poppies :: polaroids :: blizzard / February 10, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

two minute chocolate cake / February 9, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

so i was wanting to make a dessert for tonight but i wasn't wanting to do much work or cleanup. i'm sure many of you can relate to having days like this. i was trying to think of something simple, that would still be yummy, but not make me hate the idea making it. i remembered this easy little cake recipe that i surprised frank with one weeknight after he came home from work. it's a fun dessert you can get away with making anytime because you don't need any fancy ingredients or baking pans, you just need a coffee mug. one of frank's favorite drinks is a cafe mocha, so this was perfect for him because it delivers chocolate in a mug. if you can believe it, you just mix the cake mix in a mug, microwave it, and you can pop it right out and onto a plate or eat it out of the mug. this is a great single serving and fast cooking dessert if you're ever in a mood or a pinch that won't leave you with any hassle of leftovers (and by "hassle of leftovers," i mean no temptation to eat more than a healthy portion) or a bunch of bowls to clean.

i ended up adding some unsweetened coconut and walnuts. but you can add whatever you like, whether it's various nuts, espresso grounds, chocolate chips, or cinnamon. this cake will taste awesome with whatever you choose, even if you choose to keep it plain.

adapted from Delighted Momma

:: makes 1 small cake ::

3 tablespoons almond meal (or flour of your choice)

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons raw honey (or sugar)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 egg

1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut

a handful of walnuts

a few pinches of fine grain sea salt

:: directions (or lack thereof) ::

mix all the ingredients in a large coffee mug until combined. (i would use a small spatula or a spoon.)

place in the center of your microwave oven. cook for 2 minutes.

cool for a minute or 2.

:: enjoy ::

mango poppy seed muffins / February 6, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

when frank lived in the city he would often take me to his neighborhood coffee shop, third rail coffee. we would go in early on a saturday morning and have a coffee and a muffin before the nyu students descended upon us. each time we got a muffin they were different, with various fruits, nuts, and added flavors. sometimes they would have: cranberry-peach, raspberry-chocolate, pumpkin-pecan-apple, and bran with mango and raspberries. each time we ate one of those yummy muffins they were spot on - despite the fact that some of the concoctions were a little "out there." we found out they were made at blue sky bakery, in brooklyn. now that we live in brooklyn, you would think we would go there everyday. we don't. haven't been there once. one day we will...something to look forward to. in any event, the muffins before you are inspired by the muffins at blue sky bakery. i tried to combine 2 ingredients that are uncommon but complimentary at the same time. i found that the end product was super satisfying in my quest for weird. hopefully you will agree.

this recipe calls for almond flour. i used honeyville, because it is a finer grind of almond flour than bob's red mill, and therefore bakes with better results. you can use bob's red mill but may find that your muffin will be more dense. alternatively, you can use the mango and poppy seed combination in a muffin recipe of your own. i use it here, with almond flour, because it is what my body tolerates. lastly, i used honey as a sweetener, but feel free to substitute that with agave nectar.