March 3, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

miso tahini avocado toast w/ black sesame gomasio | dolly and oatmeal

do you ever have those weeks where you kind of want to crawl under a blanket and not come out until it's a warm sunny beach day? yeah, me too. after a long stressful week, i was stuck on an airplane for the better part of a morning this weekend. and while i'm usually the girl with all kinds of vibe-y airplane snacks and meals, i didn't bring anything with me except for a nut mix, and a boiled egg (which i had already eaten on the drive). big mistake! after i de-boarded said plane i was left to my own devices, because let's face it, most times airport food is just plain scary (at least for me), but i managed to get my hands on hot water to brew some tea i had stashed in my carry-on. i basically survived on adrenaline and tea for a good 7 hours until i was able to get back home.

like a lot of people i'm sure, i can't stand airports, absolutely loathe them. so when there are occurrences like the one i encountered, my nervous system gets totally whacked. and also like most people, when i get stressed, i crave all the cozies, including warm crunchy toast! this toast variation was born out of something i usually prepare which is a hummus, avo, and egg toast. but since i didn't have the patience to make hummus, i made a thicker tahini sauce fortified with a good amount of pungent miso paste which is super when paired with the subtleness of an avocado. and to top was a healthy dose of black sesame gomasio (basically a toasted sesame salt), mostly because it's what i had on hand, but also because i try to ingest a good amount of black sesames daily for their soothing medicinal properties. some sliced scallions for crunch and some leafy dill to bring some bright herby notes.

avo toast, y'all. it's limits are endless, amiright!? i just saw this version on mr. donny tsang's instagram account the other day and almost flipped my lid! what are some of your favorite combos?

also, also! it's that time of year again where you get to vote for your favorite food blogs in Saveuar's Blog Awards 2015! this is such a thrilling time of year to get the opportunity to acknowledge so many insanely awesome blogs! let your voice be heard! and if you feel so inclined, i wouldn't mind if you threw dolly and oatmeal a vote ;) xo!

miso-tahini avocado toast w/ black sesame gomasio (v + gf)

the gomasio makes more than you will need here, so store in a lidded jar at room temp for up to 5-6 months. i love sprinkling it on green salads, grain salads, roasted vegetables etc., etc. likewise, the miso-tahini makes approx. 1/3 cup and you will likely have leftovers which you can cover and refrigerate for 1-2 weeks.

| makes 4 slices |

black sesame gomasio ingredients

1/4 cup black sesame seeds
1/8 teaspoon large grain sea salt

toast ingredients

1/4 cup tahini paste
1 tablespoon mellow white miso
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3-4 tablespoons water
splash of tamari (optional)
1 ripe avocado, pitted and cut into 4 segments
4 slices of toast, toasted
1-2 tablespoons black sesame gomasio
2 scallions, trimmed and sliced thin
fresh chopped dill, to top (optional)

instructions

in a heavy skillet over a low flame, toast sesame seeds until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. set aside and let cool. place salt and cooled seeds in a mortar and pestle, grind until sandy. set aside until ready to use
in a small mixing bowl, whisk tahini, miso, lemon juice, and garlic; while whisking add water 1 tablespoon at a time until thick and creamy (slightly thicker than a traditional tahini sauce). cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
take the avocado segments and slice each segment into thin slices. spread a generous amount of miso-tahini onto each piece of toast; top with sliced avocado and sprinkle with gomasio, sliced scallions, and chopped dill (if using)

enjoy!

more like this:

chickpea flour flatbread w/ new potatoes + fresh basil

(mini) granola + pear scones / February 3, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

(mini) granola + pear scones | dolly and oatmeal

i've been getting quite a few questions about why i choose to bake with certain gluten-free flours, and because i do use specific flours for specific reasons, i decided i would go ahead and explain a little :)

for cookies, cakes, cupcakes, doughnuts, quick breads, muffins, scones, etc., i use a mix consisting of brown rice flour, oat flour, almond flour, and usually a bit of arrowroot powder/starch/flour. i use brown rice flour basically as an "all-purpose" flour, which is why i always use a larger proportion of it. it's a great low-glycemic flour (it won't make your blood sugar spike, and then crash which is always a good thing), super versatile for both sweet and savory meals, and (in my opinion) it has a way better flavor than white rice flour. oat flour is my absolute favorite flour! it adds so much nutty delicious flavor that i have a hard time not using it in everything - plus, if i'm in a pinch, i just throw some rolled oats into a blender or food processor and i've got flour! oat flour is great for lasted energy, and it also helps to stabilize blood sugar which is just another reason why i love utilizing it so much. almond flour is one of the first gluten-free flours i ever worked with; it's also a versatile flour, but because it's a fat-dense, nut flour i only occasionally use it on its own. however, when mixed with other flours, it adds depth, flavor, and fat - which can really help keep baked goods moist. arrowroot powder is generally known as a binder, and is a great substitute for cornstarch. even with the use of eggs, i use arrowroot in baked goods for extra binding purposes and also for lightness, as some gluten-free baked goods can bake up a little heavy. i tend to stay away from starches like potato or tapioca starch as they can be hard to digest, as well as white rice flour.

i've slowly begun using various other gluten-free flours, among them sorghum flour. i've found that when using it in more delicate baked goods like pie crusts, or scones, it lends a perfectly smooth texture with a gentle crumble. which brings me to these scones... i've made a few different iterations of this recipe, using cold solid coconut oil, different flour combos, and various kinds of plant-based milks, but this recipe right here has a (close to) perfect scone quality, one that reminds me of the gluten-y scones i used to indulge in. scones for me always get crammed with whatever seasonal fruit that's available, and topped with nuts. i had some leftover granola in the pantry and decided that we all would benefit from some sweet, nutty, crunchy goodness!

hope you're all staying warm + cozy! xo

(mini) granola + pear scones (gluten + dairy free)

i made these scones pretty tiny, they're basically bite-size. however, if you want to make them larger, do so - the baking time might need to be adjusted a bit longer though. also, feel free to cram these babes with whatever fruit situation you've got going on where you are! i noted below that the psyllium husk powder is optional; you can substitute xantham gum if you prefer, or leave it out altogether, but your scones will be a bit more crumbly.

| makes 20 two-inch scones |

1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons oat flour
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1/4 cup organic cane sugar (or palm sugar)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or melted coconut oil)
2 large free-range eggs, divided
1 ripe pear, cored and chopped small
1/2 cup granola

instructions

preheat oven to 400° and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. set aside
in a large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, psyllium husk, and salt; set aside. in a small mixing bowl, combine the milk and oil, whisk in the egg; using a rubber spatula, add the wet ingredients to the dry, combine until dough comes together (the dough should be sticky, but not that it sticks to your hands. if you find that it's too wet, add more sorghum flour a teaspoon at a time until you are able to manage it. conversely, if the dough is too dry, add more coconut milk 1 teaspoon at a time until dough comes together. ) gently fold in the chunked pear
turn dough out onto a piece of parchment; pat and flatten into a round with 1-inch thickness. grease a 2-inch round cookie cutter with a bit of oil; stamp out scones. roll scraps back together a repeat until no dough remains. place scones onto prepared baking sheet, about 2-inches apart. crack the remaining egg into a small dish and whisk. using a pastry brush, gently pat top and sides of scones with egg wash; top the scones with crumbled granola. place in oven and bake for 16-18 minutes, until lightly browned
remove scones from oven and let scones cool completely. they can be stored on a platter covered with parchment at room temperature for up to 3 days

enjoy!

revelatory oat pancakes w/ pomegranate yogurt (gluten + dairy free) / October 14, 2014 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

(gluten + dairy free) oat pancakes w/ pomegranate yogurt | dolly and oatmeal

it's been a good 4 years since i've been able to confidently (and easily) whip a batch of fluffy pancakes. since changing my diet then i had sworn off making pancakes (the gluten-free variety), because each venture to do so, wound up in a gooey, messy, disappointing disaster. i tried the gluten-free pancake method of binding the flour with banana or applesauce, i tried whipping egg whites into stiff peaks and gently folding them into the batter. there were times where i just said 'eff it and threw the runny batter into the waffle maker (because, let's face it, waffle makers can save just about anything), but then there was a magical morning where i read this Food 52 article, where Alice Mendrich explained that replacing wheat flour with equal amounts of brown rice, buckwheat, oat, chestnut, corn, or sorghum flour would work in just about any pancake situation - pancake-life saved! as i can be a bit pessimistic, i wasn't totally sure that this substitute would work in my favor - given my tumultuous past with GF pancakes - but to my surprise they were just as good as their non gluten-free counterparts, if not better!

oat flour is one of my favorite flours to utilize in baking, given its sweet, nutty flavor, and its light texture. so to use it here was a no brainer. i paired them with my favorite yogurt (Anita's coconut yogurt, this is seriously the most on-point plant based yogurt i've ever had!), along with some tart, juicy pom seeds. all-in-all, a lightly sweet, but definitely wholesome breakfast meal.

i'm looking forward to experimenting more with the list of flours above in pancake recipes, but in the mean time, i would love to hear what kinds of gluten free flours work best for you!? i feel like this revelation has opened my eyes to a whole new world of pancake possibility! thanks, friends! xo

oat pancakes w/ pomegranate yogurt (gluten + dairy free)

the recipe below uses coconut yogurt to replace half of the almond milk, feel free to use any other plant-based yogurt here, or substitute it with 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk. this recipe can also be doubled easily for a total of about 20 pancakes.

| makes 10 pancakes |

ingredients

1 1/4 cups gluten-free oat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon natural cane sugar
1 large free range egg
2 tablespoons almond oil (or oil of choice)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup plain coconut yogurt (or plant-based yogurt of choice)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
coconut oil for cooking

pomegranate yogurt

1 cup plain coconut yogurt (or plant-based yogurt of choice)
1/2 pomegranate, seeds removed
2 teaspoons grade B maple syrup
1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

instructions

in a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients with a whisk. in medium sized mixing bowl, whisk the wet ingredients thoroughly. add the wet to the dry and mix until no lumps remain. let batter rest
preheat oven to warm and place a baking sheet fitted with parchment paper inside. heat a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. test pan with a splash of water before adding the oil; if the water sizzles and evaporates, it's ready. brush the skillet with some coconut oil and pour about 1 1/2-2 tablespoons worth of batter (i fit about 3 pancakes each batch); wait until you see bubbles appear on surface and edges of pancakes - about 1-2 minutes - then flip and cook the other side for another minute or so, until pancakes are golden brown. place cooked pancakes in preheated oven. re-oil pan before each batch of pancakes until no batter remains
while last batch of pancakes are cooking, mix the yogurt, pomegranates, and maple syrup in a small serving bowl. set aside
serve pancakes with a side of pomegranate yogurt and chopped hazelnuts

enjoy!