YOGURT-TAHINI & ISRAELI SALAD TOAST / August 8, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

YOGURT-TAHINI & ISRAELI SALAD TOAST | dolly and oatmeal

the ease of summer cooking (or lack thereof) is one of the most refreshing characteristics of the season. (especially right now as i’m hitting 40 weeks pregnant in the next few days 😅😬). take this salad and toast. not one thing is cooked (unless you consider toasting bread cooking). rather, we take the peak of summer produce, chop it all up, top it over crusty bread, and a big splotch of the creamiest, yogurt-tahini. it’s quite literally the simplest of dishes/snacks/appetizers, but by far one of the most satisfying. i love the combination of anything with yogurt-tahini, but when paired with vegetables it just takes everything up a notch.

i generally make a this recipe as my summer veg + yogurt-tahini go-to, and then there’s this veg + yogurt-tahini winter go-to that i shared a few months ago. the crispy veg, toasty bread, and creamy medley here is perfect for hot summer nights, a little date night situation with your loved one, a perfect nibble with your girlfriends accompanied by your favorite chilled cocktail. whatever the occasion, these little toasts are sure to brighten them up quite a bit. i hope you get to make this before the summer is up, it’s a good one that hits all the right spots!

yogurt tahini & israeli salad toast | v & gf

i have quite a few recipes on this site for a yogurt-tahini sauce. this one uses thick greek-style yogurt, but i also don’t call for water to thin it. i found that if it’s thinned out, it doesn’t make a thick enough nest for the salad to sit in.
i use a gluten-free boule from a local maker (if you’re in LA, i buy loaves by gjusta that are sold at erewhon, or gluten-free sourdough made by a local shop, honey hi. if you can get your hands on either i highly recommend them (they both also happen to be vegan).

print the recipe!

| serves 4-6 as a side |

yogurt tahini

1/3 cup tahini
3/4 cup unsweetened greek-style almond milk yogurt (i love this brand)
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, grated over a microplane (or minced)
salt and pepper, to taste

israeli salad

6 ounces cherry tomatoes, cut in half
4 persian cucumbers (about 1/2 pound), seeds scooped, and cut into small chunks
1/4 red onion, chopped small
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
1 1/2 teaspoons ground sumac
1 gluten-free boule or artisan loaf of bread, sliced and toasted or grilled
yogurt-tahini (recipe above)
herb flowers, to garnish (optional)

method

make the yogurt-tahini. whisk together the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, and garlic. season with salt and pepper. set aside.
make the salad. in a large bowl, toss together the halved tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, red onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, and sumac. generously season with salt.
spoon the toasted (or grilled) toast with a big swoosh of yogurt-tahini, then top with a big spoonful of israeli salad, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of flaky sea salt, and herb blossoms (if using). serve immediateily.
if you’re prepping ahead of time, store yogurt-tahini in a lidded jar for up to 1 week, and israeli salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days (drain off excess liquid from salad before you top toast).

similar recipes:

sumac-roasted veggies with yogurt-tahini

HOW TO PREPARE ASPARAGUS 7 DIFFERENT WAYS / May 16, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

HOW TO PREPARE ASPARAGUS 7 DIFFERENT WAYS | dolly and oatmeal

may is unofficially asparagus season (🙌🏼) - hurrah! among a few other pieces of product, like rhubarb for instance, asparagus is my absolute favorite spring vegetable. since moving to LA, i’ve come to appreciate it even more. back in new york, my mom had a good portion of her garden dedicated to asparagus. beginning in mid-april we would watch it peak through the soil until it got mature enough to harvest. and the moment you cut that first stalk you knew that spring had officially commenced. i love to let the asparagus flavor shine by using simple flavors including: oils and vinegars, herbs, and light spices. this time of year asparagus should be tender and sweet, and bright green or sometimes purple (depending on the variety). my mom’s garden asparagus was so tender that it only required a minute of cooking, and in some preparations you could it eat raw altogether. either way, this is the best month to partake in cooking all the asparagus!

here are 7 of my all-time favorite asparagus recipes, and the various ways you can prepare, what flavors you can pair with asparagus, and how to serve asparagus right alongside the rest of your spring haul. there are a couple soups for those brisk, chilly spring days, a few ways to roast asparagus with the most complimentary flavors to best serve this delightful vegetable with. we also have an asparagus sandwich with avocado and punchy dijon, and a spring rainbow bowl that will perk up your lunch game big time.

i hope these recipes offer some ease and comfort in these warm/hot/chilly/cold days :) xo!

CASHEW CREAM OF ASPARAGUS & SPRING ONION SOUP

this soup shouts asparagus. it uses about 2 whole bunches, plus some aromatics to really make it sing. we add some soaked cashews to make it a luscious, creamy vegan bowl. it’s perfect for this season when it’s not quite hot enough at night (or even during the day sometimes) to do away with all the cozy that soup brings. this is also perfect appetizer, or to right alongside your main dish.

BALSAMIC ROASTED ASPARAGUS W/ FRIED CAPERS & 7-MINUTE EGGS

this bowl combines so much of the beauty that is spring. there’s balsamic roasted asparagus, fresh baby greens, pea shoots, and runny eggs. the colors alone scream spring with all those green and yellow tones. it’s the kind of meal that' combines the ease of preparing fresh ingredients, with the bits of complexity in flavor. the balsamic-roasted asparagus is one of my favorite ways to prepare it, the flavors are surprisingly complimentary of one another. this is a great dish to whip up for lunch, or a quick dinner.

this soup knows no bounds with the amount of flavor going on here. there’s enough tahini added here to make this soup a bit creamy without any dairy or the need for any starchy vegetables. what you get is essentially spring in a bowl, with a good dose of zing from the lemon juice. add all the garnishes, or just leave it be. whatever you choose to do it will be absolutely delicious either way.

CILANTRO BLACK RICE W/ ROASTED GARLIC SCAPES & ASPARAGUS

this recipe is an old standby. it combines a wonderful array of spring vegetable you likely see at your farmers’ market or grocer this time of year. it’s a humble dish with lots of flavor. the rice is cooked with cilantro sprigs which is a simple technique to infuse a good amount of herbaceous flavor into your rice. the garlic scapes and asparagus are given a quick sauté making them bright and flavorful. add some toasted almonds to top and you’ve got yourself a simple little side dish, or a lovely bed to top with your protein of choice to make it a heartier meal.

ASPARAGUS, PEA & BROCCOLI RABE SAUTE OVER A CHIVE-CHICKPEA MASH

this fan favorite from years ago is one of my absolute favorite dishes on this site. while it may sound like a ton of ingredients, it’s quite simple to put together. this dish bursts at the seams with everything spring - i think i tried to cram everything spring forward into this dish, and it tastes that way too. there are freshly shelled peas, broccoli rabe, and sweet asparagus sitting a top a simple chickpea mash with delicate onion flavor thanks to spring’s first spring onion: chives. it makes for an impressive meal - both for your eyes and belly.

SAUTEED ASPARAGUS & DIJON AVOCADO SANDWICH

this is simple, humble sandwich that is easy to put together at home, or take on the road. it’s a wonderful compact meal that stands up to the elements while also delivering a little punch of flavor, creaminess, and crunch. it’s wonderful for spring picnics, for a random sweltering spring beach day, or just to take as your desk lunch.

SPRING RAINBOW BOWL W/ HONEY MUSTARD TAHINI

if you meal prep, this dish is for you. i love taking the odds and ends leftover from meal prep to combine a bright bowl. this bowl also happens to contain the sunshine-y vibes that spring inspires. and when you combine it with 2 vivid dips how could you wrong? there’s roasted asparagus, roasted purple sweet potatoes, cucumber and carrot ribbons, ripe avocado, sautéed greens and mushrooms, and a runny egg. it basically has everything you could want in a lunch bowl.

KABOCHA SQUASH TAHINI / February 7, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

(BEAN-LESS) KABOCHA SQUASH HUMMUS | dolly and oatmeal

we’re coming in hot this week with this bean-less (!!) hummus! why bean-less? mostly because i can’t really do beans without severe stomach pains, but also because while i was on this bean-less hummus journey i found that a hummus without chickpeas can in fact taste like magic, AND have a similar whipped consistency to traditional hummus. hence, me sharing this recipe with you!

if you haven’t noticed around here, i loooove kabocha squash over all other winter squash. it’s slightly sweet and earthy, and has the most luscious texture, which lends itself so nicely to a fluffy, creamy hummus. all we did here was remove the chickpeas, and in its place, added roasted kabocha squash. all that’s added is a good bit of tahini (the more the merrier), lemon juice, garlic, some ground cumin, and some water to thin it all out some. it’s blended up in a food processor, and can stay in your fridge for up to 4 days. you can add just about any seasonings you like, whether that’s swapping in some smoked paprika for the cumin, maybe some roasted shallots for the garlic, or swapping the kabocha with another winter variety (although i do nudge you to give the kabocha squash a go if you can get your hands on one).

happy february, loves! xo

KABOCHA SQUASH TAHINI | v & gf

print the recipe!

kabocha squash is my preference here, but if you can’t easily access it, then using acorn, or butternut squash will be just as good. you could also use one medium-sized sweet potato as well.

| makes about 1 1/2 cups |

1/2 large kabocha squash, cut in half (or 1 small kabocha squash, cut in half

avocado or olive oil

1/3 cup tahini paste

1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt & pepper

water, to thin

toppings:

toasted pumpkin seeds

extra virgin olive oil

thyme sprigs

rosemary sprigs

method

preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. oil the cut sides of the squash, and place cut side down. cook for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until it’s tender when pricked with a sharp knife. remove from the oven and let cool completely.

once cool, scoop the seeds and the stringy bits from the center of the squash and discard. then scoop out the flesh and place it into the cup of food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade. add the tahini, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt & pepper. blend, drizzle in the water through the spout, a little at a time, scarping down the sides as you go, until you get a smooth consistency. taste and add more lemon juice, salt, pepper, spices, if need be.

scoop hummus into a large lidded container. store in the fridge for up to 4 days. once ready to serve, let it sit out at room temp for roughly 30 minutes. give it a good stir, then plate your hummus and top with a drizzle of olive oil, toasted pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs. serve with crackers, fresh sliced veggies, or warm crusty bread :)