Refined Sugar-Free

Vegan Apple Pie Pancakes

Super fluffy Vegan Apple Pie Pancakes with buckwheat flour and apple pie compote. Perfect for a weekend breakfast topped with SunButter!

This season has been all about healing for me.

Right now, I’m attending physical therapy two times a week to work on healing my chronic back pain.

It’s a commitment, right? In time, energy, and physicality.

Two days a week in my very adept physical therapist’s office releasing tension, increasing mobility, and building strength.

Not to mention the homework exercises that I do religiously (because I’m a good student, y’all!).

It was humbling to realize after my the first evaluation that despite being highly active, I have areas that are *extremely* weak.

And of course that imbalance and weakness is a contributing factor to the pain I experience on a daily basis.

The other cause most likely being the strange and incorrect form I use to capture all of the delicious food that I share with you all.

Yes, food photography is probably ground zero for the back problems that started a few years back.

I ignored it for so long, thinking, “Eh, it’ll just get better on it’s own, it’s just from holding the camera in a weird way.”

Spoiler alert: it did not get better and in fact, got more and more pervasive to the point that day to day activities became painful and challenging to perform.

A lot of my healing has been self-awareness of certain body patterns and motions that I’m doing that will trigger the pain.

As a yoga teacher, I know how important balance and harmony are in the bodies, so it’s kind of ironic that I couldn’t see that dissonance in myself.

So, consider this your PSA, friends: if anything is bothering you, take the time, the energy, and the resources to get it looked at.

Our bodies are our one amazing vessel to carry us through this life, so let’s take care of them as such.

Which is part of the reason as to why I love a plant-based lifestyle, because it’s good for us and the planet.

No one can argue that these Vegan Apple Pie Pancakes that I’m sharing today aren’t healing from the inside out.

These super fluffy Vegan Apple Pie Pancakes are made with gluten-free flour and apple pie compote.

They’re perfect for a fall weekend breakfast topped with SunButter!

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Apple Butter Crumble Bars

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Easy apple butter crumble bars made with just 6 whole food ingredients. Perfect for a quick breakfast, snack, or healthy dessert.

Where did August go, friends?!

I just chastised M after I saw that the calendar in his room still read, “April”.

But I feel like that 5-month gap in page turning is a pretty good representation of 2025 so far.

It started out slow, and now here we are somehow barreling into Fall.

This month, we took Flora to the beach for the first time.

We were surprised to find Flora initially terrified of the roar of the tide and the consistency with which it threatened to wet her paws.

It chased her back and forth until finally, on our last day there, she got brave and walked in salty water.

We cheered and praised her and my heart swelled because she looked like such a small animal standing in such a large ocean.

And that’s really all that can be said for any of us, right?

Just drops in an ocean, but, just like Flora, we can do hard things!

Speaking of hard things, this month I also completed another weekend of my 300 hour YTT program.

This weekend we started to learn how to cue a mandala-style vinyasa class, where you turn students on the mat.

The back of the mat becomes the front of the mat and visa versa so you’re shifting directions and perspective while you flow.

It’s this shift in perspective that makes it fun to adopt a beginner’s mindset, or allowing each experience to stand on its own as a fresh start.

And that’s really what Fall feels like for me.

A fresh start, a chance to make new routines, an opportunity to set new rhythms, an invitation to grow, learn, change.

My favorite foods are full of seasonal fall favorites, like these Apple Butter Crumble Bars.

These easy apple butter crumble bars are made with just 6 whole food ingredients.

They’re perfect for a quick breakfast, snack, or healthy dessert.

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Chocolate Chip Snack Cookies

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Chocolate Chip Snack Cookies packed with protein thanks to chickpeas and Organic SunButter. Don’t forget lots of dark chocolate chips!

This summer I temporarily became a solo dog mom with M gone for a week at a work conference.

I was *very* apprehensive how Flora would behave with “Dad” being MIA.

You might remember that it was me that initially begged M to get a dog, but now that we have one, she’s very much attached to him.

That’s always the way it happens, right?!

She’s attached to me too, of course, but it’s different because I’m the human that’s always around as opposed to the other human who leaves for work and returns.

While she did look for him every day (sniffing the door, poking her head in his favorite house haunts, watching out the window), we settled into a routine just us girls.

Honestly, it’s been a big confidence boost to know that I can keep her alive on my lonesome.

I don’t know about you, friends, but some days I feel like I struggle to keep myself alive and well, let alone another furry friend.

So we kept it *very* simple and doubled down on routines this week here at F&V.

Luckily, Flora seems to take after her momma in her love of routines, too.

We did the walks, play time, meal time, and all of the cuddle sessions my little velociraptor would allow before she gets mouthy.

(I’m determined to make the working breed also a lap dog, too!)

One thing I did to support my week ahead was do a massive meal prep on Sunday so I felt comforted with good food even while missing my man.

So, getting to today’s recipe, one of those things that I made was…Chocolate Chip Snack Cookies!

Don’t worry, you don’t need your partner to be out of town to enjoy them, but that might help ensure they’re all yours!

These Chocolate Chip Snack Cookies are packed with protein thanks to chickpeas and SunButter.

Don’t forget lots of dark chocolate chips; because, like I tell my yoga students before savasana;

You deserve it.

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Blackberry Chia Jam

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Easy blackberry chia seed jam to made on the stovetop with berries and chia seeds and naturally sweetened with lemon and maple syrup.

After the Fourth of July, it always feels like we’re entering the height of summer.

Many of my friends are out of town and colleagues have out of office messages notifying the world that they are unavailable.

During the dog days of summer, the pace of life feels slower, which can be hard for someone like me that is attached to moving quickly.

Summer also makes me nostalgic for being a carefree kid who only needed to hold space for finishing my latest library book and chilling at the neighborhood pool.

As adults, we are asked to keep the velocity of our lives moving forward while simultaneously pressing pause to make time to relax.

So, if summer feels like a tug of war between a packed social calendar and reluctant relaxation, I get it.

What I’m working on is being very intentional with my time off, and really being present and in alignment with what the day is asking of me.

If it feels like a “push” day, then I do all of the things; I shoot the recipe, I write the post, I edit the photos, I teach the yoga, I do it done.

If it feels like a “pause” day, then I pull back on work and lean into other tasks, maybe even taking some time off.

They key for me is to not think about work when I’m relaxing and not think about relaxing when I’m working.

You know what I mean?

It’s all about presence.

With that said, I highly encourage you to give your full attention to the recipe I’m sharing today.

It’s super easy to make and the perfect way to use up extra blackberries in the refrigerator.

This Vegan Blackberry Chia Jam is made with just 5 ingredients on the stovetop for a sweet summer spread!

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Blueberry SunButter Breakfast Cookies

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Blueberry SunButter Breakfast Cookies made with oatmeal, SunButter, and blueberries. Bake them in advance and grab for an easy breakfast!

Last week I was lucky to see the Glass Animals perform live in Richmond, VA.

It’s the longest distance I’ve ever travelled for live music!

The energy was palpable and we spent the entire show standing, dancing and singing to the beats that I knew, craved, and loved.

Attending the show meant *so* much to me, and even more so because I missed seeing them last year when they were in Maryland.

Last year, I forfeited the tickets last minute because we had just brought home Flora, who was cute enough to make me forget even my most admired artists.

I joke that the Glass Animals helped me survive 2020, but truly, their album “Dreamland” felt like a lifeboat amidst divorce, pandemic, and solo living.

It also helps that the singles played on the radio became the unofficial soundtrack to my budding relationship with M.

“Heat Waves” and “Your Love” were always on when I made the drive to Maryland to pick up M for a day date.

So I feel very satisfied and fulfilled that I was able to see them live after all these years.

Naturally, we packed up the pup and took her with us, and although she couldn’t actually attend the show, she waited up for us at the Air B&B like an angel.

Because this was a 24 hour kind of mid-week trip, I wanted to keep things super simple and easy with packing, and, particularly food.

That’s where these Blueberry SunButter Breakfast Cookies come in.

These Blueberry SunButter Breakfast Cookies are made with oatmeal, SunButter, and blueberries.

Bake them in advance and grab a few for an easy breakfast, no matter where you are!

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Blueberry Stovetop Oatmeal

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Blueberry Stovetop Oatmeal made brilliantly blue in 15 minutes. Top it off with your favorite nuts, dried fruit, and seeds.

Last weekend, I attended our Philosophy section of my 300 hr yoga teacher training program.

To prepare for the weekend, we read the entire Bhagavad Gita and answered a series of question prompts on identity, ethics, and right action.

If you haven’t read the Bhagavad Gita, it’s a part of an epic poem that takes place on a battlefield where the warrior king Arjuna converses with Lord Krishna.

The battlefield is a metaphor for life, and the lessons Krishna imparts on Arjuna are both powerful and very applicable to our modern society.

During the session, we shared our responses honestly and openly.

We identified our personal battlefield, narrowed in our dharma (duty), and started to understand our attachments and why they cause suffering.

I left the weekend, mind whirling with ideas, questions, and all of the tools to continue the practice of svadhyaya (self-study).

When prompted, I told the group that I felt that my dharma in this lifetime was to be a creator.

Whether it’s writing a post, photographing a recipe, styling a plate, or sequencing a yoga class, it’s all from the same energy.

I want to continually put love out onto my website, social media, the yoga studio, your email box; all of the avenues of connection.

My hope is that I start a ripple that somehow inspires right action in you, whether that’s to make a recipe, start yoga, eat more plants, or maybe just take a bubble bath.

Because if there’s one thing I learned this weekend it’s that we’re all connected.

I love the metaphor of us all being drops in the ocean, all a part of the collective whole.

So, thanks for being a part of my collective, friend!

And now, after my philosophy rant, I have a new recipe for you that is beautiful, nourishing, and seasonal.

This Blueberry Stovetop Oatmeal is made brilliantly blue in 15 minutes.

Top it off with your favorite nuts, dried fruit, and seeds for a fun breakfast for any season!

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Doggie Birthday Cake

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

The cutest doggie birthday cake for your four legged friend made with applesauce, oats, pumpkin, yogurt, and peanut butter.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost a year since I first stumbled across the picture of a Red Tri Australian Shepherd puppy.

And that two months later that puppy would become the rascal that we know and love called Flora.

Today is Flora’s first birthday!

As I write this post she’s doing her favorite new hobby that we call “neighborhood watch”.

We started opening the front door with the screen door shut after realizing that she *loves* to watch the neighborhood happenings.

Yes, she’s a watcher.

But she’s also a sassy, chaotic, and comical velociraptor.

And we love her in all of her chaos and and intensity.

Naturally, as a new dog mom, I wanted to spoil her with an actual cake for her bday instead of treats.

Something I’m not sure I’ve shared here is that Flora is a *very* picky eater.

We struggle to get her to eat dry food consistently and are mildly concerned that she seems to have survived the past year on a diet of training treats and bully sticks.

So it was a huge honor when Flora leaned in, sniffed her Doggie Birthday Cake, and actually ATE it.

This is the cutest doggie birthday cake for your four legged friends made with applesauce, oats, pumpkin, yogurt, and peanut butter.

It’s Flora approved and I hope your pup will approve too!

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Vegan Blueberry Muffins

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

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 2 Comments

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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Refined Sugar-Free

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