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Chocolate Avocado Chia Pudding

Chocolate Avocado Chia Pudding with ripe avocado, raw cacao, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. Perfect to prep for a quick snack!

The most exciting news that I have to share is that we *finally* got some furniture for the deck!

One of my goals for this year is to really be able to enjoy our patio space.

I say this every year and then every year it kind of becomes an afterthought of unswept leaves and gardening relics.

But not this year!

I’m envisioning our new patio table and chairs, some herbs and flowers, and of course, lots of plants.

It really is starting to feel like spring here in Maryland, so the spring cleaning itch has set in…hard.

The last two weekends I attended baby showers for two special women, both about to welcome little baby boys into the world this spring.

I can’t wait to meet them and feel so honored already to be a part of their “village”.

While I mother my plants and try not to unearth the house with my spring cleaning, let’s prepare ourselves a sweet snack.

This Chocolate Avocado Chia Pudding is the perfect chilled treat to welcome spring.

It’s make super creamy with avocados and thick with chia seeds.

It tastes like dessert but is packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and healthy fats!

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Chocolate Protein Yogurt Bowl

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Chocolate Protein Yogurt Bowl with almond milk yogurt, chocolate protein powder, and nut butter topped with fresh strawberries and granola.

If you’ve been around here a while you know that I’m a morning person.

If I could, I would do *everything* in the morning, but since that’s not possible… I always put myself first.

Lately, that means setting aside time to drink my coffee, meditate, gratitude journaling, setting a schedule for the day, and working out.

It’s really important to me that I have time for myself before the craziness begins.

Something else I’m doing to support myself is making sure that I get enough protein to start the day.

If you’re tired of protein shakes and don’t have time to make protein oats or a tofu scramble, how about a yogurt bowl?

This Chocolate Protein Yogurt Bowl is so satisfying, customizable, and perfect for any season and lifestyle.

It’s made in less than 5 minutes with almond milk yogurt, chocolate protein powder, and nut butter topped with fresh strawberries and granola.

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SunButter Gingerbread Granola

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

SunButter Gingerbread Granola with oats, nuts, and ginger. Sweetened with maple syrup and molasses. Chunky, ginger-y, and perfect for winter!

Unpopular opinion: I *love* baking, but sometimes struggle to eat all of my baked goods.

M isn’t really a cookie-eater, but he will devour a pan of granola.

So, let’s harness the best of both worlds and make gingerbread into granola this season, okay?

This SunButter Gingerbread Granola is like baking cookies but in breakfast form.

It’s made with rolled oats, nuts, and ginger and sweetened with maple syrup and molasses.

It’s chunky, ginger-y, and the perfect addition to your winter breakfasts!

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Cinnamon SunButter Star Cookies (Zimtsterne)

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Vegan Cinnamon SunButter Star Cookies (Zimtsterne) made with almond flour, SunButter, and a coconut butter icing. Perfect for a Christmas cookie exchange!

Today I’ve got a Christmas cookie recipe for you that’s anything but ordinary.

Move over sugar cookies, I give you…Cinnamon Star Cookies!

When we visited M’s family in Kentucky this fall, they pulled out some old German textbooks for me to continue to learn the language.

One of my main goals for next year (are we allowing new year’s resolutions yet?) is to improve my German!

They also pulled out some classic German cookbooks, including a recipe for these Cinnamon Star Cookies, or, Zimtsterne, in German.

I had a sneaky feeling that I could easily adapt the original to be vegan and gluten-free, and I was right!

The cookies are traditionally made with egg-whites and powdered sugar, but I subbed in flax egg and coconut sugar with a delicious outcome.

The result is these vegan Cinnamon SunButter Star Cookies (Zimtsterne) made with almond flour, SunButter, and coconut butter icing.

They’re perfect to make and bake for a Christmas cookie exchange this holiday season!

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Pumpkin Apple Baked Quinoa

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Pumpkin apple baked quinoa bakes in an hour for a delicious meal prep breakfast full of fall flavor. Serve warm or chilled with your favorite cozy toppings!

When I was visiting North Carolina this past summer my family surprised me with all sorts of plant-based baking!

My favorite was an Apple Baked Quinoa that my aunt made for our Sunday morning breakfast.

It takes an hour to bake, so I recruited everyone for a family yoga session so we could stretch while it baked.

We moved into tree and triangle while the oven filled the living room with the smell of baking cinnamon and apples.

After savasana, we enjoyed the quinoa warm with nut butter, granola, and more baked apples.

It was so delicious that I immediately started scheming of my own variation…one including pumpkin.

This Pumpkin Apple Baked Quinoa bakes in under and hour for a delicious meal prep fall breakfast!

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Spanish Rice & Beans Stuffed Peppers

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Baked bell peppers stuffed with Eden Foods Spanish Rice & Pinto Beans and served with your favorite toppings. Perfect for an easy warm weeknight dinner!

Friends, since we last chatted I became a marathoner.

I ran the 26.2 miles to complete the Chicago Marathon in under 5 hours this past Sunday and felt unstoppable after I crossed the finish line.

It was an emotional and rewarding experience, with anxiety-ridden lows and pride-filled highs.

I’m so glad that I trained and conquered and feel so eternally grateful for the support of my friends and family who saw me to the finish line.

This week I’m taking it easy, with lots of long walks and yoga and stretching.

And, of course, lots of hearty plant-based foods to refuel and recharge!

After expending so much energy with the race and traveling. I honestly haven’t been in the mood to spend hours in the kitchen.

So I loved making these Spanish Rice & Beans Stuffed Peppers for an easy dinner for M and me during the workweek.

These baked bell peppers are stuffed with Eden Foods Spanish Rice & Pinto Beans and served with your favorite toppings.

They’re perfect to prepare for an easy warm weeknight dinner to share!

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Maple Cinnamon Baked Mochi

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Oven-baked mochi dipped in maple syrup and topped with cinnamon and toasted pecans. Bakes in under 10 minutes for a unique sweet snack or dessert!

This past weekend I visited Colonial Williamsburg with my cousin, my cousin’s husband, and M for a couples weekend getaway.

Williamsburg has a special place in my heart because it reminds me of the family trips we took there as a kid.

I have fond memories of ginger cakes from The Raleigh Tavern Bakeshop, strolling down Duke of Gloucester Street, and shopping in the market square.

So it was a lot of fun to be there with family and show M all of my favorite spots!

We walked the historic area by day, dined in taverns by night, and spent the after hours at a beautiful Bed & Breakfast.

While historic Colonial Williamsburg doesn’t exactly lend itself to the vegan diet, there were plenty of “hip” places nearer to the William & Mary campus.

It was a lovely weekend, and I came home with a full heart and a well-rested mind.

When we got home, I felt so refreshed and rejuvenated I created this Maple Cinnamon Baked Mochi.

This unique sweet snack or dessert starts with oven-baked mochi dipped in maple syrup and finished with cinnamon and toasted pecans.

It’s the perfect energizing fall bite!

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Quick Corn Salsa

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Quick corn salsa with frozen sweet corn, fresh cilantro, and lime. Perfect to serve as dip with chips or as an addition to tacos, burritos, bowls, and more!

Recently, I taught my first yoga class in my new position as a substitute teacher!

I was all nerves as I arrived at the studio wearing my lucky yoga tank (the one I got during teacher training) with my yoga books and prepared routine.

Whenever I’m nervous, I remind myself that anxiety and excitement kind of feel the same way in the body.

It just means that I *care*.

But as soon as I started teaching, breathing, being with the class, it was all good.

If you’ve been around here a while, you know when I completed YTT in 2019 I firmly believed that I only wanted to know more about yoga.

I never saw myself actually teaching…and now, I am.

It feels good, right, and fulfilling.

Afterwards, M and I ordered tacos and burritos from Chipotle to celebrate.

I usually get their corn salsa, which, in addition to the lonely bag of frozen corn in my freezer, was the inspiration for this recipe.

This Quick Corn Salsa is made with frozen sweet corn, fresh cilantro, and lime.

Serve it with chips or as an addition to tacos, burritos, bowls, and more!

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Vegan “Cookie Corners” (Nussecken)

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Vegan “cookie corners” (Nussecken)! These tasty triangles are made with oat and almond flour, SunButter, jam, hazelnuts, and dark chocolate.

Today I’m sharing a recipe with you inspired by my European travels!

M’s mom is kind of famous in their area in Germany for her Nussecken.

And with good reason, because they’re kind of amazing.

This delicious German dessert is made with a nougat base, jammy center, and sweet hazelnut topping.

After baking you cut layers into triangles and dip the corners in melted chocolate.

Nussecken directly translates from German to “Nut Corners”, but I’ve also seen them called “Cookie Corners”.

I thought Cookie Corners sounded cuter, so let’s go with that naming convention.

You’re going to love my Vegan “Cookie Corners” (Nussecken) that are also gluten-free and refined-sugar-free!

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Vegan Cosmic Brownies

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Vegan cosmic brownies with almond flour and sweetened with coconut sugar. Top them with Chocolate SunButter and sprinkles for a fun dessert!

This holiday weekend I set a PR for most shooting stars seen in one evening.

On Memorial Day, M and I drove to the Shenandoah to see the Tau Herculids Meteor Shower.

We chose the Shenandoah because it’s low in light pollution with dark skies and great views, so it’s perfect for star gazing.

I yawned and grumbled getting there, but once I was cozied up in my camp chair with blankets surrounded by the glittering night, I was happy to be there.

Around 1 AM we watched stars streak across the sky while M took photos, hoping to catch a beautiful bright arch across the frame.

It’s always humbling to stare up at the night sky, feeling so incredibly small compared to those fire balls whizzing through space.

I can’t share the cosmos with you, but I can share some cosmic brownies with you that are pretty out of this world.

These Vegan Cosmic Brownies are made with almond flour and topped with Chocolate SunButter and dotted with sprinkles for a fun dessert!

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