avocado

Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

February 1, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Avocado Club Sandwich w/ Marinated Portobello Mushrooms | dolly and oatmeal

i sit here not really knowing what to say but bursting with thoughts and feelings about the past couple of weeks. i don't really talk much about my political views here or over on social, but i guess if you follow me on twitter then you know where my views lay. i understand we may have a difference of opinion, we all may not agree on the issues, and that's totally cool, but i hope that we can all respect and listen to one another. we are better than the twitter wars, than the cheap shots and those we disagree with through the screens of our devices. and we are certainly better than banning a group of people entrance into our country based on what religion they subscribe to.

in an effort to cast these gloomy times aside for a moment i put together a little list of things that are making me happy these days. i hope they can offer you some form of sunshine as well:

a DIY face mask (from one of the best babes out there) that leaves me feeling loved and cared for
pups and our little pup at daycare (he's on the left)
this book, this book, this book, aaaand this one!
hopefully this year will be a bit more harmonious
this instagram account inspires in every way
what i'm snacking on lately. so good!
what i'm sipping on lately :)
spotted these out in LA a few weeks ago and loving their funkiness

and last but not least, this rainbow, multi-hued, multi-textural sandwich from mckel's inspiring and nourishing book, nutrition stripped! i've been following mckel's blog for quite a while for nutritional tips, high-vibe recipes, and general advice on well being! her recipes are bright, uncomplicated, and loaded with information about the ingredients. her book is just the same, but with added detail about how to stock your pantry and how to food prep for the week (something i always struggle with!). i received this book back in september when i was super duper pregnant. i remember sitting there meticulously dog-earring all the recipes i wanted to make. and this avo and mushroom sandwich was on top of the list. i don't often reach for mushrooms, let alone portobello mushrooms. but the notion of making a veg-heavy sandwich with everything happening these past few weeks was necessary - gimme those carbs! i swapped some crunchy winter-friendly ingredients in for the summer ones, and added my favorite, favorite ingredient these days this almond milk-based cream cheese. it's a tasty sandwich that's deliciously messy in all the ways a good sandwich is, plus the marinated portobello recipe makes extra which is great for lunch bowls throughout the week :) also, you can follow the link here to sign up for mckel's free ebook on how to live a healthier 2017!

to nourished minds, hearts, bellies, and souls! xo

Avocado Club Sandwich w/ Marinated Portobello Mushrooms

i swapped the tomatoes for thinly sliced beets (i used a mandolin to get them super thin), and the radish for shredded carrots. and in lieu of mustard i used kite hill almond milk cream cheese.

recipe from Nutrition Stripped by McKel Hill

| serves 2 |

4 portobello mushroom caps
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons (gluten free) tamari
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
sea salt
1 avocado
2 slices gluten free bread (or mckel's grain free gluten free bread)

garnishes

sliced heirloom tomato
sliced radishes
butter leaf lettuce or arugula
dijon mustard
pea shoots or sprouts
freshly ground black pepper

method

using a mandolin or knife, thinly slice (less than 1/4-inch) the portobello mushrooms. in a deep baking dish, combine the vinegar, oil, tamari, maple syrup, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and a pinch of salt. whisk to combine.
gently arrange the mushroom sliced flat in the baking dish to absorb the marinade. cover and store in the fridge for 2 hours. remove and stir, flipping the mushrooms over to ensure all the liquid is being evenly absorbed, then re-cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. the mushrooms may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
to serve, mash 1/4 to 1/2 avocado on each bread slice, add a pinch of salt, then evenly layer the marinated mushrooms. top with desired garnishes.

similar recipes:

miso-tahini avocado toast w/ black sesame gomasio

spicy sweet potato chip & avocado sammie

Julia's Shaved Carrot & Avocado Salad w/ Tahini / November 16, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Julia's Shaved Carrot & Avocado Salad w/ Tahini | dolly and oatmeal

the first cookbook i ever owned, that was truly all mine, was mark bittman's how to cook everything, it was a present my mom and dad had given to me for christmas one year. i sat down the next morning with my purple sticky notes tagging all the recipes i wanted to make: basic pizza dough, roasted garlic soup, classic chocolate chip cookies, etc. i came across words like miso, and compote; and read about things i knew nothing about: pickling techniques, and the basics of pasta-making. but out of it all, the one recipe i practiced most was his basic scone recipe. i made them over and over again, sometimes with blueberries, sometimes plain, but they were my baking go-to, something i felt super confident about. i worked up enough confidence in my scone skills that over time i replaced the buttermilk with sour cream, and then ricotta a time or two. i also researched the best way to cut the into the flour while still keeping it cold (turns out quickly grating butter on a cheese grater worked best for me!).

i'm sure we've all had (or have) that one recipe in our back pocket that makes us feel really accomplished or fancy, but the thought of veering away from what's comfortable into an unknown realm is packed with worry (maybe cooking is a metaphor for life?!). so when i read julia turshen's intro in her new, and totally beautiful cookbook, small victories, i knew i was at home. her thought behind each recipe is that if you only have 2 recipes in your repertoire, then guess what, in all actuality you know how to make about 200 things. every recipe in the book comes with ingenious spin-offs, giving us a few different takes on the recipe and turning 1 small victory into a few. it's an encouraging way to cook from a book that motivates rather than overwhelms. similar to bittman's book, small victories reassures you that it's ok to try new flavors, various techniques, and different flavors in a series of inspiring but relaxed recipes, that feels like julia is cheering and comforting you from the sidelines.

but more importantly, julia is teaming up with Friendsgiving for No Kid Hungry to raise awareness for childhood hunger and help to make healthy food more accessible to children across the country. to learn more about the campaign or to donate click here.

here's to small victories in and out of the kitchen! xo

shaved carrot & avocado salad w/ tahini

recipe from Small Victories by Julia Turshen. reprinted with permission.

| serves 4 |

1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
kosher salt
3/4 lb (340 g) carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal into coins
1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
2 scallions, roots and dark green tops trimmed off, white and light green parts thinly sliced
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

method

in a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, boiling water, olive oil, and lemon juice. season to taste with salt. put the carrots in a large bowl, add half of the dressing, and toss to combine.
transfer the dressed carrots to a serving platter. use a spoon to artfully scoop the avocado from its shell into pieces and place them over the carrots. season the avocado pieces to taste with salt and then drizzle the salad with the remaining dressing. scatter the salad with the sesame seeds, scallions, and cilantro (if using). serve immediately.

note: if your sesame seeds aren't already toasted, put them in a dry skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring, until they're golden brown, about 4 minutes

spin offs:

toss shaved fennel, thinly sliced kumquats, and sliced scallions with kumquat and/or lemon juice and olive oil. garnish with fennel fronds, toasted marcona almonds, and lots of shaved parmesan.

dress shaved celery, toasted walnuts, and chopped italian parsley with lemon juice and olive oil.

dress shaved cabbage with sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil.

dress shaved green apples with fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. stir in salty peanuts and thinly sliced fresh red chile.

similar recipes:

fennel-roasted carrots & shallot salad w/ shaved apples

garlic & spice market carrots w/ tahini-yogurt

Cooling Summer Salad w/ Za'atar Pesto / August 17, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Cooling Summer Salad w/ Za'atar Pesto w/ Za'atar Pesto | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

we've been stuck in one of the worst heatwaves i can remember here in nyc. the heat index has been over 100 degrees for the past few days, and while our apartment is staying pretty cool as long as we don't turn the oven on, there were times where me and my 8 1/2 month pregnant body shut down. there was one particular night where i dramatically cried myself to sleep and frank placed ice packs around my extremities to sooth my overly emotional reaction to a warm bedroom. if you haven't already noticed, he's a trooper, guys. but aside from tears and ice packs, the heat has brought us back to the basics. and by that i mean a ton of cool, fresh summery salads!

we've been making this PACT salad (get it? peach, avocado, cucumber & tomato salad!?) at least 2 nights a week. depending on what we're eating with it, there's 2 variations i keep in constant rotation. there's a spicy version where there's minced cilantro, a good bit of lime juice, california olive ranch olive oil (always!), some flaky sea salt, and a couple dashes of ground cayenne pepper. it's the perfect hot weather salad, especially when the veg has been chilling in the fridge for a bit.

the other variation is the recipe i'm sharing today. it has the same salad components, but a totally different flavor profile thanks to some good old za'atar. if you're not familiar with za'atar it's typically made up of thyme and marjoram, mixed with toasted sesame seeds, and ground sumac which gives it a tangy kick. frank and i had a similar salad the other week at a restaurant. it was a tomato and peach salad served with toasted pine nuts and a za'atar pesto, and it was amazing! i knew immediately that i needed to recreate the it for a homemade version, one we could enjoy whenever we wanted. the pesto is super simple and aside from the prepared za'atar, it doesn't require any other herbs. it's blended up with toasted pine nuts, some added lemon juice, a clove of garlic, and my favorite of california olive ranch's olive oil, their rich and robust flavor, offering the pesto, and the salad, just the right flavor which has already become the staple in our kitchen. so whether you use the za'atar pesto on this particular salad as a marinade, or schmeared on a piece of crusty bread, it's a must-try!

this post was created in partnership with california olive ranch. all thoughts and opinions are my own. thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal running!

Summer tomatoes | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

cooling summer salad w/ za'atar pesto | v

the za'atar pesto makes just enough for the salad, so if you're wanting leftovers, i suggest doubling or even tripling the recipe.

| serves 4-6 |

za'atar pesto

3 tablespoons za'atar
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1/2 cup California Olive Ranch Rich and Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil

salad

2 pounds mixed tomatoes, cored and sliced into wedges
2 ripe peaches, sliced into small wedges
1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
1 medium cucumber, sliced thin
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
flaky sea salt
extra za'atar, for garnish

Za'atar Pesto | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

method

make the za'atar. in a food processor, pulse the za'atar, nuts, lemon juice, and garlic until roughly ground. with the motor running, drizzle in the oil until everything is combined. season with salt.
in a large bowl, gently toss together the tomatoes, peaches, avocado, cucumber, and nuts. add the za'atar pesto and give it all another good toss. taste and add more salt if needed. serve and sprinkle with za'atar.