Oil-Free

Chocolate Almond Butter Granola

Chocolate almond butter granola with oats, nuts, and cacao. Sweetened with maple syrup and chocolate chunks. Chunky, chocolate-y, and perfect for topping!

There’s a running joke in my house that if something doesn’t have chocolate in it, it won’t get eaten.

Which is partially true.

The banana bread loaves that come out of the oven clustered with chocolate chunks definitely goes faster than those that don’t sport dark chocolate spots.

Then there’s my favorite store bought Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola which is absolutely delicious and *highly* addictive.

You’ve been warned.

Naturally I grab for the big granola hunks with the chocolate chips, first, because those are the best.

Wouldn’t you?

Well, last week, M peered into the resealable ‘nola bag and asked deadpan if I had eaten all of the chocolate out of the granola mix *again*.

Er, guilty.

Since then, we’ve established that said granola is mine to do as I please.

Which means eating all of the chocolate first, because there’s no wrong way to eat a bag of granola.

Can I get a witness?

Naturally I wanted to try to recreate a highly addictive granola of my own, but make it oil-free with as much dark chocolate as I want.

This Chocolate Almond Butter Granola is so good, I might even save a bit for you.

Let’s bake some homemade granola!

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Sweet Potato Spice Granola

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

Sweet potato spice granola made oil-free with creamy almond butter and lightly sweetened with maple syrup. Gluten-free with a grain-free option!

Last weekend I embarked on an epic bike ride to the store on the purple bike I’ve had since I was 16.

Without many pandemic plans, we decided it would be quite an adventure to bike to pick up our essentials instead of driving.

It sounded easy enough; bike there and back with purchased items in tow.

So naturally, I shrugged off the idea of bringing water or snacks or anything sensible like that.

And then what started out as what Google maps projected to be a 29 minutes bike ride turned into a 2+ hour workout there and back.

I didn’t really realize this, guys, but there are virtually no bike paths on the route I took.

Instead, we were forced to navigate through neighborhoods, sidewalks, and the dreaded main road, where aggressive drivers honked and sped around us like our two wheels had personally offended them.

“This is the most action my bike has seen in over a decade,” I huffed and puffed, pedaling in the rear.

We rode over hard over grass, gravel, asphalt, and cement.

And then there was that lovely muddy patch that back-splashed all over my bare calves.

Sexy.

When we finally made it to the store for item pick up, I ended up dashing inside for a bottle of water and a power bar.

I wish I’d had a bag of homemade granola with me.

Like this Sweet Potato Spice Granola that’s simple and sweet, made gluten-free with hearty oats and nuts and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and sweet potato!

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Apple Butter Oatmeal Cookies

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Easy oatmeal cookies made with gluten-free oatmeal and no-sugar-added apple butter! Perfect for a healthy fall-inspired breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Are you guys in your September routine yet?

Lately I’ve been struggling with feeling like I should be getting back to Fall routines that no longer exist.

Kind of like that weird back to school feeling post-graduation, where there is no class to go back to.

So, what are we coming back to?

Well, I’m honestly not sure.

There are some consistencies, like the weather getting cooler, the seasonal produce, the leaves beginning to change color.

But so much has changed, like my family hosting the holidays virtually, kids being homeschooled, and voting by mail.

Maybe it’s time to make new routines, guys.

I made these Apple Butter Oatmeal Cookies that could become a part of your new fall routine.

These delicious cookies are packed with hearty oats and naturally sweetened with apple butter!

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SunButter Date Bliss Balls

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4-ingredient no bake energy balls made with sunflower seed butter and dates! Naturally sweetened and perfect for meal prep snacking!

Tomorrow is the day.

I’m going outdoor climbing for the first time!

Last night I practiced how to tie myself into the harness and belay over and over and over again.

My figure eight knot is looking a lot more recognizable as an 8 instead of a mess of twisted rope and my stopper knot actually stops.

Also, we had a pretty solid makeshift anchor situation going, guys.

The rope looped around the stairway banister and cascaded down the steps to the basement.

As I ascended steps, I practiced the motion of belaying.

We’re packing the car tonight with the supplies and gear and FOOD.

Wait, you *knew* I would come to the crag prepared with snacks.

These SunButter Date Bliss Balls are so easy to roll out for your adventuring with just 4-ingredients.

Whether you’re adventuring tomorrow or not, make these for a quick snack packed with plant-based energy!

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Fig Newton Breakfast Bars

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

6-ingredient breakfast bars with hearty oats, plant-based protein and fresh figs! Gluten-free, oil-free, and naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup.

Ever since I moved into my townhome as a renter, things have been, well, falling apart.

The first offender was the dishwasher, that, to be honest, never really cleaned dishes very well from the beginning.

Then there was the great dryer debacle of 2020 where, for the span of three months, I hung all of my clothing to dry on a flimsy hang dry rack.

Crunchy towels and jeans are not fun, friends.

The doorbell stopped working after about a month so I’ve grown accustomed to listen intently for persistent knocks.

I’ve also cohabited with a mouse, a swarm of ants, and a lot of web-making spiders.

I joked to my parents on the phone a few weeks back that the only thing that hasn’t gone wrong yet was the AC.

I spoke too soon.

This past Saturday morning I woke up to a stuffy hot home with temperatures on a steady upward incline.

My Nest thermostat didn’t respond to all of my prodding and pushing on the dial so I diagnosed the AC– *gasp*– BROKEN.

Luckily, we’ve had several days in the low 80’s and mid-70’s here in Virginia, making it possible for me to have the windows down and the ceiling fans on.

So the past few days I’ve been limiting my oven use to stay cool.

Luckily, I made Fig Newton Breakfast Bars when the AC was still kicking.

These 6-ingredient breakfast bars are dense, chewy, and naturally sweet with fresh figs and dried fruit!

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Blueberry Mousse Brownies

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Two layer vegan blueberry mousse brownies that are vegan, grain-free, and refined sugar-free with almonds, dark chocolate, and cashew blueberry cream.

Guys, I’m planning an outdoor climbing adventure.

Want to come?

Now, before you go all Alex Honnold from Free Solo on me, let me tell you it’s not going to be that precarious.

I might have mentioned before how much I enjoy indoor climbing.

There’s something about hoisting myself from colorful hold to hold, vertically pressed against the incline that gets my heart thumping and my mind engaged.

But doing it all outdoors is a whole new world.

Or at least, I’m sure it is.

I haven’t made it that far yet, but I have all of the gear!

I’ve got my teal harness and my form fitting climbing shoes and my carabiner (which is *way* too fun to say, by the way) all ready for the climb.

Now I’m just waiting for the summer heat to die down before hitting the rock.

Until then, the only thing that I really want to climb right now are the layers on these Blueberry Mousse Brownies.

They’re made vegan, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free with decadent dark chocolate and a creamy cashew blueberry mousse.

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Vegan Peach Galette

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Easy rustic peach galette that’s vegan, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free. Serve with a scoop of vegan ice cream for an easy summer plant-based dessert!

Hi, guys.

How was your week?

I’ve been fighting a major case of writer’s block that’s got locked three recipes in the cue without an accompanying intro.

But it’s selfish to keep all of that deliciousness to myself just because I’m tongue-tied, right?

So I’m going to release them, starting with this Vegan Peach Galette.

Because I’m pretty sure we’ll all have a lot more to say after dessert, right?

This galette is sweet with ripe baked peaches and a gluten-free vegan crust.

You’re only SEVEN ingredients away from making the vegan and gluten-free galette of your dreams!

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Hummus Stuffed Zucchini Boats

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Zucchini boats baked with all of the Greek fixings like hummus, tomato, olives, red onion, and pine nuts. Try them for a light snack, meal, or appetizer.

Friends!

It’s true that the hardest part of doing something is starting.

I ran this morning for the first time in over a month.

After lacing up my Brooks running shoes I did three invigorating laps around the paths just beyond my neighborhood.

The pavement felt like it was propelling me forward each time it connect with the sole of my cushioned shoe and my iPhone felt weightless in my hand despite the fact that I left my running belt at home.

Kind of like this post, that for whatever reason, I felt like procrastinating.

Writing about food isn’t always as much fun as eating it, you know?

Unless it’s a stuffed vegetable, which, if you’ve been following me for a while, you know is my forte.

These Hummus Stuffed Zucchini Boats are the best way to use that summer zucchini hiding in the bottom drawers of your refrigerator.

Grab a zucchini and let’s make a zucchini boats!

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Flourless Chickpea Afghan Cookies

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Afghan inspired cookies made without flour! Instead, make them with chickpeas, nut butter, cacao, and dates finished with a walnut cacao frosting!

Are you a LOTR fan?

Let me tell you about my level of fandom circa early 2000s.

After purchasing the trilogy on DVD (I had the Director’s Cut–ha!) I watched The Fellowship of the Ring on repeat.

Because, you know, watching Frodo Baggins battle forces of evil on his quest to destroy the one ring as casual background noise is always good fun.

I was really interested in film studies at the time, and the cinematography and overall production of the films totally wowed me.

Not to mention, I was totally crushing on Frodo, er, Elijah Wood.

I mean, those blue eyes, though!

When I found out that the movie was filmed in New Zealand, I immediately wanted to pack my bags and take a trip to the South Pacific Ocean to stand on steep mountains and run across sprawling fields.

Props to my parents for sitting through the entire trilogy, from the long drawn out orc battles to the

You know what else I’m crushing on that has New Zealand roots?

These Flourless Chickpea Afghan Cookies that are made totally vegan and grain-free with less than 10 ingredients!

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Cranberry Almond Breakfast Cookies

By Flora & Vino 5 Comments

Breakfast cookies made with oatmeal, SunButter, dried cranberries, and slivered almonds. Bake them in advance and grab for an easy nutritious breakfast!

It’s been stupid hot here in Virginia for the past few weeks.

Every day the forecast threatens 100 degrees with a chance of thunderstorms that fail to break the blanket of heat.

My daily power walks have become more of a mosey as I try to keep cool but still see the great outdoors.

So, how are you doing?

I know it’s been a while since I posted so I wanted to check in.

I’ve been OK.

Content on the blog has taken a bit of a backseat as I focus on new projects and big picture goals.

(More to come on this soon!)

And then there’s the ever present backdrop of life in a post-quarantine but not post-pandemic world.

Honestly, I have no idea how to navigate this new normal and not much desire to try.

So, instead, I stay home and make Cranberry Almond Breakfast Cookies.

Won’t you join me?

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Chocolate Almond Butter Granola

Sweet Potato Spice Granola

Apple Butter Oatmeal Cookies

SunButter Date Bliss Balls

Fig Newton Breakfast Bars

Blueberry Mousse Brownies

Vegan Peach Galette

Hummus Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Flourless Chickpea Afghan Cookies

Cranberry Almond Breakfast Cookies

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