Oil-Free

Cherry Chia Pudding

//#ad// 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!

Easy to mix up cherry chia pudding with protein that’s lightly sweetened with maple syrup. Top with fresh cherries, apple chips, and hemp hearts!

Hi, dear friends, and happy 2021.

Since we last spoke, we collectively said goodbye to the longest, hardest, weirdest year yet.

After I cheers-ed away 2020 with champagne and lots of cookies, I woke up on January first feeling a little forlorn.

Yeah, I was in a bit of a post-holiday funk, as is typical for me after New Years Eve.

I cried a little, almost bought a bunch of plants, decided against it (where to put them???), then watched a lot of feel good TV reruns.

Things started to shift after I hopped onto an impromptu video call with girlfriends to talk meal prep and workout goals for the coming week.

Making plans and getting back into a routine always does wonders for my morale.

It made my heart swell to see us all in our Brady brunch Zoom boxes, hurrying around our virtual spaces, cleaning, shopping, and doing respective Sunday tasks.

It’s those kinds of interactions that make this weird world feel normal and worth it.

So, maybe our 2020 feelings didn’t magically disappear come 2021.

But we can still plan for an amazing year, where literally anything is possible.

Get back into our back-to-work groove with this Cherry Chia Pudding that’s easy to mix up in advance for a sweet snack!

Because I’m cheering (cherrying?) you on this year.

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Thai Salad with SunButter Dressing

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Vegetable Thai salad with raw vegetables, baked tofu, cilantro, and an easy oil-free SunButter dressing. Perfect for an easy meal prep lunch or dinner!

Last week I impulsively decided to cut my bangs.

New year, new hair?

I haven’t done *true* bangs in almost 15 years, since I was obsessed with Anne Hathaway’s thick bang in the Devil Wears Prada.

Remember how chick she looked, guys!?

Well, I didn’t look like that at all.

The hacked locks stacked on my forehead like a massive mop, a hair helmet of sorts.

So yeah, I’ve been avoiding bangs for a bit.

But change is good, and I’m getting used to the feeling of movement across my forehead.

Aaand coming to terms with the fact that, if I actually want them to lay right, I need to style them.

Doh.

I’d much rather just style my salads…

I’m excited to share this Thai Salad with SunButter Dressing with you as a fresh option after post-holiday indulgences!

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Oil-Free Roasted Spiced Chickpeas

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These oil-free roasted chickpeas are an easy protein-packed snack and make the perfect addition to salads and bowls. Sub in your favorite seasoning!

And the countdown to the new year keeps marching on.

It’s the silent prayer on everyone’s lips…2021.

Last night I attended an intention setting and new year manifestation virtual yoga class.

The class was divided into three themed segments where we moved and breathed into our past, present, and future.

It was a beautiful 75 minutes, and looking backwards and forwards made me feel a lot more grounded in the here and now.

So, here we are, with days left in what many people are calling the hardest year of our lives.

In reflecting in an Instagram post this past week, I realized that while this year was so devastatingly hard in so many ways, it also inspired personal growth at an accelerated rate.

And most of it feels pretty good.

I’m also feeling pretty good about ending the year snacking on Oil-Free Roasted Spiced Chickpeas.

They’re baked with your favorite seasonings and zero added oils for an easy protein-packed snack and make the perfect addition to salads and bowls!

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Pumpkin Apple Bake

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//#ad// 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!

Pumpkin apple bake made with pumpkin puree and apples naturally sweetened with banana. Perfect for a breakfast or holiday side dish!

My laptop has about the same birthday as Flora & Vino, the blog, circa January 2017.

Which means they’re both just on the verge of their fourth birthday.

So it’s actually kind of a miracle that the glowing lettered squares on my keyboard *just* started sticking this week.

Since last weekend the “y” and “l” keys require aggressive tap-tap-tapping with my index finger before they grace the cursor with their appearance.

Which, naturally, led to a whole heck of a lot of typos this week.

Guys, do you know just how many words contain a “y” and an “l”???

Too many.

You’d think with all of the food I photograph that a sticky spill might be the culprit, but I can’t pinpoint any instance of spillage.

Hm. I guess I need to make a visit to the tech store sometime soon.

Well, you know what else is sticky but a lot sweeter?

This Pumpkin Apple Bake that’s made with pumpkin puree and apples, sweetened with banana.

It’s excellent to whip up for a unique cold weather breakfast or holiday side!

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Pistachio Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies

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Vegan and gluten-free sugar cookies dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with pistachios and sea salt. Perfect for healthy holiday baking!

The Christmas countdown is officially on, with only *three* more sleeps until Christmas Day.

Do you have any creative Christmas plans?

Most of my social plans this year are virtual, aside from spending time with M on Christmas Day.

But the one thing I refuse to do any differently is the holiday baking.

With that in mind, I have *one* more Christmas cookie post for you to add to your holiday baking list.

These Pistachio Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies are the cutest cut outs you’ve seen all year!

Vegan and gluten-free sugar cookies dunked in dark chocolate and sprinkled with pistachios and sea salt.

They’re basically all I want for Christmas!

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Vegan Shortbread Cookies & Prosecco

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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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Baked Hasselback Apples (Oil-Free!)

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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!

Oil-free baked hasselback apples with cranberries, walnuts, crushed apple chips, and cinnamon. Serve with yogurt for breakfast or ice cream for dessert!

‘Tis the season for…all of the mail.

I finally finished my Christmas cards on Tuesday and carted them to the post office, complete with holiday stamps pressed into the upper right hand corner.

The post office was packed.

I’ve also been receiving an embarrassing amount of packages from my doorstep.

Every day I peak out the front door to see an assorted stack of sealed cardboard squares teetering near my “Home Sweet Home” doormat.

Yesterday I received a beautiful yet mysterious package of pears and apples!

The package didn’t specify a sender, so it was days before I realized that the package of produce was a gift from my parents.

I’m pretty sure I’ll use them in this exciting new recipe I have to share with you today.

These Baked Hasselback Apples (Oil-Free!) are the best way to serve apples as a breakfast, snack, or dessert!

They have a gorgeous presentation and are entirely oil-free with no added sugars.

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Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies

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Your favorite banana bread turned into breakfast cookies! Gluten-free, oil-free, and naturally sweetened with banana and maple syrup. Perfect for meal prep!

I just received the cutest Christmas ornament from a friend and colleague that I hung on the tree last night.

It’s a ceramic circle with 2-0-2-0 in big bubble letters.

Surrounding the bubble letters are cute drawings and text illustrating all of the activities that exemplify the year.

Some of my favorite examples are: “what day is it?”, “survived the toilet paper shortage”, and “wash your hands”!

I’ve created a new tradition of adding an ornament to my collection each year, but this time I don’t need to search.

I was glad to receive one that so succinctly and sweetly summed up the insanity of the past 12 months.

The one thing the ornament is missing is all of the loaves of banana bread that we collectively baked.

We can’t forget the year of banana bread, folks!

It’s okay, because I baked some into cookies so we can commemorate 2020 and take our banana bread with us no matter where 2021 takes us.

These Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies are made in just one bowl with hearty oats, ripe bananas, and plenty of dark chocolate and walnuts.

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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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Vegan Dark Chocolate Swiss Roll

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Vegan dark chocolate swiss roll with coconut swirl rolled in chocolate cake with a 2-ingredient chocolate ganache. Naturally sweetened and oil-free!

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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Cherry Chia Pudding

Thai Salad with SunButter Dressing

Oil-Free Roasted Spiced Chickpeas

Pumpkin Apple Bake

Pistachio Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Vegan Shortbread Cookies & Prosecco

Baked Hasselback Apples (Oil-Free!)

Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies

Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds

Vegan Dark Chocolate Swiss Roll

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