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Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Vegan Blueberry Muffins made with almond flour, oat flour, and frozen blueberries. Perfect for a nutritious breakfast or snack.

I have a working oven; I repeat, I have a working oven!!!

It’s been *over* two weeks since the oven lit up light a firecracker and died while I was baking a sheet pan meal at 450 degrees.

Since then, we’ve been waiting patiently for a new oven part to arrive and be installed.

In the meantime, I’ve been working on portable induction cooktop.

This is actually my first experience with induction cooking, friends.

While I loved how quickly the pans heated up for a stir-fry, I found it to be lacking when you need to boil a *lot* of water, like pasta.

We survived mostly on oatmeal, homemade fried rice, and air-fried sweet potatoes for the past few weeks.

Which isn’t the worst menu to live on, right?

That being said, I’m super grateful and excited to have a functioning oven again.

Sure, ovens are great for cooking and I rely on it frequently to roast veggies and chickpeas.

However, the one thing I couldn’t stop craving while we were oven-less was baking MUFFINS.

Homemade muffins warm from the oven, bursting with blueberries.

Naturally, today’s recipe is a celebration of that craving.

Friends, I give you, Vegan Blueberry Muffins.

These Vegan Blueberry Muffins are made with almond flour, oat flour, and frozen blueberries.

They’re perfect for a nutritious breakfast or snack!

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SunButter Chocolate Easter Eggs

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Easy SunButter Chocolate Easter Eggs with just 5-ingredients! Perfect for an Easter treat or anytime healthy candy substitute.

A few years ago, at a get together at my cousin’s house, my sister made a point of getting M to try some marshmallow peeps.

Growing up in Germany, M had no idea what to expect from Classic Peeps.

(I’ll note that this moment was made arguably even better by the fact that my sister had purchased neon pink peeps instead of the classic yellow.)

So M, ever adventurous, bit into the marshmallow fluff covered in pink sugar, chewed a few times, and said, “This is pretty gross!”

We all burst into laughter, our suspicions confirmed.

M isn’t a sugar lover, and peeps are nothing but pure sugar!

Although peeps were always a part of my Easter basket, they were never my thing, either.

They were too sweet, too airy, too artificial tasting.

Not that the rest of the Easter candy I was consuming was by any means healthful, but at least they had normal coloring.

Which is why I stand by the fact that Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs are by far the superior Easter dessert.

They always had what I’ve heard described as “the perfect ratio of chocolate to peanut butter”, even more so than chocolate peanut butter cups!

That is, until today, because I made you some SunButter Chocolate Easter Eggs that are the real winner.

These easy SunButter Chocolate Easter Eggs are made with just 4-ingredients!

They’re perfect for an Easter treat or anytime healthy candy substitute.

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10 Vegan Cheesecake Recipes

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

10 Vegan Cheesecake Recipes made gluten free and refined sugar free with whole food ingredients. Perfect for any occasion cake is required!

Hello, friends!

We just got back from a beautiful weekend away in Shenandoah, Virginia for my annual birthday weekend trip.

I’m the kind of person who really leans into my birthday and likes to feel celebrated, you know?

M and I have escaped for a blissful weekend away for vineyards + hiking for the past two years, so that made this our third visit.

However, it was the first time bringing along our 10-month old Aussie, Flora, for the ride.

As it turns out, the literal car ride itself was the hardest part for Flora.

She has a *lot* of anxiety in the car, and looked pretty expired by the time we reached our Air B&B in Free Union, Virginia.

Once we were there, though, she surprised us with how well she behaved at the vineyards and at our new home for the weekend.

It was a lovely few days of morning coffee on the patio, late morning hiking, and afternoon vineyard visits followed by a cozy evening at the house.

We loved exploring Sugar Hollow Reservoir and sipping wine at Glass House Vineyard, Moss Vineyard, Stinson Vineyard, and Knight’s Gambit Vineyard!

My personal favorite was Glass House, because the vineyard contains a glass conservatory area filled with tropical plants.

I mean, could anything BE more Flora & Vino?!

We (read: I) bought way too many bottles of wine but justified it by eating leftovers all weekend (beautiful area + wineries but not so many vegan options!).

Anyway, all said and done, it was a great way to turn 37.

So, where does this leave us?

Well, I got home to a still broken oven unit, so while I wanted to give you a new cake recipe to celebrate your girl, I’m currently unable to bake.

But that doesn’t mean that you can’t!

Here are 10 Vegan Cheesecake Recipes made gluten free and refined sugar free with whole food ingredients.

They’re perfect for any occasion cake is required; especially this recipe creator’s birthday.

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Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chips Muffins

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins made with oats, almond flour, and lots of vegan chocolate chips. Perfect for meal prep!

Last week we spent almost a whole day without running water at F&V HQ.

It was basically camping without the appeal like the nature, campfire, and s’mores.

Apparently a *very* large water pipe burst in our area, leaving us and many neighbors without running water during it’s longer than normal repair.

I definitely panic-purchased water from the store by the gallon, unsure of how long we’d need to get by with empty pipes.

If you’ve never been without running water, it might not seem like that big of a deal.

You might be thinking, “Just go buy some bottled water and you’re good, sis!”

I wish it were that simple.

Sure, with bottled water you can get by with minimal hand washing and hydration, but not much more.

But toilets require a lot of water to flush (1.6 gallons to be exact, I Googled it!), and if you’re without water for many many hours…well, you get the idea.

So the simple act of human-ing felt like a chore on Wednesday of last week, to the point that I almost went to my local gym just to take a shower.

I cancelled my shoot and any recipe creation or food prep for the day, because without running water none of that is possible either.

Gloriously, the water came on around 8 PM and I took the longest hottest shower I could stand and emerged a new woman.

Seriously, though, the whole ordeal was a reminder how precious a resource water is, and the immense privilege in having constant access to it.

So, the recipe I’m sharing with you today does not require any water, haha!

But it is one that I feel grateful to have in my life and made as soon as we had running water again.

These Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins are made with oats, almond flour, and lots of vegan chocolate chips.

They’re perfect for a meal prep snack for the week ahead!

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Red Velvet Baked Oatmeal

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Red Velvet Baked Oatmeal made with beets, cacao powder, and chocolate chips. Bake it in under an hour for a delicious colorful breakfast!

Timing in life is such a delicate and tenuous balance of push and pull, isn’t it?

When embarking on new adventures, projects, and plans, I often ask myself, is this the *right* time for this venture?

Sometimes there is this knowing that, yes, my energy is aligned and my calendar is open and I want this now.

However, more often than not, the path is not so obviously yellow brick road.

It’s hard for me to accept that, for many things, there is no *right* time, there is only the time you make.

Some things, like moving, having kids, and organizing the attic (yikes), feel too daunting to tackle in the present.

And yet other things I pursue relentlessly, like adding a new puppy to our home, running my small business, and teaching yoga.

We have the autonomy to create these chapters in our lives, and not the other way around.

So, I’m excited to share that I registered for my YTT 300 hr teacher training this April!

Five years after completing my 200 hour training, I’m hungry for more yoga knowledge and excited to apply it to my class.

I’m also hungry for Red Velvet Baked Oats for breakfast.

Valentine’s Day might be over, but I’m still committed to making food pink and red, at least for the rest of February.

Ever since being sick a few weeks back, oats have made a huge comeback for breakfast as a cozy source of nourishment.

These Red Velvet Baked Oatmeal are made with beets, cacao powder, and chocolate chips.

Bake them in under an hour for a delicious colorful breakfast!

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Red Bean Brownies

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Flourless vegan brownies made with aduki beans, nut butter, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and dark chocolate chips.

Hi, friends.

How are you holding up this year so far?

For the second time this year, I was forced to take time off work due to germs.

Being sick is already a small business owner’s worst nightmare, but not being able to eat as a food blogger really takes the cake.

Maybe it was the flu, maybe it was a stomach bug, but whatever it was, *nothing* sounded good to me last week.

Correction: Nothing I normally eat sounded good to me.

Let me introduce you to my sick week menu.

I lived on applesauce, frozen bagels with vegan cream cheese, plain oatmeal, plain rice and curry, copious sweet potato fries, and many scoops of vegan ice cream.

If you had passed me a vegetable to eat last week, I would have thrown it back at you.

We replaced cooking together on Valentine’s Day with raiding the fridge of anything plain Lauren could digest.

But I am excited to report that my stomach is back to itself, craving veggies and creating recipes (but still eating vegan ice cream because, because).

However, I think M and I deserve a re-do on Valentine’s Day, starting with a nutritious and delicious dessert.

These flourless vegan brownies are made with aduki beans, nut butter, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and dark chocolate chips.

They’re packed with protein and fiber and still manage to taste like decadent dessert!

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Vegan Maqui Berry Cheesecake

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Vegan maqui berry cheesecake with a gluten-free almond-oat crust, and an optional strawberry compote topping.

I love it when M eats dessert with me.

Like, sharing dessert might be my love language.

For Christmas, he got me some fancy extra dark truffles that I happily divided it up between us so we could enjoy them in pairs.

It doesn’t happen very often, because he has more of a savory tooth than a sweet one.

It’s just special to share something sweet with someone you’re sweet on, you know?

Which is why I love when his birthday rolls around.

Every year to celebrate M’s birthday I make a variation of vegan cheesecake.

He always says he doesn’t need a birthday cake, but everybody needs a birthday cake, right?!

Cheesecake, while not a cake in the classical sense, is his favorite dessert, and one I’m happy to create and enjoy with him.

This year, I was inspired to create something a little funky and colorful.

This Vegan Maqui Berry Cheesecake is made with a gluten-free almond-oat crust, and an optional strawberry compote topping.

Add a little color to your year and make this for a fun dessert for any occasion!

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Sweet Potato Waffles

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Sweet Potato Waffles made with oats and Organic SunButter. Serve with berries for a sweet elevated breakfast!

One of my favorite juice shops in Virginia has a small menu of food items, too.

Sometimes you want a little something to nibble on while you’re sipping on your green juice, you know?

This is particularly helpful during the times I stop for juice after a run or hot yoga class and need something a little more substantial.

My *favorite* menu item is a sweet potato waffle that is both vegan and gluten-free.

The presentation on this waffle is a work of art in itself.

It’s plated as one giant circular waffle, topped with a sweet lemon-y glaze, fresh berries, matcha powder, and, if memory serves, edible flowers.

(Side note: I never ate the flowers because I was too scared, but they’re so very pretty!)

Every time I order one, I think to myself, “Lauren, you need to learn how to make this at home and share with everyone (AKA you!).

So, friends, I bring you, Sweet Potato Waffles.

Now, my version is a little more humble; an every day version, if you will.

But that’s how I usually like my eats; easy, nourishing, and delicious.

It doesn’t have a fancy presentation or fancy ingredients but it’s now my favorite waffle recipe I’ve ever made.

These Sweet Potato Waffles are made with an oat base with Organic SunButter.

Serve them with berries and maple syrup for a sweet elevated breakfast to share!

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Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Cookie Dough Overnight Oats made creamy with cashew butter, vegan yogurt, and chocolate chips. Perfect for meal prep breakfast!

Hello 2025!

It’s been a second since I sat down and wrote a blog post, so let’s see if I remember how to do this.

Forgive me if I ramble and grumble a little but I promise we will get to a recipe at the end of all of this, ok?

POV: January is a strange month.

I personally feel a lot of contradictory feelings and energy; anyone else?

On the one hand, there’s this dizzying forward momentum.

The increase of newcomers at the climbing gym, the annual goal setting we’re witness to via social media, the marketing campaigns promising, “New year, new you.”

On the other hand, there’s an unsettling quietness after a hustling holiday season.

And maybe instead of goal setting, go getting, and planning all out 2025 vacations, maybe we just want to take a nap.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m still very much into the intention setting world.

I indulged in a cozy journaling session to think back on 2024, the good, the bad, and everything in between.

And then followed that session with another to look forward into 2025; to dream, manifest, and cultivate.

Every year I choose a word of the year; something that sums up the goals I’m trying my hardest to make a reality.

Usually it’s also a word that I choose a little based on feeling, because if it’s the “right” word, I feel a tugging in my gut when I read it out loud.

This year’s word that gave me butterflies, is SPACE.

The word might have an entirely different connotation to you than it does for me, and that’s OK!

For me, it encompasses a feeling of mental expansion, a physical move (that we anticipate making later this year), and a allowance of physical presence.

I’m working on creating this idea and mantra of space slowly but surely.

Kind of like easing back into recipe creation when it felt right.

(I did promise you that this prologue would lead to something yummy, didn’t I?!)

I want to kick off our 2025 recipe calendar with something easy, accessible, and delicious.

These Cookie Dough Overnight Oats have been fueling my busy mornings and I’m excited to share them with you.

They’re made super creamy and cookie-licious with cashew butter, vegan yogurt, and dark chocolate chips.

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SunButter & Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

SunButter & Jelly Thumbprint Cookies made with Organic SunButter and your favorite no-sugar-added jam. The perfect holiday cookie!

I’m just going to come out and say it: the end of this year has felt like a slog for me.

Anyone else?

I’m tired, I’m cranky, and I feel like the only thing that sounds interesting to me at the moment is a one-way ticket to the Bahamas.

Maybe it’s the shorter daylight, maybe it’s surviving the most wonderful time of the year as a new dog mom, or maybe it’s the extreme cold we’ve had this December.

Whatever *it* is that has me staring at blank pages with blinking cursors and cursing the creative slump I’ve fallen into, needs to go.

Regardless of the cause, I’m actively trying to take it easy on myself.

Because baby it’s freakin’ cold outside, because it’s the holidays, because I’m moving into 2025 without those nuisance negative beliefs.

That being said, whether you’re crushing the last few weeks of 2024 or cruising like I am, I think we all deserve a cookie.

These SunButter & Jelly Thumbprint Cookies are made with Organic SunButter and your favorite no-sugar-added jam.

They’re the epitome of the perfect holiday cookie made with lots of SunButter, jam, and love.

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