crispy spring garlic + yam salad / April 17, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

sometimes ideas of recipes come to me. other times i need to search high and low for inspiration. i really don't like making something just to make it. i prefer to be inspired by an ingredient, or an idea. usually these ideas get stuck in my head until i figure them out. having gluten and dairy intolerances can get in the way of making an ordinary recipe, but that is part of the fun. i love finding interesting recipes, making substitutions, and producing something that is within the confines of what my body can tolerate. i really take joy in finding ways of making food tasty and yummy and the best i can possibly make it. having this blog has let me be creative in so many ways that i wouldn't have been in my non-blog life. big thanks to supportive people out there. i've been making a lot of recipes lately revolving around ingredients that i see at the farmer's markets. i never saw myself as someone who cooks only with what is in season. however, i'm finding that one ingredient can inspire an entire dish if you you let it. the ingredient of choice this time around was spring garlic. i thought they were so beautiful, and i immediately had recipes running through my head. the spring garlic has a similar taste and smell to garlic cloves, but the texture is more onion-like. i've sautéed them, roasted them, and eaten them raw (i encourage only people who really love garlic to do this), all yielding awesome results.

crispy spring garlic + yam salad

inspired by Adina Niemerow - Food & Wine, March 2012

serves 2

1 large white yam or sweet potato, cut into 2-by-1/3- inch sticks

1 1/2 cups miner's lettuce (you can substitute mung sprouts, or adzuki sprouts,or any other seasonal sprout)

2 cups packed lettuce greens

1 small cucumber, cut into 1/2 inch dice

6 stalks spring garlic, bulbs finely sliced, greens discarded (scallions will work too)

1 ripe avocado, sliced

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, toasted

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

3 tablespoons olive oil

large grain sea salt

// dressing

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons low sodium tamari

1/2 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

// directions

pre heat oven to 375°

line a baking sheet with parchment paper

in a bowl, toss the potato sticks with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (use more if needed), and a couple pinches of large grain salt. turn out onto baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes, until crisp and lightly browned - flip them over every 10-15 minutes. remove and let cool

while the potatoes are baking, heat a skillet on medium. coat pan with olive oil. add sliced garlic, and sauté until crispy - about 8 minutes. remove from heat and drain the garlic on a paper towel to remove excess oil

in a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, balsamic, tamari, and honey with the olive oil

in a large bowl, combine the lettuces, cucumbers, crispy garlic, baked yams, and sliced avocado with the dressing. sprinkle with seed mixture, serve and enjoy

ramp + herb frittata / April 16, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

eggs in general are not the most interesting thing to talk about. so instead i'm going to talk about the plethora of amazing produce that was at the farmer's market this weekend. there were all sorts of greens: mugwort, miner's lettuce, mustard greens, tatsoi (which i learned is a variation of mustard spinach), watercress, and ramps. out of all the greens i came across i chose to incorporate ramps into my dish because of their subtle onion flavor, and because their greens (unlike some other onion plants) can be eaten and enjoyed. i decided to use parsley and thyme because that's what i had that was fresh. this was the first time i used yogurt instead of milk. i was pleasantly surprised by the end result: the egg had a soft, creamy texture, and was really light. i used unsweetened soy yogurt, but i could see how greek yogurt would add an even greater flavor. this is one of those recipes you can add to, and play around with ingredients. so please do : )

1 bunch ramps, trimmed, bulbs sliced, and greens chopped (reserve some greens or garnish)

1 small shallot, minced

1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, tarragon, cilantro), chopped

5 eggs

1/2 cup yogurt (i used soy yogurt, but greek yogurt would be delicious as well)

salt and pepper to taste

// directions

pre heat oven to 350°

in a medium bowl, mix eggs with chopped herbs, yogurt, salt and pepper. let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes

in an oven proof skillet, heat olive oil over a medium heat. (i took a pastry brush and coated the sides of the skillet, so that way the eggs wouldn't stick when i added them later on.) add ramp bulbs and shallots. cook for 5 minutes. add ramp greens and cook until wilted - about 2 minutes

add the eggs to the skillet, turn down the heat to medium low. let the eggs set a bit; until the sides are solid and the top is set and maybe a little jiggly

transfer the skillet to the pre heated oven. bake for 7-10 minutes. eggs should be set and fluffy. cut, serve, and enjoy