5-MINUTE (VEGAN) CAESAR WEDGE SALAD /  by Lindsey | 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!

xo

5-minute (vegan) caesar wedge salad | gf

| serves 6 |

method

  1. 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.

  2. 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

similar recipes:

vegan caesar pasta salad

vegan caesar pasta salad

cherry panzanella salad

cherry panzanella salad

creamy broccoli chop

creamy broccoli chop

ZA'ATAR PESTO /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

hey! i’m popping in real quick to share yet another sunday meal prep sauce. this one’s for a wonderful twist on traditional pesto where we essentially replace the basil with parsley and za’atar spice. if you’re not familiar with za’atar it’s a spice blend traditionally made from dried marjoram, thyme and/or oregano, toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and sometimes salt. it’s generally used as a rub on meats, sprinkled on fish or poultry, added to roasted veggies, mixed with oil to top bread, etc.!

today we’re mixing za’atar spice/seasoning into a herby/nutty/garlicky base of parsley, toasted pine nuts, fresh garlic, and olive oil. it’s one of my favorite ways to utilize za’atar and it makes for such a bright and light summer sauce. i first had a similar pesto at a restaurant in the west village. it was one of mine and frank’s last meals out before we became parents to amesy. but the restaurant has since closed, and we’ve moved almost 3,000 miles away, so the need to make my own version of what i remember that pest to taste like has been somewhat essential. and i thought i ought to share this recipe here with you because it’s that good!

before i leave with the recipe, here are a few ways to use this sauce to spice up your food/life throughout the week:

  • forever and always on this leaf-less salad. the pesto acts just like a salad dressing here, and all you may need is a bit more salt and you’re good to go!

  • swirled into this flatbread (literally one of the most delicious things to use it for. just replace the first 5 ingredients with a few dollops of the za’atar pesto).

  • use as a marinade for veggie, chicken, or even fish (i love salmon here) kebabs.

  • mixed into roasted veggies.

  • mixed into potato salad or roasted potatoes

  • on flatbread, pizza, or pasta!

happy sunday, friends! xo

za’atar pesto | v

| makes just under 1 cup |

print the recipe

method

  1. in the cup of a food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade, combine the parsley, pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, a few pinches salt, and a couple cracks of pepper. while the food processor is running, drizzle in the 1/2 cup of olive oil and blend until everything is broken down and sufficiently mixed together, stopping a couple times to scrape down the sides of the container. taste and add more salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if needed.

  2. scrape the parsley and olive oil mixture into a bowl. stir in the za’atar spice until combined. taste and adjust any seasonings, if necessary. scrape the za’atar pesto into a lidded jar. pour over the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil to prevent the pesto from browning in the fridge.

  3. za’atar pesto can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. let pesto stand at room temp roughly 30 minutes before using.

ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh parsley

  • 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

  • juice from 1/2 small lemon

  • 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

  • salt & freshly ground pepper

  • 1/2 cup, plus 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil to top

  • 1/4 cup za’atar spice

15 RECIPES TO COOK THIS LONG WEEKEND (GLUTEN-FREE) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

there’s nothing more fun to me than cooking with friends and family on a long weekend. so, i’ve rounded up a combination of recipes that are perfect for easy-breezy summer weekends. one’s that are spent at the beach, in the backyard, at the park for a picnic - you name it, there’s a recipe for that! we have sides, mains, a cold slurp-able recipe, all things potatoes, summery sweets, and a mini section dedicated to grilling. so i feel like whatever you’re looking for you’ll find something here that hopefully will inspire you to make it or some version of it. wishing everyone stateside a lovely long weekend! here’s to it officially being summer! 💛

to start:

golden sunflower gazpacho - an impressive summer sipper. the great thing about gazpacho is that it’s great to make ahead of time (up to 2 days before you’re ready to serve it), and it’s cold for hot summer days! but i love this gazpacho mostly because at its base there are sunflower seeds that are blended up with the summer vegetables, making it a bit more creamy than a traditional gazpacho. plus, it’s vibrant yellow color screams summer.

bean-less sunflower seed & garlic hummus - summer isn’t summer without hummus as far as i’m concerned. neither is a long lazy weekend. this hummus is a bean-less iteration where we used soaked sunflower seeds in lieu of chickpeas. the rest of the ingredients are typical to traditional hummus: tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt & pepper, and water. i like to jazz it up on occasion if i can using black garlic (if you have it or can find it, i highly recommend it!), or 3-4 drained shallots and 4-5 garlic drained cloves from this garlic, herb & shallot confit with some of the infused oil to top the hummus (as shown above). you really can’t go wrong with this recipe.

as a main:

niçoise sandwiches - these sandwiches are great for a day at the beach, or a picnic in the park. they pack up easy, and each component can be prepared ahead of time making assembling them on the day of that much easier. they’ve got fresh crunchy vegetables, a dreamy shallot-garlic-balsamic vinaigrette, and crunchy bread! what’s not to love?

sprouted quinoa sliders w/ garlicky cucumber slaw - these are a great alternative to your typical summer bbq meal and they’re wonderful for vegetarians or vegans. they’re made with sprouted quinoa, held together by mashed sweet potato and a bit of gluten-free breadcrumbs. the original recipe calls for ramps, but since they’re season has passed, you could easily use green onions, or leeks in their place. plus, these patties can be prepared ahead of time and then cooked the day of.

summer beet tacos w/ beet green salsa verde & spicy pickled onions - another vegetarian and vegan friendly main dish. these tacos are colorful, fun, and taste like a dream. yet another make-ahead-friendly dish, and could even be served as an appetizer on a small tortilla if you like. while beets can often fall flat because of their earthy flavor, these are jazzed up with a punchy green salsa, sharp pickled onions, creamy avocado, and good bit of lime juice.

to bake:

raspberry-currant yogurt crumble cake - to date one of my favorite ways to use summer fruit. this cake is loaded with fresh summer berries and currants. but you could easily use whatever fruit you like - be it cherries, peaches, blueberries, or some combination. it’s light and sweet, and that bit of spiced crumble topping just takes it to another delicious place.

cilantro-watermelon granita w/ mint - by far one of the easiest desserts you can make, and it’s impressive to boot! all you do is blend all the ingredients in a blender or food processor, freeze the mixture for a total of about 6 hours, and there you basically have summer in dessert form! my favorite way to serve these is in a see-through cup and, if you can find some, garnishing the tops with violet mint flowers, or even just small mint stems.

red berry blondies - for anyone who doesn’t like to make pie, but loves berries in dessert - this one’s for you! while blondies are the non-chocolate cousin to brownies, these are just as rich and dare i say a bit gooey. so be prepared for a heavier dessert with this one. the berries lighten them up a bit and definitely work to make these the ultimate summer-friendly dessert.

all things potatoes:

crunchy smashed potato salad w/ garlicky yogurt vinaigrette & pickled onions - i know i shouldn’t play favorites, but if there’s one thing you make on this list, this one’s it! it has everything you want and need in a potato salad: crunchy, salty, tender potato flecks, creamy yogurt-y dressing, and super punchy pink pickled onions! there’s nothing you or your potential guests won’t love about this potato salad!

warm fingerling potatoes w/ garlic-turmeric sauce - another potato salad mash-up with tons of flavor! the garlic-turmeric sauce is a favorite around here and is sure to add that extra something to just about anything it touches. add in some shaved red cabbage and you have yourself the perfect crunch to compliment everything else going on here.

chickpea flatbread w/ new potatoes & fresh basil - this has been one of the most popular recipes on my site for years now, and for good reason! easy homemade flatbread - check! crunchy potatoes - check! fresh summer garlic & herbs - check! there are also mushrooms for a bit of earthiness, that just adds to the flavor here. this flatbread is perfect to serve on the side to any main, or as an appetizer. either way you’re in for a treat!

to toss:

cherry panzanella - this salad is another favorite. it’s got everything you could ever want: cherries, fresh crunchy greens, heirloom tomatoes, fresh summer herbs, a punchy dressing, and crunchy bread bits! enough said! just go ahead and make it ;)

mellow melon salad - here we have a leaf-less salad composed of summer melons, julienned summer squash, grilled corn, tomatoes, and sweet shaved melon wedges. the colors in this salad scream summer, and so does its flavor - sweet and savory all at the same time!

to grill:

hickory smoked salmon skewers - these salmon skewers are one of my favorite recipes to date. the salmon is marinated in a subtle, but flavorful mustard-vinegar-based bbq sauce, then lightly grilled with hickory, giving them that bbq vibe while not completely overpowering them with smoke. minus the marinating and heating of your grill, these are a breeze to make - about 10 minutes of cooking time total! serve them over some lightly dressed greens and your meal is good to go!

grilled summer pizza w/ garden pesto & balsamic caramelized onions - if you have a bit of extra time, and want to challenge yourself beyond the limitations of your oven, then make grilled pizza! the flavor is what really takes it up a notch, especially if you use a charcoal grill. there is a learning curve here if you are using a charcoal grill, but nothing that’s too intimidating. there’s nothing better than pizza on a long weekend ;)