries, dark chocolate, shredded coconut, and cinnamon. Perfect for on-the-go snacking!

At my hair appointment last weekend I sat in the salon chair and said, “Well, I’m not a hiker.”

“If you’ve got hiking boots, you’re a hiker,” my hair stylist said, motioning towards the hiking boots that protruded from under the long black salon gown that I wore buttoned around my neck like a cape.

I laughed and nodded in agreement.

I hadn’t had time to change before my hair appointment to change out of the hiking gear I wore to climb Raven Rocks with my girlfriends.

Earlier that morning, exhilarated by the crisp fall air and endorphins, we made a pact to do 12 hikes in 2020.

So maybe I am a hiker, huh?

I thought to myself as my stylist wrapped strands of my hair into highlighting foils.

And every good hiker knows to bring plenty of snack with you when you hit the trail.

Whether you’re a hiker or not, you’re going to love this easy snack mix that I call My Go-To Trail Mix.

It’s perfect to mix up for nutritious pre-portioned snacking on the go!

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Cashew Butter Buckeye Brownies

By Flora & Vino 8 Comments

Three layer vegan cashew butter buckeye brownies that are vegan, grain-free, and refined sugar-free with almond flour, cashew butter, and dark chocolate.

Last night I observed a yoga class for yoga teacher training!

Between training weekends, we have to show up on our mat but also observe others teach, too, to see the teaching experience from a new perspective.

I sat cross-legged in the back of the room, taking notes on a spiral notepad while I watched the room breathe and flow.

It’s hard not to get a bit of FOMO watching the transformation happening around the room.

The audible inhales and exhales made my own chest rise and fall with synchronicity.

But then I had a similar transformation in my kitchen yesterday, one that I’m excited to share with you today.

These Cashew Butter Buckeye Brownies are three layers of deliciousness that you need in your life.

They’re vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free, and refined sugar-free with just 9 simple ingredients!

You don’t just have to observe this post friends, you get to participate.

Let’s layer up!

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Grain-Free Almond Flour Crackers

By Flora & Vino 13 Comments

Grain-free almond flour crackers with ground flaxseed meal and simple seasonings. Perfect for a nutritious snack solo or with dip!

Lately, I’ve been on a really big cracker kick.

I think it started when I was in process of moving.

Yes, there were a couple of nights when dinner was a box of Simple Mills crackers dunked in hummus.

All of the empty store-bought cracker boxes got me thinking– maybe I could (should!) make some of my own?

These Grain-Free Almond Flour Crackers are made with almond flour, flaxseed, and simple seasonings!

Let’s get crack(er)in’.

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Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Pasta

By Flora & Vino 6 Comments

Creamy vegan pumpkin pasta sauce with pumpkin puree, almond milk, and herbs served over chickpea pasta. Pair with a glass of red for pasta night!

Hey! How’s your week going?

It’s been SO windy all day here in Virginia, the kind of wind that makes me feel a bit like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.

(Side note: Do you consider The Wizard of Oz to be a Halloween movie???)

The waving trees and leaves outside feels like a real-life manifestation of the whirlwind in my head.

Between YTT and work and adjusting to my new home, it’s still a category from synapse to synapse.

But there truly is no place like home because I’m lucky to be warm and cozy inside enjoying Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Pasta this week.

It’s creamy and orange to tickle your fall fancy while being vegan and gluten-free.

Pour a glass of Juliénas and let’s make pasta with pumpkins.

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Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Hummus

By Flora & Vino 3 Comments

Tomato basil hummus with organic turkish tomato halves, chickpeas, tahini, and seasonings. Perfect for dipping veggies, crackers, and spoons!

Hi, friends!

This past weekend I saw Downton Abbey, the film, with my parents and sister.

Have you seen the show?

I binge-watched all six seasons in long sittings in my first apartment almost five years back.

My parents were simultaneously watching the show at their house, so on our phone calls circa 2015 we chatted about what all of Downton’s characters were up to.

When I discovered this year that there was now a full feature movie I knew we had to all go see it family-style.

And by family style I mean rolling the 10 AM matinee showing like we own the place.

I won’t go into any details in case you’re planning to see it, too, but the film does give all of our favorite characters a mini storyline to triumph and grow a little.

My storyline lately has been continuing to organize the new house, and organizing always involves snacks.

This Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Hummus requires just 7 ingredients for a creamy spread that’s savory, tomato-y, and spreadable.

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Grain-Free

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