quinoa

Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

spicy chickpea stew w/ quinoa pilaf + a giveaway! /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

back a few years ago, when my gluten and dairy intolerances came to a head, i remember feeling that there was such a lack of information about food, its importance, how big of a role it plays in just about everything imaginable, and what a person with gluten and dairy intolerance eat?!  like any student who was working a full-time job as well, i turned to the internet, because even though i was on a campus with a library, i had zero time to be in it.  i began following heidi's blog, and then sara's blogs for cooking inspiration, and from there i found laura's gorgeous space and was immediately aware that there was a whole world of amazing people sharing their food journeys through writing and photos.  i then stumbled onto amy's blog, coconut & quinoa (which is now titled amy chaplin), furthering my appreciation for wholesome food, and educating me on what nourishment, in its basic form, is.  

back in my school days, i would make a big old pot of veggie chili on sunday nights, so that way i could have leftovers for lunch or dinner for the week.  it was a big pot of any kind of squash, onions, garlic, herbs + spices, carrots - whatever the season was offering at the time.  in it went into a large soup pot, mixed with crushed san marzano tomatoes, and usually topped off with some variety of rice.  so when i opened amy's stunningly gorgeous book, i knew i wanted to make her variation of a personal fave.  she, not surprisingly, introduced me to a few knew top-notch ideas (chopping up and using parsley stems! nothing goes to waste!), and new-to-me techniques (roll cutting the carrots to make beautiful shapes instead of my usual slice).  there were also so many lovely items to compliment the dish, including the addition of harrisa paste, a qunioa pilaf, and labneh (for all you dairy eaters out there!); making it a super stand-up meal.  each and every one of amy's recipes is beautifully amplified by a large array of seasonal produce, taking you from one season to the next, all with such ease.  

and this post wouldn't be complete without a bit of a shoutout to halloween!  

  • what i'd love to dress our dog as this year!
  • this extremely rad nod to halloween.  all i have to say is: batman pumpkin!
  • the past 3 years halloween has either been a crazy snow/ice storm, a superstorm sandy evacuation, and then last year we were in europe. so this year, we plan on sitting back watching one of our favorites to celebrate 
  • and perhaps to go along with said favorite movie, i'll make a variation of these homemade peanut butter cups!
  • and, my brother is a super talented illustrator, each october he participates in something called Inktober, where he (and other artists) ink an illustration a day, for the entire month.  just thought i would share, since i think they're pretty super!

*TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY* of Amy Chaplin's At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen: please leave a comment (with your name and email) about your favorite go-to meal that lasts for the week!  contest ends at 6pm on tuesday, november 4th.  (sorry, open to US residents only.)  have a great halloween!  :) xo

spicy chickpea stew and quinoa pilaf w/ golden raisins + almonds 

from At Home In The Whole Food Kitchen by Amy Chaplin

here, amy uses butternut squash and i indicate that below in the ingredient list, however, i chose to use delicata squash (just a personal preference),  if using delicata, proceed with the same preparation as the butternut squash, except for peeling the skin.  

| serves 6 |

ingredients

  • 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in 3/4-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 2 medium onions
  • 8 large garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley stems
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted ground cumin (ground cumin if you don't have cumin seeds)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 3 medium carrots, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup chickpea cooking liquid, or filtered water
  • 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 3-4 teaspoons harissa, or to taste
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley, plus more to garnish

quinoa pilaf

  • 1 1/2 cups quinoa, washed and soaked 12-24 hours in 4 cups filtered water (optional)
  • 1 3/4 cups filtered water
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/3 cup unsulfered golden raisins ( i used dried currants because it's what i had on hand)
  • 1/3 cup toasted almonds, chopped
spicy chickpea stew w/ quinoa pilaf | dolly and oatmeal

instructions

  • preheat oven to 400°.  line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and add squash.  add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pink of pepper, and toss well.  spread out over single layer and roast for 30 minutes.  stir, and continue roasting for another 10-15 minutes or until browning and cooked through.  remove from oven and set aside
  • warm remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  add onions, saute for 5 minutes or until golden. stir in garlic and cook for 3 minutes more.  add parsley stems, cumin, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  stir in carrots and 1 cup chickpea cooking water (or water), and bring to a boil over high heat.  cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10-12 minutes.  add chickpeas and crushed tomatoes, then stir in harissa paste, chopped parsley leaves, and roasted squash; simmer uncovered for another few minutes to allow flavors to meld
  • season to taste and serve warm

quinoa pilaf

  • rinse and drain quinoa.  Place in a 2-quart pot and add filtered water, salt, and raisins.  bring to a boil over high heat.  cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed.  remove from heat, and let sit for 5 to10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.  add almonds and mix gently to combine.  serve warm  

herb-roasted veggie bowl w/ a tahini-kale sauce /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

this time of year is always the longest.  once we make that turn after the holidays and then new year's, it seems time moves at the pace of a snail.  january was kind of brutal with all the snow and polar vortex action. so i'm trying to be more optimistic about february given that it's the shortest month that we've got all year.  

but it's easy to be optimistic when you've got a new little hairy dude in your life.  a few days ago me and my husband adopted a 10-month old chihuahua mix and we named him quint!  quint basically because it's a rad name, but also for all you Jaws fans out there, Capt. Quint.  the character is near and dear to mine and frank's heart, plus he's a total badass and doesn't take any crap.  we're already seeing some of those traits in our quint, but he also possesses a really loving personality, with an super cute underbite that shows off his pearly whites.  his favorite things include: sleeping on our laps at ALL times, curling up in little balls, eating peanut butter cookies, snuggling and giving lots of kisses. all-in-all he's a very sweet dream.  i'm already dreaming up of all the homemade doggy treats to make! any links or suggestions are super duper welcome!

back to seasons, months of the year and food...i've been dreaming of spring and its bounty of green. green pestos, green salads, and big, fresh veggie bowls.  while we all wait for that day to come, i offer you this equally as tasty roasted veggie bowl.  these are my absolute favorite vegetables to roast together, i make them at least once or twice a week.  this time, i decided to switch it up and throw them in a big vessel of a bowl and top it off with some garlicky kale tahini. it's totally a super easy dish, that nourishes me all week long, especially in the doldrums of winter. 

*head over to One Part Plant where i'm talking a lot about TAHINI!

herb roasted veggie bowl w/ a kale-tahini sauce

| gluten free + vegan |

serves 4 as a meal, serves 6 as a side

inspired by Bon Appetit's Food Lover's Cleanse - both here and here

ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked
  • 2 large or 3 small yams (or sweet potatoes), halved and sliced into half moons
  • 3 carrots, diced about 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 vidalia onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 2 handfuls shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 7-8 brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
  • 4 rosemary sprigs
  • 1/2 cup parsley, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon medium grain sea salt
  • a good coating of olive oil (about 1 1/2-2 tablespoons)

kale-tahini sauce

  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 2/3 cup cold water
  • 2 large kale leaves, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

instructions

make the tahini sauce

  • in a medium-sized saucepan of boiling water, cook kale until wilted - about 35-45 seconds. with a slotted spoon, transfer kale to a boil of ice water; let cool and drain.  squeeze excess water out and place in the bowl of a food processor
  • add the tahini, water, lemon, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes.  blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl until you have reached desired consistency.  (for a more fluid, runnier sauce add more water).  place in the refrigerator until ready to use 

veggie bowl

  • rinse the quinoa and place in saucepan with 1 3/4 cups of water.  bring to boil, stir, and cover the pot; turn heat to low and cook 10-15 minutes.  remove from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.  transfer to a large bowl
  • preheat the oven to 375° and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper 
  • combine yams, carrots, onions and mushrooms in a large bowl, add the olive oil, mix and evenly to coat the veggies.  add the salt, paprika, parsley and rosemary; mix.  in a small bowl combine the brussels sprouts with olive oil to coat and a sprinkle of salt and paprika, set aside.  divide the vegetables and herbs between the two baking sheets and bake for 40-55 minutes - in the last 15 minutes add the brussels sprouts and roast for remainder of cooking time
  • add the roasted vegetables to the large bowl and combine with the quinoa.  serve in individual portions with the tahini sauce

enjoy!

mung bean - leek burgers w/ shiso + chili mayo /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

mung bean - leek burgers | dolly and oatmeal

over the weekend i was fortunate enough to attend a discussion (with my mom - total bonus!) between Alice Waters and Dan Barber at Blue Hill at Stone Barns.  (by chance we also witnessed the annual turkey herding at farm, so cute!) it was a really awesome night where there was some pertinent discourse on where food is going; the role of farms, of chefs, of home cooks, of teachers, of students, and importantly us as individuals and our own personal connections to food we buy, cook and eat. these are some of the things that Alice and Dan challenged the audience to be mindful of.  in a time where everything is instantaneously at our fingertips, i think we sometimes lose sight of what's going on in front of us; that we have choices in our connection and relationship with food.  

another part of the conversation focussed on the large percentage of people in the country, and the world, who are food insecure.  the people that don't have the money or resources to buy "local" or to drive to a local farm market.  the people who have no option but to buy the the over-processed, and nutrition-less items at the grocery store, or their local bodega.  both Alice and Dan are supporters of food education; immersing young students in the garden and showing them where food, nutrients, and energy come from.  as a teacher who has worked with students in low socioeconomic areas in new york city, it was inspiring to hear a real discussion between 2 people to whom i look up to, talk about topics that are not so readily discussed.  among other thought provoking topics, Dan Barber announced that he just finished writing his first cookbook (yay!), and Alice Waters spoke about how she was recently introduced to homemade oat flour!  that's right blogger friends, Alice Waters didn't know that pulsing rolled oats in a food processor gives you oat flour!  even Alice learns something new everyday :)

talk about learning something new everyday, i had no idea mung beans didn't require soaking! which made this (somewhat) laborious recipe a bit easier and less time consuming.  i don't know about you, but i never remember to soak my beans, lentils, what have you, so this non-soaking step was super! i have to say, i really love this burger's texture and consistency.  oftentimes i look past the veggie burger option on the menu because i find that they all have a similar mushiness, most times contain way too much sodium and always consist of the same vegetables.  call me partial, but these here burgers did the trick for me!  the mung beans lent their own subtly sweet flavor (plus mung beans are super easy to digest!), i found that the mildness of the leeks really came through for some great flavor as well.  however, the shiso is really the star here.  normally found at the farmers' market in the spring, i chose to incorporate it here because of the flavors i was trying to recreate from a restaurant i visited in Berlin.   in my Berlin roundup i mentioned the restaurant, Shiso Burger as one to check out if you ever found yourself there.  me and the husband found ourselves ordering 3 different types of burgers just to get a good flavor for what they had going on over there.  seriously awesome stuff, i can't wait to go back some day.  in the meantime, these veg burgers will keep my mind and mouth occupied with some lovely flavorful notes.  

mung bean - leek burgers w/ shiso + chili mayo | v + gf 

| makes 10 2 1/2" burgers |

shiso or perilla, can be found this time of year at groceries dedicated to asian cuisine.  if you're located in the city, i found my shiso at Sunrise Mart near Astor Place.  additionally, you can substitute the shiso for thai basil - not exactly the same flavor but close enough.  i provide a recipe for gluten/grain free buns (which were really good!), but feel free to use what you like, these burgers will taste good with just about anything!  

ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried mung beans
  • 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 3 large leeks, rinsed and sliced (scant 1 cup)
  • 3 small or 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 5-7 shiso leaves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander 
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • grapeseed oil for cooking

toppings

  • 15 - 20 whole shiso leaves
  • half of a red onion, sliced thin
  • fresh cilantro sprigs
  • *chili mayo (instructions below)
  • shoyu sauce

gluten free hamburger buns (optional)

adapted from here

  • 1 cup + 3 tablespoons almond flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
  • 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 organic free range eggs
  • 1 teaspoon coconut palm sugar (or honey)
  • splash of apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons black + white sesame seeds - for garnishing

instructions

make the patties

  • in a medium saucepan cover the mung beans with water reaching 2 inches above beans.  bring to boil, cover, and turn heat to low.  cook for 30 - 35 minutes until beans are soft.  remove from stove and drain.  let the beans cool or run cold water over them to speed up the process.  cook the quinoa according to the directions on container and let it cool - about 15 minutes
  • once cooled, place beans, quinoa, sliced leeks, garlic, flax seed, shiso, coriander, red pepper flakes and salt in a food processor.  pulse, stopping a few times to scrape down the sides.  once mixture is thoroughly combined, transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let sit in the refrigerator for 1 hour or up to a day (if you're pressed for time skip this step)  
  • using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop the mixture and level.  using your hands mold the mixture into a patty; repeat with remaining mixture
  • prepare a plate or platter with paper towels. heat a 10" skillet to medium heat, and cover bottom with a healthy glug of the oil.  carefully place burgers into the skillet (i managed to cook 4 at a time) and cook for 5 - 6 minutes on each side, until brown and crisp.  using a slotted spatula, transfer the patties to the paper towel lined plate.  repeat with remaining patties  

assemble the burgers

  • spread a healthy amount of chili mayo on one side of your bun, top with burger.  place 2-3 shiso leaves, a handful of cilantro and red onion to taste on top of the patty and drizzle with shoyu sauce (if you like more kick, spread chili mayo on both sides of the bun.)
  • alternatively, you can eat the burger without the bun and top with all the fixings - just as good, i promise!

make the buns 

  • preheat oven to 350° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
  • in a large bowl, combine almond flour, arrowroot powder and salt.   add the coconut milk, olive oil, eggs, sugar, vinegar and salt - mix until batter comes together (add more almond flour, a teaspoon at a time if you find the batter too runny)
  • pour 2 tablespoons worth of batter onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each bun.  repeat with remaining batter.  take your sesame seeds and sprinkle the tops
  • place in the middle of your oven and bake for 15 -18 minutes, rotating halfway through.  buns should be slightly browned on top, with lightly browned edges
  • let cool and either use right away or buns can be refrigerated for a week, or stored in the freezer for another time

*chili mayo - ( i took note from sara)

  • using either veganaise, mayo, or tahini (which is my favorite), combine 1 part sriracha to 2 parts "mayo".  if using tahini, a few teaspoons of water may be needed to thin the consistency a bit