Refined Sugar-Free

Berry Baked Oatmeal

Berry Baked Oatmeal made totally oil-free, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free. Meal prep a pan and reheat for an easy breakfast!

How do you structure and measure your days, friends?

Every morning before jumping into work I make a list of my top three priorities for the day.

These “impact tasks”, we’ll call them, are the things that I know move life forward even if absolutely *nothing* else gets done.

I am what I’ve heard referred to as a time optimist, which sounds like a positive thing but is actually kind of a curse.

I *always* think I can do more in 24 hours than is actually humanly possible.

So, lately I’ve been working on lowering my expectations for myself.

And choosing impact tasks that are meaningful but not necessarily ground-breaking and grueling.

Sometimes something as simple as calling a friend back or finding time for a 60 minute yoga class drastically shifts my perspective and trajectory of the day.

Or meal prepping a delicious baked oatmeal for the week!

This Berry Baked Oatmeal is sure to meet all of your breakfast expectations.

And, yes, you should probably add it to your top three impact tasks of the day.

It’s made in less than an hour for a naturally sweet breakfast that’s popping with berries, oatmeal, and nuts, for a nutritious start to your day.

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Chocolate Almond Butter Granola

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Chocolate almond butter granola with oats, nuts, and cacao. Sweetened with maple syrup and plenty of chocolate chunks.

There’s a running joke in my house that if something doesn’t have chocolate in it, it won’t get eaten.

Which is partially true.

The banana bread loaves that come out of the oven clustered with chocolate chunks definitely goes faster than those that don’t sport dark chocolate spots.

Then there’s my favorite store bought Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola which is absolutely delicious and *highly* addictive.

You’ve been warned.

Naturally I grab for the big granola hunks with the chocolate chips, first, because those are the best.

Wouldn’t you?

Well, last week, M peered into the resealable ‘nola bag and asked deadpan if I had eaten all of the chocolate out of the granola mix *again*.

Er, guilty.

Since then, we’ve established that said granola is mine to do as I please.

Which means eating all of the chocolate first, because there’s no wrong way to eat a bag of granola.

Can I get a witness?

Naturally I wanted to try to recreate a highly addictive granola of my own, but make it oil-free with as much dark chocolate as I want.

This Chocolate Almond Butter Granola is so good, I might even save a bit for you.

Let’s bake some homemade granola!

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Sweet Potato Spice Granola

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

This post is brought to you by Safeway, but all words and eats are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me hungry!

Sweet potato spice granola made oil-free with creamy almond butter and lightly sweetened with maple syrup. Gluten-free with a grain-free option!

Last weekend I embarked on an epic bike ride to the store on the purple bike I’ve had since I was 16.

Without many pandemic plans, we decided it would be quite an adventure to bike to pick up our essentials instead of driving.

It sounded easy enough; bike there and back with purchased items in tow.

So naturally, I shrugged off the idea of bringing water or snacks or anything sensible like that.

And then what started out as what Google maps projected to be a 29 minutes bike ride turned into a 2+ hour workout there and back.

I didn’t really realize this, guys, but there are virtually no bike paths on the route I took.

Instead, we were forced to navigate through neighborhoods, sidewalks, and the dreaded main road, where aggressive drivers honked and sped around us like our two wheels had personally offended them.

“This is the most action my bike has seen in over a decade,” I huffed and puffed, pedaling in the rear.

We rode over hard over grass, gravel, asphalt, and cement.

And then there was that lovely muddy patch that back-splashed all over my bare calves.

Sexy.

When we finally made it to the store for item pick up, I ended up dashing inside for a bottle of water and a power bar.

I wish I’d had a bag of homemade granola with me.

Like this Sweet Potato Spice Granola that’s simple and sweet, made gluten-free with hearty oats and nuts and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and sweet potato!

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Apple Butter Oatmeal Cookies

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Oatmeal cookies with gluten-free oatmeal and no-sugar-added apple butter! Perfect for a healthy fall-inspired breakfast, snack, or dessert.

Are you guys in your September routine yet?

Lately I’ve been struggling with feeling like I should be getting back to Fall routines that no longer exist.

Kind of like that weird back to school feeling post-graduation, where there is no class to go back to.

So, what are we coming back to?

Well, I’m honestly not sure.

There are some consistencies, like the weather getting cooler, the seasonal produce, the leaves beginning to change color.

But so much has changed, like my family hosting the holidays virtually, kids being homeschooled, and voting by mail.

Maybe it’s time to make new routines, guys.

I made these Apple Butter Oatmeal Cookies that could become a part of your new fall routine.

These delicious cookies are packed with hearty oats and naturally sweetened with apple butter!

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SunButter Date Bliss Balls

By Flora & Vino 7 Comments

4-ingredient no bake energy balls made with sunflower seed butter and dates! Naturally sweetened and perfect for meal prep snacking!

Tomorrow is the day.

I’m going outdoor climbing for the first time!

Last night I practiced how to tie myself into the harness and belay over and over and over again.

My figure eight knot is looking a lot more recognizable as an 8 instead of a mess of twisted rope and my stopper knot actually stops.

Also, we had a pretty solid makeshift anchor situation going, guys.

The rope looped around the stairway banister and cascaded down the steps to the basement.

As I ascended steps, I practiced the motion of belaying.

We’re packing the car tonight with the supplies and gear and FOOD.

Wait, you *knew* I would come to the crag prepared with snacks.

These SunButter Date Bliss Balls are so easy to roll out for your adventuring with just 4-ingredients.

Whether you’re adventuring tomorrow or not, make these for a quick snack packed with plant-based energy!

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Blueberry Mousse Brownies

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Two layer vegan blueberry mousse brownies that are vegan, grain-free, and refined sugar-free with almonds, dark chocolate, and cashew blueberry cream.

Guys, I’m planning an outdoor climbing adventure.

Want to come?

Now, before you go all Alex Honnold from Free Solo on me, let me tell you it’s not going to be that precarious.

I might have mentioned before how much I enjoy indoor climbing.

There’s something about hoisting myself from colorful hold to hold, vertically pressed against the incline that gets my heart thumping and my mind engaged.

But doing it all outdoors is a whole new world.

Or at least, I’m sure it is.

I haven’t made it that far yet, but I have all of the gear!

I’ve got my teal harness and my form fitting climbing shoes and my carabiner (which is *way* too fun to say, by the way) all ready for the climb.

Now I’m just waiting for the summer heat to die down before hitting the rock.

Until then, the only thing that I really want to climb right now are the layers on these Blueberry Mousse Brownies.

They’re made vegan, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free with decadent dark chocolate and a creamy cashew blueberry mousse.

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Pineapple Turmeric Tahini Shake

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Anti-inflammatory shake made with frozen banana, pineapple, turmeric, and a tahini twist. Perfect for a post-workout shake or quick and bright breakfast!

Yesterday I had my first “real” shopping experience since before quarantine where I returned stuff I’d been holding onto over the past few months.

The items in question hung from sloppy shopping bags on my coat rack casting shadows that loomed large after the sun went down.

A pair of Madewell shorts and romper that didn’t quite fit right, hiking gear from REI, and a trashcan from Target.

Cool stuff, bro.

Anyway, navigating the stores amidst and pandemic was a lot easier than I expected.

Mask, hand sanitizer, receipts, merchandise, check, check, check.

I even tried on new climbing shoes at REI, balancing my toe tips on the edge of the shelving to ensure a proper fit.

And I bought toothpaste at Target– in real life.

Woah.

It was strange and surreal to navigate town centers and shops in a totally normal but totally changed way.

And it made me miss all of the times I had returned items in the past, grumbling and impatient at the inconvenience.

Because to be honest, my return item spree is the most excitement my wallet and I have seen in quite some time.

Well, aside from this Pineapple Turmeric Tahini Shake.

It’s bright, cheery, and sweet while being packed with anti-inflammatory foods and an optional boost of protein!

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Paleo Chocolate Chip Waffles

By Flora & Vino 6 Comments

Paleo chocolate chip waffles made with almond flour, cacao powder, canned coconut milk, and dark chocolate chunks. Serve with maple syrup for breakfast!

I’ve always been what I like to call “sleep in defective”.

In high school I would wait impatiently on the weekends for my boyfriend and friends to wake up.

I was itching to text them before noon, knowing full well I wouldn’t receive a response until lunchtime or past.

As an adult, the early morning trend continued and serves me well to keep me in my professional workweek routine.

The consistency of the workweek cascades into the weekend so I pretty much always wake up at the same time.

Even when I’m (occasionally) out until the wee hours of the morning, I wake up before my iPhone reads 8:00 AM in glowing white light.

So imagine my surprise when this week I woke up one day at 9 AM!

Yes, I know, I was shocked, too, and did a double and triple take on the time.

Lately I’ve been leaning into stolen hours of sleep, lazy mornings, and sweet languid breakfasts.

I have the perfect sweet breakfast for you to make on a lazy morning.

These Paleo Chocolate Chip Waffles are made with almond flour, cacao powder, and plenty of dark chocolate chunks for a fun breakfast.

Whether you sleep in until noon or catch the sunrise, these waffles are easy to make to sweeten your AM!

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Vegan Peach Galette

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Easy rustic peach galette that’s vegan, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free. Serve with a scoop of vegan ice cream for an easy summer plant-based dessert!

Hi, guys.

How was your week?

I’ve been fighting a major case of writer’s block that’s got locked three recipes in the cue without an accompanying intro.

But it’s selfish to keep all of that deliciousness to myself just because I’m tongue-tied, right?

So I’m going to release them, starting with this Vegan Peach Galette.

Because I’m pretty sure we’ll all have a lot more to say after dessert, right?

This galette is sweet with ripe baked peaches and a gluten-free vegan crust.

You’re only SEVEN ingredients away from making the vegan and gluten-free galette of your dreams!

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Hummus Stuffed Zucchini Boats

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Zucchini boats baked with all of the Greek fixings like hummus, tomato, olives, red onion, and pine nuts. Try them for a light snack, meal, or appetizer.

Friends!

It’s true that the hardest part of doing something is starting.

I ran this morning for the first time in over a month.

After lacing up my Brooks running shoes I did three invigorating laps around the paths just beyond my neighborhood.

The pavement felt like it was propelling me forward each time it connect with the sole of my cushioned shoe and my iPhone felt weightless in my hand despite the fact that I left my running belt at home.

Kind of like this post, that for whatever reason, I felt like procrastinating.

Writing about food isn’t always as much fun as eating it, you know?

Unless it’s a stuffed vegetable, which, if you’ve been following me for a while, you know is my forte.

These Hummus Stuffed Zucchini Boats are the best way to use that summer zucchini hiding in the bottom drawers of your refrigerator.

Grab a zucchini and let’s make a zucchini boats!

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