Healthy Snacking

Chocolate Avocado Chia Pudding

Chocolate Avocado Chia Pudding with ripe avocado, raw cacao, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. Perfect to prep for a quick snack!

The most exciting news that I have to share is that we *finally* got some furniture for the deck!

One of my goals for this year is to really be able to enjoy our patio space.

I say this every year and then every year it kind of becomes an afterthought of unswept leaves and gardening relics.

But not this year!

I’m envisioning our new patio table and chairs, some herbs and flowers, and of course, lots of plants.

It really is starting to feel like spring here in Maryland, so the spring cleaning itch has set in…hard.

The last two weekends I attended baby showers for two special women, both about to welcome little baby boys into the world this spring.

I can’t wait to meet them and feel so honored already to be a part of their “village”.

While I mother my plants and try not to unearth the house with my spring cleaning, let’s prepare ourselves a sweet snack.

This Chocolate Avocado Chia Pudding is the perfect chilled treat to welcome spring.

It’s make super creamy with avocados and thick with chia seeds.

It tastes like dessert but is packed with plant-based protein, fiber, and healthy fats!

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Red Velvet Protein Shake

By Flora & Vino 4 Comments

Red velvet protein shake with frozen beet, banana, berries and cacao naturally sweetened with Fruit Bliss Organic Deglet Nour Dates.

By now, you might have heard that my big fitness goal for the year is practicing inversions.

I’m following a guided 2-week inversion training plan that I’m doing over, and over, and over.

It focuses on strengthening the muscles and getting the nervous system acquainted with the feeling of being upside down.

Just like we have to learn to walk, we also have to learn to stand on hands!

It’s a lot of planks, push ups, down dogs, kick-ups, and assists from the sliver of wall that doesn’t have any picture frames.

When I finish the practice my shoulders are shaking and my stomach is growling.

So I run to the kitchen and blend up something nourishing that I can enjoy quickly.

This Red Velvet Protein Shake is my latest obsession, and it’s the perfect way to nourish and care for yourself this February and the rest of the year.

This red velvet protein shake is made with frozen beet, banana, berries and cacao naturally sweetened with Fruit Bliss Organic Deglet Nour Dates.

Blend one up for a quick breakfast, snack, or even dessert!

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Cookie Dough Protein Truffles

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Easy Cookie Dough Protein Truffles made with Evo Hemp Cookie Dough Hemp Protein Bars and dark chocolate for a sweet bite packed with protein.

This weekend I cut my hair for the first time in….a while.

And I don’t mean a trim, I mean a *real* haircut.

The kind where your hair stylist chops off inches and holds it up in the mirror for you to gasp in excited horror.

I had been committed to growing out my hair since I had my pixie cut back in 2013.

Sure, I had a few slip ups where I went short instead of long, but for the most part, I’ve been on the “grow out” train for about 10 years.

So it felt so liberating to walk in and show my girl pictures of lobs (long bobs) with a deep side part and say, “Let’s do this!”

The change feels so fresh and fun and I can’t stop reaching for the excess hair like a phantom limb where I used to be able to pull it back into a long pony.

I have a fun new recipe for you to try today.

It’s a bit snacky, a bit dessert-y, and a lot delicious.

It’s a Cookie Dough Protein Truffles, made with my favorite Evo Hemp Cookie Dough Hemp Protein Bars and dark chocolate for a sweet bite packed with protein.

You’re going to love them for a quick pick me up that’s packed with protein and energy and gift-wrapped in chocolate!

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Green Grape Protein Shake

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Green Grape Protein Shake made with banana, frozen grapes, frozen spinach, and creamy avocado. The perfect way to fuel on busy mornings!

Every new year calls for a new green shake, right?

I’m not a big believer in the “detox” mentality that diet culture pushes on us this time of year.

Instead of focusing on how much we can take out of our diet, what if we focused on how much we can add in?

On New Years Day, I woke up tired, happy, and hopeful after a late night spent with friends.

And then I blended up this green grape shake and slurped it down before heading to a yoga intention setting workshop.

This Green Grape Protein Shake is a a fresh take on your favorite green shake.

You’re going to love the combination of banana, frozen grapes, frozen spinach, and creamy avocado for the perfect pairing of nourishing foods.

I hope this Green Grape Protein Shake will show you new ways to incorporate greens, fruit, and protein into your 2023 lifestyle!

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

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SunButter Gingerbread Granola

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

SunButter Gingerbread Granola with oats, nuts, and ginger. Sweetened with maple syrup and molasses. Chunky, ginger-y, and perfect for winter!

Unpopular opinion: I *love* baking, but sometimes struggle to eat all of my baked goods.

M isn’t really a cookie-eater, but he will devour a pan of granola.

So, let’s harness the best of both worlds and make gingerbread into granola this season, okay?

This SunButter Gingerbread Granola is like baking cookies but in breakfast form.

It’s made with rolled oats, nuts, and ginger and sweetened with maple syrup and molasses.

It’s chunky, ginger-y, and the perfect addition to your winter breakfasts!

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20 Vegan “Back to School” Snack Ideas

By Flora & Vino Leave a Comment

20 of my favorite “Back to School” snack ideas that are easy, nutritious, and delicious for kids and adults alike. Sweet and savory selections included!

It’s almost September, which means it’s almost time for school buses to be back in service again.

I shared my “Back to School” nostalgia with M recently, reliving that anticipation of returning to something, new, exciting, and unknown.

Mom always took my sister and me “Back to School” shopping for new clothes and school supplies.

My absolute favorite was picking out pens, paper, and folders, organizing and re-organizing the colors and sizes in my backpack.

Even in adulthood, that feeling of “starting fresh” always hits me when long summer days turn into cool fall mornings and evenings.

I wish I could bottle that sense of newness, momentum, and expectancy in an elixir for bad days.

What are you going back to this fall?

Whether it’s work, school, hobbies, traveling, or workouts, or *yourself*, make sure you pack some healthy snacks along the way.

Today I’m sharing 20 Vegan “Back to School” Snack Ideas as a concise compilation of my favorite snacks!

I made this recipe round up with tiny humans in mind, but adults will love the options, too.

The collection is inspired by eats I had in my lunchbox as a kid, the snacks my mom made me after school, and the snacks I carry with me as a “big kid” today.

They’re all made with simple ingredients, nourishing to eat, and easy to pack in a lunchbox or serve before homework.

Bookmark this collection and come back to it whenever you need some vegan snack inspiration for yourself and your little ones!

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SunButter Yogurt Dip

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SunButter Yogurt Dip made with non-dairy yogurt, Organic SunButter, and a hint of maple and cinnamon. Perfect as a nutritious dip for sliced apples!

This week I take my second course in Lead Climbing at my indoor climbing gym!

Lead climbing is my latest project in my climbing journey.

Instead of having a set anchor point, the climber leads with the rope, clipping the rope into carabiners along the way.

So, basically, the climber sets new anchor points as they climb!

Climbing like this allows for more versatility in the nature of the climbs, and my ultimate goal is to be able to lead outdoors with M.

But first, I’m trying to master all of the new information indoors.

In class, we have to practice catching and taking falls as both belayer and climber.

When my instructor shouted, “Lauren, Fall, Fall, Fall!” I had to just…let go.

It’s a weird thing to intentionally *fall*, and my feet found the wall again before I could really register the falling or the fear.

It also was a very real representation of what I knew to be true: that the worry, anxiety, and dread is often so much worse than the thing itself.

But I do wish that this SunButter Yogurt Dip had caught me for a sweet soft landing.

This light and fluffy dip is made with just 4 ingredients and is the perfect partner to sliced apples for snack time!

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Peanut Butter & Banana Chocolate Chip Chia Pudding

By Flora & Vino 1 Comment

Peanut butter & banana chocolate chip chia pudding that’s naturally sweetened with banana. Perfect to meal prep for breakfast or a snack!

Hi, friends!

This week I officially started my structured marathon training.

Sure, I’ve been running this year with the marathon in mind, but I haven’t been following a *plan*.

And if you know me, you know I *love* a good plan.

So this week after getting back from Germany I started the Nike Marathon training plan.

Initially, it looks scary, but broken down it’s really just 2 shorter runs per week and one longer endurance run.

I’m also excited to try out my new hydration pack and hydration tablets into my training!

Since I’ll be running more, I’m going to need more healthy snacks and meals.

Bananas are wonderful for post-running fuel, so I’ve been enjoying them in fun ways after jogging into my kitchen.

This Peanut Butter & Banana Chocolate Chip Chia Pudding is the latest in my banana bonanza.

This delicious chia pudding is perfect to meal prep for warmer weather!

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Banana Peanut Butter Bites

By Flora & Vino 18 Comments

Banana Peanut Butter Bites made with banana, peanut butter, hemp hearts, and dark chocolate chips. Enjoy them raw or freeze for a sweet chilled snack!

If you’ve been following me for a while you know that I didn’t eat raw bananas for…a while.

Whether it was a real intolerance or not, I’m not sure, but for a while I didn’t feel great post-nana.

So I wrote them off my grocery list and only used them baked into banana bread.

Until recently, I started craving them.

My body really wanted bananas, so I decided to listen.

I split open a banana, slices it into rounds, and dipped it into peanut butter.

It tasted *so* good, friends.

As I stood in the kitchen gobbling up banana bites, I kicked myself for all the banana possibilities I missed out on in the past few years.

Let’s make up for lost time and make these Banana Peanut Butter Bites on repeat, OK?

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Snickerdoodle Oat Bliss Balls

By Flora & Vino 2 Comments

Snickerdoodle Oat Bliss Balls that taste like a snickerdoodle in energy ball form. They’re made with oats, protein powder, nut butter, and lots of cinnamon!

I’m the queen of portable snacks.

And I’m the best traveling companion because not only do I have a bar for you, but one for you, too, boo.

Usually I have a pre-packaged snack bar in every purse pocket, but I’m trying to do better about making some of my own snacks.

Making your own energy balls is great because you can control the ingredients while using less packaging!

These Snickerdoodle Oat Bliss Balls make it easy to love making your own energy balls.

They’re made with 6 ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.

Mix some up this week for a sweet no-bake treat to power all of your summer activities!

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Healthy Snacking

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