5-MINUTE (VEGAN) CAESAR WEDGE SALAD / July 11, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

5-MINUTE (VEGAN) CAESAR WEDGE SALAD | dolly and oatmeal

if you’re coming off the long weekend, and this week still seems daunting (even on a thursday), then i’m with you! the long weekend was a great respite from the daily grind, but amesy got pretty sick with croup and that was enough to tip the weekend from relaxing, to tense. thankfully he made a quick recovery, but we were all left a little shaken when it was all said and done. but frank and i took the time we had staying put at home to knock some things off of our getting-ready-for-baby list (this week marks 1 month until little man’s due date!!!) instead of procrastinating like we usually do!

we also did a lot of cooking at home. frank typically mans the grill, while i throw a salad together, roast some veggies in the oven or thread said veggies on a skewer for frank to cook. either way, i usually prepare about 2 sides on a good night. one of them being a salad. at 35 1/2 weeks pregnant though even standing for more than 15 minutes without a break has been a lot for me. late afternoons are not the time when i feel most productive so i’ve been inventive in the shortcut department. enter: the wedge salad!

so long as you have this vegan caesar dressing prepped ahead of time, this salad takes all of about 5 minutes to put together. essentially, you cut, wash, and pat dry your romaine wedges (although, you could even do that ahead of time if needed), drizzle over a good amount of your vegan caesar dressing, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with toasted bread cubes, or croutons (store bought or homemade), and you’re good to go with an impressive, but simple salad. this is also a great option to go to when you’re serving a crowd or throwing a small dinner party, and preparing multiple sides, a main, but also want a presentable time-saving salad - the wedge is where it’s at.

i hope you enjoy this little back pocket recipe as much as i do. also hoping it brings you a sense of ease if you’re needing one!

5-minute (vegan) caesar wedge salad | gf

| serves 6 |

method

plate the lettuce wedges on a large plate or platter arranging every other one in opposite direction (as pictured). drizzle the wedges with the caesar dressing and drizzle with olive oil.
sprinkle the croutons evenly over top the wedges, then use a microplane, or the small holes on a cheese grater to shave the walnuts, then sprinkle over top the wedges as well. season with salt and pepper, and serve with leftover dressing on the side.

ingredients

3 heads romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and cut in half lengthwise
1 serving vegan caesar dressing
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 cup gluten free croutons (homemade or bought)
3 tablespoons walnuts
salt & fresh pepper, to taste

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TOMATO CREAM SAUCE (VEGAN) / June 30, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

TOMATO CREAM SAUCE (VEGAN) | dolly and oatmeal

happy sunday! i hope you’re having a good weekend so far. it’s a relaxing but busy one here. we’re getting ready for baby (6 more weeks, until my due date!), but also trying to get in solo time with amesy on the weekends. and since it’s finally starting to feel like summer, we hit the beach yesterday, and today we are heading to a splash pad at a local park - all the water activities for this boy! it’s hard to believe we’ll soon be a family of 4, and that amesy will be a big brother. trying to not get too anxious, and let it be what it will be. but that’s very much easier said than done!

anywho! let’s talk about this sunday sauce! if you’ve been a reader here for a while then you might remember a similar recipe for a similar creamy tomato sauce a couple of years ago. while i whip out the other one when i have time to make the tomato sauce from scratch, the recipe today takes half the time, and zero “cooking” is involved. it is truly a busy person’s meal prep sauce! what we do is make a batch of garlicky cashew cream - yum! then we take a jar of your favorite tomato sauce, and add about 1/2 cup of the cream. from there, a little salt and pepper to punch up the flavor a bit, and some fresh thyme. of course we love this for an easy pasta night. but it can easily be used in place of tomato sauce for any dish you like. here are some of my favorite ways to use it throughout the week:

over zoodles, add your protein of choice, but turkey meatballs are great here, or your favorite plant-based protein.
take your pasta up a notch, and make a pasta bake (just replace the alfredo sauce for creamy tomato sauce, and go from there).
lasagna is one of my go=to’s as well. you could use it here in place of the pesto, or forget the noodles all together and use summer zucchini for a grain-free version (i personally love this recipe, i swap out the cheese for vegan mozzarella, and the yogurt for vegan ricotta).
of course pizza is another favorite. the creamy sauce takes it up a notch for sure.
and if you’re almost in the thick of winter where you are, over spaghetti squash, or as a creamy base for a minestrone soup would be my winter go-to’s!

whatever you make with it though, you won’t be disappointed. that bit of creaminess makes everything a bit more extra, but in the best way possible! i hope you get the chance to make it :)

xo!

tomato cream sauce | v

print the recipe

| makes roughly 3 1/2 cups sauce |

method

make the cashew cream. place the cashews in a bowl and cover them with filtered water. let the cashews soak 10-12 hours, or overnight until soft.
drain and rinse the cashews. place them in the container of high-speed upright blender. add the water, vinegar, garlic, a few big pinches of salt, and a few cracks of pepper. blend everything on high for a couple of minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container, as needed. blend until graininess has disappeared, and cashew sauce is silky smooth. taste and adjust any seasonings as needed. store in a lidded container for up to 1 week.
make the tomato cream sauce. add the tomato sauce to a large bowl, add 1/2 cup cashew cream and stir until combined. use as desired. leftovers can be stored in a lidded jar for up to 1 week.

ingredients

1 1/2 cups raw cashews
1/2 cup filtered water
2 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic
fine salt & fresh ground pepper
24 ounce jar tomato sauce

FROZEN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH BALLS / June 12, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

FROZEN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH BALLS | dolly and oatmeal

i know temps will cool soon, but it’s been hovering around the 100°F height mark in socal, and this very pregnant lady needed chocolate chip cookies without turning the oven on (because even with AC on the feet swell, and the dizziness sets in). this super easy, super quick recipe came about because i was constantly snacking on amesy’s stash of cookie dough in the freezer. he liiiiiives for chocolate chip cookies so i usually make about a batch of chocolate chip cookies that i cook off one by one. but i had found myself plucking a frozen chocolate chip cookie dough ball almost nightly. that’s when i decided i needed a stash all my own (because mom guilt), and i also wanted to make them a little more freezer friendly.

these are completely almond-based and made from almond flour and almond butter. both give the smooth velvety consistency of cookie dough, all you have to do is let the ball sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes before you take a bite. aside from those ingredients, we add some super basic pantry staples: almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, chocolate chunks, and salt! that’s it. these literally could not be easier to make. from there, we mix the dough together, and form them into balls. then into the freezer for about an hour. you could top with with a chocolate drizzle and some flaky salt, or just keep them as is. they’re stored in an airtight container in your freezer and keep for months (if you can make them last that long).

they’re the perfect little pop of chocolate chip cookie dough on these hot summer days, and i hope you love them as much as i do!

xo!

frozen chocolate chip cookie dough balls | gf & v

before eating, let the balls sit out at room temp for about 5 minutes, just to soften slightly.

print the recipe

| makes about a dozen |

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
heaping 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond butter
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup (preferably grade b)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chunks (60-70% cacao)

optional toppings:

chocolate drizzle
flaky sea salt
cacao nibs
chopped nuts
hemp seeds

method

line a baking sheet with parchment paper. set aside.
in a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour and salt. using a rubber spatula, add the coconut oil, maple syrup, almond butter, and vanilla until combined. then add the chocolate chunks (the dough will be quite thick, this is what we want).
using a tablespoon cookie scoop (or an equivalent), scoop the dough out into the palm of your hands. moving quickly (especially if you hands are warm), roll the dough between your palms making even-sized balls. place on the parchment and repeat with the remaining dough. pop the tray in the freezer and freeze for 1 hour. top with chocolate drizzle and other toppings if desired. freeze once again. then store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.