Flora & Vino

Sweets & Treats

Vegan “Cookie Corners” (Nussecken)

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Vegan “cookie corners” (Nussecken)! These tasty triangles are made with oat and almond flour, SunButter, jam, hazelnuts, and dark chocolate.

Vegan "Cookie Corners" (Nussecken) by Flora & Vino

Today I’m sharing a recipe with you inspired by my European travels!

M’s mom is kind of famous in their area in Germany for her Nussecken.

And with good reason, because they’re kind of amazing. 

This delicious German dessert is made with a nougat base, jammy center, and sweet hazelnut topping. 

After baking you cut layers into triangles and dip the corners in melted chocolate. 

Nussecken directly translates from German to “Nut Corners”, but I’ve also seen them called “Cookie Corners”.

I thought Cookie Corners sounded cuter, so let’s go with that naming convention. 

You’re going to love my Vegan “Cookie Corners” (Nussecken) that are also gluten-free and refined-sugar-free! 

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Vegan Ice Cream Recipe Round Up

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The frozen plant-based treats you need to cool down this summer. A collection of vegan no-churn ice creams, popsicles, and dessert recipes from the freezer!

Unpopular opinion: Vanilla ice cream is always the best. 

Hear me out; that’s because a good vanilla ice cream is the best base for *anything*. 

You can add anything to a vanilla ice cream and it will be an amazing new creation. 

During my last week in Germany, I hit the vegan ice cream jackpot. 

We did our grocery shopping at a shop that had soy, coconut, and almond-based vegan ice creams. 

Naturally, I had to get one pint of each…for international product research, obviously. 

On our last night, we sat around the kitchen table with M’s little brother, dipping into the ice cream cartons with a spoon, tasting chocolate and vanilla and then chocolate again. 

M is always a chocolate ice cream lover, but I’m consistent with my vanilla love.

Surprisingly enough, I don’t have a classic vanilla recipe for you on the blog. 

I do, however, have a collection of vegan ice cream, sorbet, and popsicle recipes to share with you today!

All of these ice cream recipes are made without an ice cream maker or any fancy equipment.

This Vegan Ice Cream Recipe Round Up is full of frozen plant-based treats you need to cool down this summer!

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Chocolate Tahini Banana Pops

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Chocolate tahini banana pops are the vegan treat you need this summer! Frozen bananas drizzled in tahini and dark chocolate and rolled in nuts.

  Chocolate Tahini Banana Pops by Flora & Vino

I swear, something magical happens to bananas when they freeze. 

If you’re joining in on my current banana craze, then you’re going to love this week’s recipe. 

Did you eat Nestle’s Drumsticks growing up? 

Because that’s what these Chocolate Tahini Banana Pops remind me of. 

They sit somewhere deliciously between an ice cream cone, fudgsicle, and popsicle. 

I took halved bananas, froze them, covered them in tahini and melted chocolate, then rolled them in nuts.

This frozen treat is perfect for a sweet snack or healthy dessert. 

Ready to make some banana pops?!

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Easy No-Bake Dessert Ideas

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A collection of no-bake dessert ideas that are perfect to make when it’s too for the oven. Included are cookies, bars, cups, truffles, brownies, and more.

Easy No-Bake Dessert Ideas by Flora & Vino

In Germany it’s really common to not have air conditioning at home.

So for the majority of my stay in Europe I went without the whir of the AC unit. 

I was nervous at first, imagining sweat-soaked clothes and fanning myself incessantly with anything accessible.

But it wasn’t like that at all. 

Honestly, I didn’t really miss it. 

There was a beautiful breeze during the day with the windows open, and I got used to running around the house in shorts and a tank top. 

In the evenings and early mornings I even had to throw on some layers because the temperature cooled down without the sun. 

Except this ONE night that the kitchen got *really* hot. 

Mostly because on this particular evening I decided to turn on the oven and do a lot of meal prep. 

Sitting around the kitchen table in a sticky hot haze, I thought to myself, lesson learned. 

So, maybe don’t do that. 

Maybe make some of these Easy No-Bake Dessert Ideas instead!

We’re in the depths of summer so I thought it was a great time to share some of my favorite dessert recipes that, you guessed it, don’t require *any* baking! 

Included in this post are no-bake cookies, bars, cups, pies & tarts, truffles & macaroons, brownies & fudge, stuffed & dipped desserts, and spoonable desserts. 

There’s something for everyone in this collection so bookmark this post and reference it whenever you’re too (insert: hot, lazy, tired?) to bake!

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Vegan Cosmic Brownies

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Vegan cosmic brownies made with almond flour and sweetened with coconut sugar. Top them with Chocolate SunButter and sprinkles for a fun dessert!

Vegan Cosmic Brownies by Flora & Vino

This holiday weekend I set a PR for most shooting stars seen in one evening. 

On Memorial Day, M and I drove to the Shenandoah to see the Tau Herculids Meteor Shower.

We chose the Shenandoah because it’s low in light pollution with dark skies and great views, so it’s perfect for star gazing. 

I yawned and grumbled getting there, but once I was cozied up in my camp chair with blankets surrounded by the glittering night, I was happy to be there. 

Around 1 AM we watched stars streak across the sky while M took photos, hoping to catch a beautiful bright arch across the frame. 

It’s always humbling to stare up at the night sky, feeling so incredibly small compared to those fire balls whizzing through space. 

I can’t share the cosmos with you, but I can share some cosmic brownies with you that are pretty out of this world. 

These Vegan Cosmic Brownies are made with almond flour and topped with Chocolate SunButter and dotted with sprinkles for a fun dessert!

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Snickerdoodle Oat Bliss Balls

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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!

Snickerdoodle Oat Bliss Balls by Flora & Vino

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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Chocolate Tahini No-Bake Cookies

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Ditch the oven and make chocolate tahini no bake cookies with tahini, oats, and cacao, sweetened with maple syrup. Perfect for a quick dessert or snack!

Chocolate Tahini No-Bake Cookies by Flora & Vino

This past weekend M and I went on an adventure in downtown DC. 

We explored Union Market, and a few museums off of the Smithsonian metro stop. 

It was my first time *really* visiting the city since Covid; public transportation, crowds, and all. 

There’s something so satisfying about getting yourself from point A to point B without the use of a car. 

We navigated the bus system and metro all the way from our house to the National Mall in Washington, DC!

It was a good day, averaging at 20,000 steps, a camera reel full of museum relics, and a full Smart Trip card. 

There’s something equally satisfying about making cookies on the stovetop without the use of the oven. 

Especially in the summer time when the days are long and the oven is hot and tired. 

These Chocolate Tahini No Bake Cookies are made with tahini, oats, and cacao, naturally sweetened with maple syrup.

They’re perfect for a quick and nutritious dessert or snack!

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Dark Chocolate Raspberry Blondies

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These dark chocolate raspberry blondies are made with white beans! Bursting with fresh raspberries and dark chocolate chips. Perfect for a sweet treat. 

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Blondies by Flora & Vino

This week it felt hard to leave my house. 

Let’s be honest, it’s *so* much easier to stay home in sweatpants with my hair in a messy bun. 

I’ve always been a bit of a home body, but the pandemic only reaffirmed the fact that my home is my sanctuary, my happy place, my safe space. 

In my house, I’m completely in control.

I can work from home, workout from home, and dine from home, creating a menu and a routine and a rhythm. 

But this week when I had the opportunity to try out a new yoga studio space, I mixed things up. 

Although I felt a huge resistance to getting in the car and getting there, I’m so glad that I mustered up the courage and willpower to close the door and GO. 

As I settled into down dog, breathing with 12 yogis in a collective courageous attempt to make space for ourselves during our crazy day, I was content. 

*This* could be my new happy place, I thought. 

So, I challenge you to make some time for yourself today, whenever you’re ready this post. 

Do something different, something new, something that makes you a bit nervous. 

<…insert awkward foodie transition…>

Why don’t you make Dark Chocolate Raspberry Blondies?! 

You’re not going to believe that these dark chocolate raspberry blondies are made with…white beans!

They’re bursting with fresh berries and melty dark chocolate chips for the sweet treat you won’t know you needed until you TRY IT. 

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Chocolate Strawberry Covered Dates

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Chocolate strawberry covered dates made with Medjool dates, nut butter, dark chocolate, and grain-free granola. Perfect for a quick no-bake dessert! 

Chocolate Strawberry Covered Dates by Flora & Vino

Easter *really* snuck up on me this year, friends. 

I kept accidentally trying to plan things for Easter Sunday, desperately wanting to fill that empty block in my iPhone calendar.

Hiking? Brunch? Winery? 

To which my friends gently responded in text reading, “You know Sunday is Easter…”

Er, I knew that. 

I don’t usually have *big* plans on Easter, anyway– usually I settle for a big spring cleaning ish followed by a nice dinner.

Whether you’re entertaining or just hanging out, I made you a new plant-based dessert that would make even the Easter bunny envious. 

If you’re looking for a quick and easy Easter recipe that *isn’t* a chocolate peanut butter egg, try stuffing dates! 

These Chocolate Strawberry Covered Dates are made with just 4-ingredients in less than 15 minutes! 

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Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins

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Protein-packed vegan muffins made with banana, walnuts, dark chocolate chips, and a scoop of plant-based protein. Perfect for breakfast, snack, and dessert! 

Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins by Flora & Vino

Hi, friends, and happy 2022.

How is your new year treating you? 

It’s been a while since I last posted, and I missed you!

I had the unique opportunity to travel to Germany over the holiday and new year to meet M’s family and friends. 

Those four weeks abroad were the longest I’ve ever taken away from a job, from my business, or, from, well, anything! 

Germany was beautiful and historic and welcoming and I loved getting to know M’s favorites and identifying my own in Europe for the first time. 

After a month it felt like home; a cozy slice of the earth that was hard to leave. 

I’m forever grateful for the special people and beautiful places I connected with there. 

I teared up in the airplane on the way back, wondering how many more people and places could also become home if given the chance. 

But for now, I’m back home, which for me is in my condo in Maryland. 

I’m finally fully recovered from jet lag (which is *no* joke, by the way!), and craving all of the plants. 

These Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins were my first post-vacation creation! 

They’re vegan, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free without any added oils and a boost of plant-based protein.

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