Refined Sugar-Free

Homemade Christmas Chocolates

Homemade vegan dark chocolate Christmas candies made with fun holiday silicone molds for an easy 1-ingredient refined sugar-free Christmas treat!

Does it snow where you are, friends?

Today we got our first snow of the season in Virginia.

The white stuff started coming down around 10 AM and by 11 AM the grass, asphalt, and neighboring rooftops all had a fluffy frosting.

I don’t care what anyone says…I *love* snow.

Snow days always make me feel giddy with childlike anticipation and energy.

I plowed through a holiday shoot in the studio today, powered by holiday hits and the gorgeous light reflecting off my snow-saturated deck.

Afterwards, I dawned my Sorel snow boots, fuzzy hat, and heavy duty gloves to explore the winter wonderland.

If you’re home for the holidays, maybe you’re in the mood for a sweet homemade present.

These Homemade Christmas Chocolates are the perfect DIY Christmas treat that you can make from home!

All you need is some seriously delicious dark chocolate and your favorite holiday silicone molds….

Baked Hasselback Apples

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

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!

Baked Hasselback Apples made with cranberries, walnuts, crushed apple chips, and cinnamon. Serve with yogurt for breakfast or ice cream for dessert!

‘Tis the season for…all of the mail.

I finally finished my Christmas cards on Tuesday and carted them to the post office, complete with holiday stamps pressed into the upper right hand corner.

The post office was packed.

I’ve also been receiving an embarrassing amount of packages from my doorstep.

Every day I peak out the front door to see an assorted stack of sealed cardboard squares teetering near my “Home Sweet Home” doormat.

Yesterday I received a beautiful yet mysterious package of pears and apples!

The package didn’t specify a sender, so it was days before I realized that the package of produce was a gift from my parents.

I’m pretty sure I’ll use them in this exciting new recipe I have to share with you today.

These Baked Hasselback Apples are the best way to serve apples as a breakfast, snack, or dessert!

They have a gorgeous presentation and are made with no added sugars and no added oils.

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Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies

By Flora & Vino 3 Comments

Your favorite banana bread turned into breakfast cookies! Gluten-free, oil-free, and naturally sweetened with banana and maple syrup. Perfect for meal prep!

I just received the cutest Christmas ornament from a friend and colleague that I hung on the tree last night.

It’s a ceramic circle with 2-0-2-0 in big bubble letters.

Surrounding the bubble letters are cute drawings and text illustrating all of the activities that exemplify the year.

Some of my favorite examples are: “what day is it?”, “survived the toilet paper shortage”, and “wash your hands”!

I’ve created a new tradition of adding an ornament to my collection each year, but this time I don’t need to search.

I was glad to receive one that so succinctly and sweetly summed up the insanity of the past 12 months.

The one thing the ornament is missing is all of the loaves of banana bread that we collectively baked.

We can’t forget the year of banana bread, folks!

It’s okay, because I baked some into cookies so we can commemorate 2020 and take our banana bread with us no matter where 2021 takes us.

These Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies are made in just one bowl with hearty oats, ripe bananas, and plenty of dark chocolate and walnuts.

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Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds

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2-ingredient chocolate covered pomegranate seeds topped with shredded coconut. Store in fridge for a chocolate-y snack throughout the week.

Guys– I finally got my mini Christmas tree up this weekend.

Do you have yours up yet?

I picked one out at Whole Foods last week, walking up and down the sidewalk outside, searching for the most symmetric and full branches.

The trees were cute and well taken care of, with already attached tree stands and fine needles that don’t shed much.

Just my type.

Last Friday, I knelt on the woven red tree skirt and searched for the *perfect* place to put all of my childhood ornaments.

When M asked how he could help, I put him to work attaching green wire hooks to glass balls.

Together we distributed the trinkets amongst branches while Alexa played contemporary Christmas music in the background.

I don’t have any electric lights or a tree topper, but the result was still colorful and just the right balance of comforting and nostalgic.

Everything felt cozy and Christmas and nice.

I also seeded a pomegranate (and then covered it in Hu chocolate) this week.

These Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds require just TWO ingredients for a quick holiday inspired treat!

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Vegan Dark Chocolate Swiss Roll

By Flora & Vino 3 Comments

Vegan dark chocolate swiss roll with coconut swirl rolled in chocolate cake with a 2-ingredient chocolate ganache.

Guys, since we last spoke, I received my first Christmas card via snail mail.

Which is kind of a big deal, because I always tape all of my received holiday cards on the back of a door in my house.

A tradition my mom started in our house that I carry on in my own, watching the door fill up with Merry Christmases and Happy New Years!

The closer it gets to Dec 25 the harder it is to find space to tape up photos and greeting cards.

Yeah, this time of year had always been special to me and always will be.

The pearly white ceramic Christmas tree my grandma made for me sits to my left, faintly glowing with multi-colored bulbs.

M asked me last week what the function of a particular reindeer serving bowl was on my dining room table.

It has no function, I said, laughing. It just is.

And that’s the beauty in it, right?

Usually I’m team function over form any day of the week, but when it comes to Christmas, anything goes.

I have a special holiday inspired recipe to share with you today that has beautiful rolled form and a delicious function.

This Vegan Dark Chocolate Swiss Roll has a rich taste and appearance that is made with less than 10 good for you ingredients!

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Tahini Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

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Chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies with a tahini twist and plenty of dark chocolate chips. A vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free dessert!

OK, it’s officially cookie season, and I’m excited to share a cool new cookie with you.

I don’t use macadamia nuts enough, do you?

I’m always nuts for nuts, but macadamia nuts are one I tend to overlook.

My parents used to get a canister of them from Costco growing up and I savored the rich buttery nuts like golden nuggets.

These healthy holiday cookies are absolutely decadent, combined with tangy tahini and bittersweet dark chocolate.

You’re going to want to add these Tahini Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies to your holiday baking list this season.

They’re vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free made in 1-bowl with just eight easy ingredients.

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Coconut Quinoa Porridge

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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!

Coconut quinoa porridge with cinnamon and maple ready in 15 minutes on the stovetop for a quick breakfast alternative to oatmeal!

I can’t sleep if it’s hot.

Every night before I got to sleep I bump down the number on my Nest thermostat to 69 degrees.

Yep, even in the fall and winter.

I love dosing off to sleep cocooned in cozy cotton sheets and comforter with the cool air current whirling around my face.

The next morning I break the stillness by stretching into pajama pants and long sleeves and take the descent downstairs.

My place doesn’t regulate temperature very efficiently, so there’s a noticeable ten degree temp drop each time you run down a flight of stairs.

So if it’s cold upstairs, it’s colder downstairs, and frigid in the basement.

Hot breakfasts on the main level are necessary as I stand in wool socks and wait for the sun to warm the wooden floor boards.

This Coconut Quinoa Porridge simultaneously warms and fuels you for the day ahead.

It’s ready in just 15 minutes for a quick breakfast alternative to oatmeal!

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Vegan Apple Cider Donuts

By Flora & Vino 3 Comments

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!

Vegan apple cider donuts made with oats, almond butter, and apple cider finished with a refined-sugar-free cinnamon and apple chip dusting!

Did you learn any languages during quarantine this year?

For the past few weeks I’ve been learning German.

Well, for me, it’s actually a lot of re-learning because I took three solid year of German in high school.

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

I’ve always struggled with languages, honestly.

I flunked out of Italian in college, and, to fulfill the language requirement, managed to pass two semesters of French that I have no memory of.

No, really, I must have tucked my knowledge of French in short term memory because it’s *all* gone now, down to the very last amour.

German must have stuck somehow, because words and phrases are starting to come back to me.

And, it’s fun having an app to motivate me with epic winning streaks.

Every night around 9 PM my DuoLingo app notifies me with a banner text message that it’s time to practice German.

I play until I have no “hearts” left, addicted to the “briiiiiing” signifying a correct answer and the wiggly dance the owl mascot makes when I hit a new goal.

I also retaught how to make donuts– because it’s been a second (and by a second, I mean years) since my last donuts recipe on the blog.

These Vegan Apple Cider Donuts are made vegan and gluten-free with oat flour, almond flour, almond butter, and apple cider.

Finish them off with a sweet refined-sugar-free dusting of coconut sugar and an apple chip crumble!

Sehr gut!

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Everything Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Safeway. All opinions are 100% my own.

The best roasted pumpkin seeds with sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Use this recipe for any winter squash seeds!

Hey you, how was your Halloween?

Mine didn’t involve any costumes or tricks or treats, but it was a fantastic day all the same.

My book club met in person for the first time since March.

I sat around the bonfire six feet apart from ladies I love and gushed about our October book, Rebecca.

It was a good read; a deeply psychological thriller with just the right amount of spookiness for the changing seasons.

Later that evening I virtually played Among Us with my cousin, sister, and friends.

M and I sipped on Pinot Noir across the table from each other, shielding our phone screens from view as we playfully accused each other of being “the Imposter”.

When it got dark, we adopted a no-contact trick or treating model by placing a platter with a smattering of health foods (not candy, hahah!) on the doorstep.

At midnight half of the nut butter packets and energy bars were gone!

I surmised that either kids are more health conscious than they used to be, or, said kids *thought* the goodies were candy under the glowing street lamps.

And that’s how we influence the younger generation, eh?

I hope I can influence you to try these Everything Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.

This is my favorite way to roast pumpkin seeds with plenty of seasonings, spices, and sea salt.

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Butternut Squash Pie with Almond Flour Crust

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Vegan and gluten-free butternut squash pie with an almond flour crust. Perfect for a fun holiday dessert alternative to pumpkin pie!

Hey, guys!

Tomorrow will officially be two weeks until Thanksgiving Day.

What do you have planned for Thanksgiving?

Ever since the severity and length of the pandemic was obvious, I started to stress about how the holiday season would pan out.

“But what about the holidays?”

The thought loomed in my mind all summer and fall.

As COVID continues to rage on in United States, the fourth Thursday of November will look a little differently for me.

I’ll be zooming my parents and sister to share our Thanksgiving plates instead of sitting across from each other at their dining room table.

But friends, the most wonderful time of the year can still be wonderful.

Let’s create new traditions this year, like this Butternut Squash Pie with Almond Flour Crust.

It’s vegan and gluten-free with a sweet and creamy squash filling and a flaky almond flour based pie crust.

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Refined Sugar-Free

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