Flora & Vino

Oil-Free

Sweet Potato Kale Quinoa Cakes

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Easy plant-based patties packed with sweet potato, quinoa, and leafy greens! Perfect for meal prep and easy weeknight meals. Serve with your favorite sides!

Sweet Potato Kale Quinoa Cakes by Flora & Vino

What adventures have you been on lately?

Recently I went a winery adventure with a girlfriend to a vineyard in Virginia. 

…on a Thursday. 

It was a bit of a wild adventure for a weekday evening, driving into Southern Virginia for girl’s night. 

But it was totally worth it to get out and see, taste, and experience something different. 

We sipped on Petit Verdot on the winery terrace, marveling at the unique decor of the tasting room. 

In a moment of recognition, I turned to her and noted that our spontaneous trip was the furthest I’ve been from home since 2019. 

But you don’t have to drive for hours to do something new, boo. 

How about a fun kitchen adventure for this week? 

Let’s make Sweet Potato Kale Quinoa Cakes.

These pretty plant-based patties are full of my favorite flavors in an easy one-bowl recipe that’s perfect for meal prep. 

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No-Chicken Chickpea Nuggets

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Plant-based and protein packed nuggets made with chickpeas and seasonings and baked to perfection. Serve with your favorite dip!

No-Chicken Chickpea Nuggets by Flora & Vino

This past weekend M and I switched studio spaces. 

We decided that, as much as I wanted my studio space to be separate and tucked away from “real life”, it just made sense logically to have me closer to the kitchen.

And M further from the noise of the kitchen. 

So I lugged my photography boards, standing lights, and tiered shelves of props down to the main level while M disassembled and reassembled my standing desk. 

For some reason it was emotional to leave my studio nook upstairs.

Yeah, that separation between personal and business life as a work-from-home entrepreneur is always hard. 

Except lunchtime. 

Lunchtime everything kind of falls into place. 

Today I’m sharing these No-Chicken Chickpea Nuggets.

They’re baked and are the perfect plant-based back-to-school snack for all ages! 
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Zucchini SunButter Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Super moist and delicious vegan and gluten-free muffins made with zucchini, almond flour, dark chocolate chips, and SunButter. Perfect for snacking!

Zucchini SunButter Chocolate Chip Muffins by Flora & Vino

What are you going to miss the most about summer? 

I’ll miss sitting on deck chairs on our new patio facing a thicket of trees.

I’ll miss the long sun-filled days that only tempt me to shut the blinds and curtains well after dinner time. 

I’ll miss easy comfortable cotton summer dresses (mostly floral, but some solid colors, too).  

And I’ll miss summer produce– right now I’m loving juicy tomatoes, figs, and zucchini. 

So today I’m sharing with your my personal favorite zucchini recipe of the summer. 

These Zucchini SunButter Chocolate Chip Muffins are made in 1-bowl– they’re grain-free, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free! 

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Turmeric Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Bright turmeric cookies made with salted dark chocolate chunks, cashew butter, and almond flour. Bakes in 15 minutes for a grain-free cookie to share!

Turmeric Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies by Flora & Vino

This past weekend M and I woke up at 4 AM to drive to Shenandoah with two of our friends to hike Old Rag. 

Arriving in the parking lot a little after sunrise reminded me of why I’m a morning person. 

We beat the crowd and had the trail primarily to ourselves, and the weather temps were still in the lows and not the highs. 

But the high of the hike was when, at the summit, Nate got down on one knee and asked Anna to marry him. 

I’ve never witnessed a proposal in person, especially not one involving two of my favorite people. 

These two amazing humans who so clearly bring out the best in each other. 

When she said yes the onlookers from rocks above us cheered and clapped and M snapped photos on his camera. 

On the descent I couldn’t stop smiling and in that moment I believed the universe really does bring people together for a reason. 

Like, you, dear friend, are here to make Turmeric Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies. 

These grain-free, gluten-free, and plant-based cookies are made in just 1-bowl in 15 minutes! 

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Avocado Collard Greens Pesto Pasta

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Easy avocado pesto made with collard greens and no added oil. Serve for an easy pasta dinner with juicy heirloom tomatoes and toasted pine nuts.

Avocado Collard Greens Pesto Pasta by Flora & Vino

These past few weeks I’ve been getting back into meditating.

I sit cross-legged on the couch, eyes shut, listening to a guided meditation as I wait for my dark roast coffee to cool to the perfect drinking temperature. 

It’s always hard at first– making the time, leaning into the discomfort of doing nothing, accepting the ferocious flood of mental activity.

But it feels good when I’m done, when I flutter open my eyes and feel a calm and clarity that I didn’t know existed beneath the chaos.

A few weeks back my fridge was in chaos too– due to an unexpected (or, rather, overlooked) produce delivery in addition to a full grocery visit.

I threw the plentiful collard greens in this plant-forward pesto with avocado, fresh herbs, lemon, and garlic. 

It’s super creamy and flavorful without any added oils!

Let’s make Avocado Collard Greens Pesto Pasta as a final summer-y celebration of sweet basil and ripe tomatoes. 

Grab your favorite legume-based pasta, some avocados, a handful of herbs, and let’s make pesto pasta!

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Blueberry Cashew Butter

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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!

3-ingredient homemade cashew butter made with freeze-dried blueberries and raw nuts. Serve it with Bare Snacks Banana Chips for an easy snack!

Blueberry Cashew Butter by Flora & Vino

Today I added a plant to my plant family. 

A spider plant! 

My grandparents used to have one hanging in their sunroom, the tufts hanging low from their green striped foliage. 

After asking Instagram what plant I should get for the new place, I received several spider plant recommendations. 

When I rounded the corner and saw a sea of them at Whole Foods, I decided it was a sign and carried my favorite to the checkout. 

Now it’s perched in my living room, getting acquainted with my split leaf philodendron and the daylight from the deck window. 

I like to think it looks happy. 

What’s been also been bringing me joy lately is this new butter recipe I’m sharing with you today.

This Blueberry Cashew Butter is made in less than 10 minutes with just three ingredients 

It’s mildly sweet, berry-y, and kind of addicting. 

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The Best Oil-Free Hummus

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Oil-free hummus made with chickpeas, tahini, lemon, and a splash of almond milk. Perfect to prepare and have on hand for snacking, dips, and spreads!

The Best Oil-Free Hummus by Flora & Vino

Last weekend I got out for my first outdoor adventure in Maryland. 

I made it to see Weverton Cliffs with one of my oldest friends from high school.

One of the definite perks to moving to Maryland is living in the same state as this lady who I’ve kept in touch with since the 7th grade! 

The hike to the top is short but our conversation felt long as we caught up on life the past year. 

We’ve both changed a lot since we last hugged in person, and in communicating “what’s new” that change felt like something to be pretty proud of.

We stopped at the overlook and took pictures, embracing, and posing against a breathtaking backdrop of tree canopy and blue sky. 

Then we completed a breath work meditation, resting against slabs of rock with our eyes closed.

It was kind of magical. 

Also magical is this The Best Oil-Free Hummus recipe that goes with…literally anything. 

This hummus takes just 10 minutes to blend up without any preservatives or added oils! 

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Blueberry Muffin Energy Balls

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Blueberry muffin energy balls made with oats, almond flour, nut butter, mixed seeds, and dried blueberries.  Perfect to meal prep for the week ahead!

Blueberry Muffin Energy Balls by Flora & Vino

It’s starting to feel like home here in Maryland!

Last weekend we hung photos and I arranged my plants in nice little nooks around the living room. 

I tried out a local yoga studio and a new trendy coffee shop and roastery. 

We explored several grocery options and perused the aisles thinking, hey, this could be my new spot. 

Naturally, we’ve scouted out all of the nearby takeout options. 

But don’t let the takeout bags fool you, plenty of food has been made, here, too, friends! 

I even had my first *real* dinner party last weekend, hosting two of my friends for a plant-based pizza party in. 

And on Sundays, I meal prep for the week ahead in a kitchen that still feels oddly unfamiliar and new. 

My new favorite snack to have and to hold are these Blueberry Muffin Energy Balls!

They’re made with just 8 ingredients and one bowl for a quick compact snacking solution. 

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Vegan Chocolate Cake with Sweet Potato Frosting

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Vegan chocolate cake with a refined-sugar-free sweet potato frosting. Perfect for birthdays or any celebration where cake is required!

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Sweet Potato Frosting by Flora & Vino

This weekend I had my parents over to show them the new place!

Which means that the house is the cleanest and tidiest that it might be…ever.

After I showed my parents the layout and we laughed about the boxes of American Girl Dolls (did you collect slash play with those as a child, too???) still stacked high on M’s side of the bed, we settled in the living room for to chat. 

I offered my ‘rents and sister a chocolate cake I baked yesterday and finished with sweet potato frosting. 

If you’re like me, you’re always ready to celebrate. 

Birthdays, work wins, sort-of-holidays, anniversaries, MOVING; you name it and I’ll be there with a bottle of red and a baked good to cheers and nom. 

So, yes, this Vegan Chocolate Cake with Sweet Potato Frosting is perfect for any celebration. 

I deemed it the most appropriate dessert I could think of to celebrate almost one month in Maryland. 

It’s rich, chocolate-y, and lightly sweet with dark chocolate. 

This vegan and gluten-free cake is finished with a 4-ingredient no-sugar-added sweet potato frosting! 

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Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

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Vegan and gluten-free burgers made with mashed sweet potato, black beans, cooked quinoa, and almond flour. Serve by itself or between buns!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers by Flora & Vino

Hi, friends!

I’m writing to you from my *new* studio space in my new home in Maryland. 

It’s been quite a week here at F&V. 

The main focus has been unpacking boxes, arranging and rearranging furniture, and searching for many metaphorical needles in haystacks. 

The night we moved in, my girlfriend pointed out that we didn’t have a microwave. 

“Yeah we do,” I said matter-of-factly, searching around the messy kitchen for a microwave box and handle that didn’t exist.

Somehow in the process of falling in love and signing on this place, neither M or I recognized the lack of or thought to ask about…a microwave! 

We hurriedly ordered one for the counter, because, takeout leftovers after a long day of moving are better hot. 

Anyway, I’m really looking forward to getting the kitchen set up and starting back up with recipe testing and creation. 

For now, let’s settle on these Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers that are perfect for backyard barbecues, outdoor entertaining, or your summer meal prep menu.

They’re made totally vegan and gluten-free with mashed sweet potato, black beans, cooked quinoa, and almond flour! 

My place is a bit messy at the moment…mind if we bake them at yours? 

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