Healthy Snacking

Easy Maple Spiced Nuts

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

Simple spiced nuts baked with cinnamon and nutmeg naturally sweetened with coconut sugar and maple syrup. Perfect to bake for a holiday appetizer or gift!

Wait, how is it October?

On my neighborhood walk yesterday, M and I meandered through the neighborhood to check out the Halloween decorations.

There were plenty of pumpkins and on doorsteps and cob webs in windows.

One of the houses near the edge of my complex is *really* into decorating.

Multiple scarecrows, pumpkins, ghosts, and ghouls demanded attention from the lawn and sidewalk, making it impossible to walk by without taking notice.

As hyped decorations as they are, they seem to be equally as disinterested in the clean up.

To the right of the playful Halloween scene lie a heap of Christmas nutcrackers, lights on strings, and fake fir trees.

And it’s been there since last December.

Laugh out loud.

Whether you have your Halloween or Christmas decor on standby or not, the holidays are coming!

So here’s a quick recipe that’s bound to make you feel cozy this fall and winter.

These Easy Maple Spiced Nuts are easy enough to make in 30 minutes for a sweet crunchy snack, dessert, or appetizer.

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SunButter Date Bliss Balls

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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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Fig Newton Breakfast Bars

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

6-ingredient breakfast bars with hearty oats, plant-based protein and fresh figs! Gluten-free, oil-free, and naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup.

Ever since I moved into my townhome as a renter, things have been, well, falling apart.

The first offender was the dishwasher, that, to be honest, never really cleaned dishes very well from the beginning.

Then there was the great dryer debacle of 2020 where, for the span of three months, I hung all of my clothing to dry on a flimsy hang dry rack.

Crunchy towels and jeans are not fun, friends.

The doorbell stopped working after about a month so I’ve grown accustomed to listen intently for persistent knocks.

I’ve also cohabited with a mouse, a swarm of ants, and a lot of web-making spiders.

I joked to my parents on the phone a few weeks back that the only thing that hasn’t gone wrong yet was the AC.

I spoke too soon.

This past Saturday morning I woke up to a stuffy hot home with temperatures on a steady upward incline.

My Nest thermostat didn’t respond to all of my prodding and pushing on the dial so I diagnosed the AC– *gasp*– BROKEN.

Luckily, we’ve had several days in the low 80’s and mid-70’s here in Virginia, making it possible for me to have the windows down and the ceiling fans on.

So the past few days I’ve been limiting my oven use to stay cool.

Luckily, I made Fig Newton Breakfast Bars when the AC was still kicking.

These 6-ingredient breakfast bars are dense, chewy, and naturally sweet with fresh figs and dried fruit!

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Vegan 7-Layer Mexican Dip

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Vegan 7-layer dip with refried beans, guacamole, salsa, cauliflower cashew queso, tomatoes, black olives, and green onion. Serve with grain-free crackers!

Serious question– do you wash your avocados?

Usually I rinse mine (*so* important so bacteria from outside of the avo isn’t transferred inside when slicing), then cut them open with a blade.

Until recently.

The other day my friend taught me an epic way to open avocados.

He grabbed an avocado, and, applying pressure with both hands, split it open like two halves of a coconut.

The creamy green flesh protruded out between two crudely but efficiently torn halves he presented in his hands like an offering.

I stared, dumbfounded.

If you could open avocados without using a knife, what other shortcuts have I missed in the kitchen?

This Vegan 7-Layer Mexican Dip might leave your mouth hanging open, too.

It’s easily assembled for a quick appetizer with seven plant-based layers that are prime for dipping and snacking!

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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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Mango Sticky Rice Dessert Sushi

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

Dessert sushi twist on mango sticky rice! Nori sushi wraps stuffed with sweet coconut rice and fresh sliced mango. Serve with optional date syrup!

Are you accident prone?

The statement “I am” is an understatement when it comes to me.

A few weeks ago a pasta jar fell from my pantry and hit me squarely on the lip.

I was trying to grab a bag of shredded coconut from the top shelf and the pasta sauce was, well, in the way.

Luckily, after a quick icing the swelling went down and I was left with little more than a mark.

Then, yesterday, after months of haphazardly hanging my pots and pans on the hooks in my kitchen, a pan fell on my head.

Yeah, OK, it’s a little funny.

But let me tell you, it wasn’t funny yesterday when one of my Green Pans collided with my temple at an alarming speed.

I’m taking it upon myself to child-proof my kitchen this weekend and remove some of these work place hazards.

So until then, let’s try to avoid the kitchen catastrophes and make some dessert sushi, OK?

These Mango Sticky Rice Dessert Sushi are stuffed with sweet coconut rice and fresh sliced mango serves with fresh mint and date syrup!

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Raw Carrot Hummus

By Flora & Vino 6 Comments

Easy bright carrot hummus made oil-free and super creamy with tahini, lemon, and and seasonings. Perfect to make in advance to upgrade your snacking!

As I type this my fingers are smarting.

Last night I dusted off my guitar for the first time since I moved to see if I still remembered how to play.

If you live next door to me, I sincerely apologize, because you might have heard me strumming and belting out Wonderwall at something close to 11 PM.

Oops.

I kind of forgot how much volume my acoustic guitar has.

The good news is that, yes, I do, in fact, remember how to make chords with my left hand and hold a pick in the right.

The bad news is that my fingertips do not remember the callouses that cushioned them back when I used to play with regularity.

So my fingers are pretty darn sore today, which I’m reminded of every time I press them into my MacBook Pro keyboard.

Luckily, it’s only my left hand, because my right hand is ready for snack time.

I’m excited to share this colorful new cracker and dip combo to make your snacking both pretty and delicious.

This Raw Carrot Hummus is ready in less than 10 minutes for easy snacking that’s raw, oil-free, and packed with nutrients!

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Dark Chocolate Blueberry Macaroons

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

No-bake vegan macaroons made with blueberries, shredded coconut, and dark chocolate. Ready in under an hour for a quick and clean dessert!

Earlier this year, before COVID-19 rocked the globe, I decided that this was going to be the year I was going to get back into live music.

I booked five concerts spread across the calendar with friends who shared my musical taste.

When the pandemic changed life as we know it, the cancellations slowly started to trickle into my email inbox.

So much for the year of concerts, I thought.

I have recently, though, rediscovered my love of listening to music.

Like, *really* listening.

Lately, I’ve been putting on an album in my living room and listening in a way I haven’t done since I got my first Backstreet Boys CD back in the day.

You know, really absorbing the lyrics and the melody and feeling it run through you from finger tips to toe tips.

The same way one devours Dark Chocolate Blueberry Macaroons.

You just need 6-ingredients to make these Dark Chocolate Blueberry Macaroons that are packed with blueberries, coconut, and dark chocolate!

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Baked Tempeh Tots

By Flora & Vino 6 Comments

Baked tempeh tots seasoned with rosemary, thyme, and nutritional yeast with an almond flour breading. Perfect for a protein packed snack!

Do you guys own bikes?

I’ve been wanting to get one for years now but never seem to tuck away the money for it.

During quarantine, outdoor biking became a favorite activity in my social circles.

It’s the perfect way to experience the outdoors, social distance, and get some exercise, too.

So it occurred to me this past weekend that while I don’t have a new bike, I *do* have a bike.

The purple bike sitting in my parents’ garage that I last rode when I was 16.

So I called my parents and asked for my bright bike back, pretty please.

Last weekend my parents dropped off the bike at my place and ever since then I’ve been pedaling around my neighborhood, feeling buoyant and carefree.

These Baked Tempeh Tots also made me feel gleeful and childlike this week.

They’re an easy savory snack that’s packed with plant-based protein!

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PB&J Baked Breakfast Bars

By Flora & Vino 8 Comments

Six ingredient peanut butter & jelly breakfast bars that are naturally oil-free, gluten-free, and sweetened with dates and maple syrup.

Show of hands: Who still eats Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches?

You are my kind of people.

I’ve been on a major PB&J kick lately and I’m not even trying to hide it.

Peanut butter and berry combos have been popping up all over my Instagram feed more often than it popped up in my brownbag lunch as a kid.

In my adult life, I like to think I’ve gotten a little more creative about how I consume the classic combo.

These PB&J Baked Breakfast Bars require only 6 ingredients to make the most delicious breakfast or snack that’s bursting with peanut butter and berries!

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Easy Maple Spiced Nuts

SunButter Date Bliss Balls

Fig Newton Breakfast Bars

Vegan 7-Layer Mexican Dip

Hummus Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Mango Sticky Rice Dessert Sushi

Raw Carrot Hummus

Dark Chocolate Blueberry Macaroons

Baked Tempeh Tots

PB&J Baked Breakfast Bars

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