Refined Sugar-Free

Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake

Vegan raspberry cheesecake with a gluten-free almond-oat crust, dairy-free cashew coconut cream cheese filling, and a tart raspberry topping.

I’m writing to you today from bright snow-covered Virginia.

The snow started on Sunday and white stuff has been falling off and on since then for the last three days (it’s now Tuesday).

I dawned sapphire snowpants, my blue Northface down jacket, and a cerulean wool hat my sister knit me for Christmas to take my daily walk.

“The blueberry”, M and I fondly referred to the monochromatic ensemble, laughing as we made two sets of footprints in freshly fallen snow.

Yeah, you have to be pretty darn confident to rock that many shades of blue at the same time in public.

So I was feeling so conspicuous and cool that I decided to make my first snow angel in 15 years.

We staked out a fresh plot of snow away from the kids sledding and the half-built snowmen to imprint my likeness.

Have you made a snow angel recently?

I plopped down on my back and laid there for a second, feeling the cold clarity of the snow underneath me.

Guys, for a split second I wasn’t quite sure what to do.

Finally, I waved my arms and legs back and forth wildly, feeling snow shift around me in small mounds.

I stood up to admire my snow-art, giving M the thumbs up as he laughed, recording the ridiculousness on his phone.

It also snowed last week on M’s birthday!

Which brings me to my recipe for today; Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake.

It’s baked in the oven and made deliciously dairy-free with three layers!

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Chocolate Covered Raspberry Chia Cups

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Easy dark chocolate cups stuffed with a raspberry chia jam filling. Make them for a quick dessert or Valentine’s Day treat!

Lately, I’ve been contemplating love.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day and while I’m not out of the house much to see the teddy bears and flowers at the forefront of ever store, I feel the build up.

So my brain is all red roses, chocolate truffles, and candied hearts right now.

And I’ve been reframing and redefining what it means to truly love someone or something.

Because it’s more than the Oxford Dictionary’s “a great interest and pleasure in something” or “an intense feeling of deep affection”.

I think there’s a massive element of surrender involved, whether it’s to a hobby, a best friend, or a partner.

It’s to care endlessly and effortlessly without expectation, conditions, or control.

To adore just because; because you do, because you can, because you are…love.

Leaning into love doesn’t look or feel logical, whether it’s fondness for a passion, place, or person.

But then again, if we’re being honest, what did logic ever have to do with love?

It’s a hard but liberating thing to be that bold and unafraid with your heart of hearts.

What isn’t hard, however, is to fall truly madly deeply in love with this new dessert recipe.

You’re going to fall head over heels for these Chocolate Covered Raspberry Chia Cups.

Let’s be fearless with our feelings and make these easy dark chocolate cups are stuffed with a refined-sugar-free raspberry chia jam filling.

Ready to be totally Twitterpated?

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Dark Chocolate Chai Latte

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Chocolate chai latte with creamy coconut milk, dark chocolate, cinnamon, and ginger lightly sweetened with maple syrup. Perfect to unwind in the evening!

These past few weeks I’ve implemented a nightly tea time ritual.

I start boiling the water while working my way through the dishes and by the time the drying rack is full the kettle is whistling wildly.

My go-to lately is chai tea and M is all about the chamomile.

I let the tea steep for 11 minutes (yes, 11 minutes!), then curl up on the couch to watch The Mandalorian on Disney+.

On one fortuitous evening, I decided to eat a few squares of dark chocolate while drinking my tea.

I gingerly bit off a piece of dark chocolate then took a sip of chai.

The chocolate melted on my tongue instantly, washed down in a wave of warm cinnamon and spices.

Oh my gosh, you guys, it’s amazing.

“This is *so* good,” I told M between greedy slurps, wondering why I’d never thought to pair dark chocolate and chai together before.

So, naturally, I had to combine them in this Dark Chocolate Chai Latte.

Have your chocolate and chai at the same time in this delicious refined-sugar-free cozy drink!
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Blueberry Almond Protein Cookies

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Blueberry almond protein cookies with almond butter, oats, and almond protein powder sweetened with banana. Perfect for meal prep!

Yesterday I went to a coffee shop for the first time since last March.

After a “best coffee in VA” google search and a 20-minute drive, M and I found ourselves at local roastery gem.

The minute I opened the door the rich smells of coffee beans washed over me like seeing a long lost friend.

And then, I did see a long lost friend.

I was examining the whole coffee beans in colorful bags when suddenly my friend Walt was there, too.

Walt graduated from yoga teacher training in the same group as me, so, we’ve been through a journey together far before the world was on fire from COVID.

It felt surprising and fortuitous to see a familiar face during a global pandemic at a shop I only popped in by chance.

Life is funny.

He looked different with a mask and longer hair but the easy conversation was the same and we talked about yoga, hiking, and of course, coffee.

I just started drinking coffee, again, guys, which I told Walt with raised eyebrows.

Lately I love getting up 6 AM and sipping on warm dark roast coffee with a splash of almond milk.

You know what’s absolutely fantastic with coffee?

Something a little sweet.

These Blueberry Almond Protein Cookies are the best way to start your day with a burst of protein!

You bring the coffee and I’ll bring the cookie recipe.

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SunButter Cinnamon Smoothie

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Quick and easy shake with SunButter and plenty of cinnamon. Fruit-free and low-sugar option included. Perfect for a post-workout snack or light breakfast.

What are you watching right now?

I just started watching Bridgerton on Netflix and I’ve got to say; I’m kind of obsessed.

If you haven’t seen it yet, the best description I’ve heard so far is that it’s a mix between Gossip Girl and Jane Austen.

You’re intrigued now, aren’t you?

It takes place during the Regency era in England, where siblings of the powerful Bridgerton family search for love.

And drama ensues, of course.

Check it out!

It’s nice to have a new show to cozy up to at the end of short cold January days.

But during the daylight, let’s stay energized for the next Netflix marathon, OK?

This SunButter Cinnamon Smoothie is perfect to make for a light breakfast or quick snack!
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Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Almond butter chocolate chunk cookie bars layered with a chocolate date topping. A fun vegan, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free dessert!

How’s 2021 treating you so far, everyone?

It’s been really busy here.

Between creating blog content, working on a cookbook deal, and the day to day life stuff, I feel like the best visual representation of myself is somewhere between the exhausted and skeleton emoji.

But I really can’t complain because all of this; all of this awesome expansive busy-ness are dreams of my own creation.

I wrote “I published a cookbook” in my manifestation journal over and over and over.

Every single day in 2020 until in fall it finally came to fruition and I forwarded the acceptance email to M with big capital letters that read, “THIS IS SO EXCITING.”

I’m trying to access and harness that initial wonder and excitement in this busy season of overwhelm.

I don’t think you’ll have *any* trouble harnessing wonder and excitement when it comes to my latest recipe today.

It may be crunch time for me, but it’s munch time for you.

These Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars are entirely n0-bake with TWO layers of vegan and gluten-free deliciousness.

Let’s make cookie bars!

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Cherry Chia Pudding

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

//#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!

Cherry chia pudding with protein that’s lightly sweetened with maple syrup. Top with fresh cherries, apple chips, and hemp hearts!

Hi, dear friends, and happy 2021.

Since we last spoke, we collectively said goodbye to the longest, hardest, weirdest year yet.

After I cheers-ed away 2020 with champagne and lots of cookies, I woke up on January first feeling a little forlorn.

Yeah, I was in a bit of a post-holiday funk, as is typical for me after New Years Eve.

I cried a little, almost bought a bunch of plants, decided against it (where to put them???), then watched a lot of feel good TV reruns.

Things started to shift after I hopped onto an impromptu video call with girlfriends to talk meal prep and workout goals for the coming week.

Making plans and getting back into a routine always does wonders for my morale.

It made my heart swell to see us all in our Brady brunch Zoom boxes, hurrying around our virtual spaces, cleaning, shopping, and doing respective Sunday tasks.

It’s those kinds of interactions that make this weird world feel normal and worth it.

So, maybe our 2020 feelings didn’t magically disappear come 2021.

But we can still plan for an amazing year, where literally anything is possible.

Get back into our back-to-work groove with this Cherry Chia Pudding that’s easy to mix up in advance for a sweet snack!

Because I’m cheering (cherrying?) you on this year.

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Oil-Free Roasted Spiced Chickpeas

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Oil-free roasted spiced chickpeas for an easy protein-packed snack or addition to salads and bowls. Sub in your favorite seasoning!

And the countdown to the new year keeps marching on.

It’s the silent prayer on everyone’s lips…2021.

Last night I attended an intention setting and new year manifestation virtual yoga class.

The class was divided into three themed segments where we moved and breathed into our past, present, and future.

It was a beautiful 75 minutes, and looking backwards and forwards made me feel a lot more grounded in the here and now.

So, here we are, with days left in what many people are calling the hardest year of our lives.

In reflecting in an Instagram post this past week, I realized that while this year was so devastatingly hard in so many ways, it also inspired personal growth at an accelerated rate.

And most of it feels pretty good.

I’m also feeling pretty good about ending the year snacking on Oil-Free Roasted Spiced Chickpeas.

They’re baked with your favorite seasonings and zero added oils for an easy protein-packed snack and make the perfect addition to salads and bowls!

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Pumpkin Apple Bake

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

//#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!

Pumpkin apple bake made with pumpkin puree and apples naturally sweetened with banana. Perfect for a breakfast or holiday side dish!

My laptop has about the same birthday as Flora & Vino, the blog, circa January 2017.

Which means they’re both just on the verge of their fourth birthday.

So it’s actually kind of a miracle that the glowing lettered squares on my keyboard *just* started sticking this week.

Since last weekend the “y” and “l” keys require aggressive tap-tap-tapping with my index finger before they grace the cursor with their appearance.

Which, naturally, led to a whole heck of a lot of typos this week.

Guys, do you know just how many words contain a “y” and an “l”???

Too many.

You’d think with all of the food I photograph that a sticky spill might be the culprit, but I can’t pinpoint any instance of spillage.

Hm. I guess I need to make a visit to the tech store sometime soon.

Well, you know what else is sticky but a lot sweeter?

This Pumpkin Apple Bake that’s made with pumpkin puree and apples, sweetened with banana.

It’s excellent to whip up for a unique cold weather breakfast or holiday side!

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Cumin Roasted Carrots

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Roasted carrots simply seasoned with ground cumin, garlic, and fresh herbs. Enjoy as a colorful side on your plant-based plate!

Yesterday I completed a socially distant gift drop off at my parents’ house.

I piled brown paper bags to their full capacity with wrapped presents and managed to corral them into the car with only one red bow jumping ship.

Huzzah.

I felt a bit like Santa Claus, humming to classic Christmas music with gifts in tow, driving down highways to where I used to live.

I dropped their gifts perched on my old front porch and scooped up gifts addressed “To: Lauren” in their stead.

I inwardly laughed, because they had used the same Whole Foods brown paper bags to transport the gifts as I had.

It was a bit strange, waving at my parents behind a mask and a storm door, but I know they could tell I was grinning.

When I got home, M said that the mini tree was too small; the sea of new gifts dwarfed its green needled stature.

It’s going to be a good Christmas, friends.

Do you typically have your big Christmas meal on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Typically, we’ve always done the “nicer” dinner on Christmas Eve and saved leftovers for Christmas Day.

This year, let’s try roasting carrots as a colorful side!

These Cumin Roasted Carrots are so easy to roast and serve with your plant-based main.

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Refined Sugar-Free

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