mother's day + cupcakes /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

mary is a woman who got married early, had two children in her twenties, decided to go to college with two littles at home, and get her doctorate in clinical psychology.  in short, mary is an inspiration to us all.  so many times i find myself thinking things are not possible, that there isn't enough time, but i am reminded that she accomplished so many things without the time that many of us take for granted.  she had a partner in her life that was supportive and understanding of her goals and dreams.  and she had two children who looked up to her and were so proud of her.  mary, my mama, is the strongest woman i know, and i love her  deeply.  i love, and celebrate her each and everyday, and especially today, on mother's day.   

the cupcakes here are gluten free and dairy free.  i know that the list of ingredients below are foreign to some.  if that is the case then i suggest using a recipe that you are familiar with.  but the coconut buttercream frosting is not to be missed! in my opinion it is one of the most delicious frostings i have ever tasted.  the coconut butter makes the frosting creamy, while the coconut flour and arrowroot powder thicken it, and give it substance.  i'm looking forward to using this frosting in the future for all sorts of cakes.

anilla + cocoa cupcakes

slightly adapted from Elana's Pantry

| makes 12

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

6 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

1/2 raw agave nectar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon cocoa powder (optional)

2 tablespoons dried lavender (optional)

| directions

pre heat oven to 350°

line a muffin tin with liners (or oil the tin)

n a medium bowl, combine the coconut flour, salt, and baking soda

in a large bowl, ombine the eggs, oil, agave, and vanilla

mix the wet ingredients into the dry, with a hand held mixer until smooth

divide the mixture into two bowls - for cocoa cupcakes, add the cocoa powder to one bowl, mix until combined

pour batters into lined muffin tin, filling them 3/4 of the way

bake for 20 minutes rotating them halfway through

cool completely and top with coconut buttercream frosting

coconut buttercream frosting

slightly adapted from The Spunky Coconut

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut butter

3/4 cup coconut cream

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon agave

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons coconut flour

1/4 cup  + 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder

| directions

blend ingredients with a handheld mixture until combined and smooth

pour frosting into a piping bag, and decorate.  top with dried lavender and enjoy!

 

| top photo taken by frank love (flovephotography.com) on polaroid type 59 |

oat waffles + roasted rhubarb compote /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

waffle recipes are a dime a dozen.  i know this.  but a few weeks back i came across a recipe that highlighted buttermilk soaked rolled oats as its main ingredient.  i thought this was a brilliant idea, so i started playing around with flours and ingredients i commonly use to make this recipe.  i wasn't sure how i would like the rolled oats in the waffles, i thought that perhaps they would be a textural distraction from what waffles are usually all about.  i found that the oats actually provided the waffles with a texture and taste that (in my opinion) brought the waffles to a different level.  but i am saying this as a person who doesn't like breakfast items too sweet or buttery.  i like waffles and pancakes a bit on the grain(y) side.   

the roasted rhubarb was something that i've never made before.  i adapted a recipe i saw in bon appetit magazine, using the ingredients i commonly bake and cook with.  it first caught my attention when i read that the recipe called for bourbon.  a little bourbon in the morning wouldn't hurt, right?  exactly.  as the short ingredient list went on i realized that it would be easy to adapt to my likes and preferences.  as it turned out the combination of the waffles and roasted rhubarb was great: the sourness of the rhubarb (i only added a little agave to it) went well with the delicate sweetness of the waffles.  i understand that some people may not like the sourness of the rhubarb, if that's the case just add more agave (or sugar) to your liking.  

oat waffles + roasted rhubarb compote

| makes 4 waffles

1/2 cup gluten free old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup vegan buttermilk

2 eggs, room temperature 

2 tablespoons coconut oil, soft - not melted

2 tablespoons raw agave nectar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup almond flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

| for the compote

adapted from bon appetit

makes ~ 1 cup

1 rhubarb stalk, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tablespoon bourbon (or water)

1 tablespoon raw agave nectar (plus more to taste)

1 inch piece of vanilla bean scraped

1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

2 tablespoons chopped pistachios (optional)

| directions

start by soaking the 1/2 cup rolled oats with the 1/2 cup of buttermilk.  let it soak until the oats are puffy and the milk is absorbed, about 1 hour

while the oats are soaking, prepare the compote

pre heat the oven to 425°

place the cut rhubarb, bourbon, agave, and vanilla bean into a medium sized bowl - combine.  then add the arrowroot powder and combine thoroughly. prepare a 12" x 12" piece of tin foil or parchment paper and round the sides to make a cup. transfer your mixture into the foil cup and crimp edges so the liquid doesn't escape.  place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes

in a large bowl, whisk the soaked oats, eggs, coconut oil, agave, and vanilla extract

in a small bowl, combine the almond flour, baking soda, and salt - whisk until combined

at this point heat your waffle iron to your desired temperature, i would say at about a medium heat (my waffle iron goes up to 5, so therefore i heated mine to 3) - just remember, almond flour has a higher burning rate than grain flours.  i set mine at a lower temperature for the first couple minutes and then kicked up the heat for the last minute to crisp the edges

add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined

using a 1/4 cup measure, pour the batter onto your waffle iron - you may need more or less depending on the size and make of your waffle iron.  repeat with the rest of the batter

serve the waffles with a healthy dollop of the roasted rhubarb and top with crushed pistachios.  enjoy

 

asparagus with shallot vinaigrette + crisp lemon zest /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

these little beauties were all over the place at the farmer's market over the weekend.  and while i don't wait until asparagus season to cook with them, they are a whole lot cuter and tastier than the kind you find at the supermarket.  it was kind of hard to narrow down an asparagus recipe to share here.  there are so many wonderful things asparagus is good for, but i chose to share a recipe that i made all summer long last year.  it's a great warm weather dish, that can be served warm or cold. 

the original recipe was from the new york times, from last april.  i changed it around a bit to my liking,  and also added some crispy lemon zest for additional flavor.  the oil used to fry the lemon zest was reserved for the vinaigrette.  likewise, you can regular olive oil and the dressing will taste just as good.  this recipe will make extra vinaigrette which can be used to dress any salad, or as a dipping sauce for vegetables.  

asparagus with shallot vinaigrette + crisp lemon zest 

adapted from the new york times - april 27, 2012

| serves 4

1 bunch asparagus (1-1 1/2 pounds), bottoms trimmed

half of a shallot, minced

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon good dijon mustard (i use Maille)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped

1 lemon, skin peeled

salt and fresh ground pepper

 

 

| directions

eat a small skillet on medium high with the olive oil.  using a vegetable peeler, remove the rind from the lemon.  then slice the pieces into matchsticks.  add the matchsticks to the hot oil; cook for about 10 seconds - until the lemon starts curling.  using tongs, remove the lemon and place on a paper towel to remove extra oil.  (do not discard the oil in the pan, you will use this in the vinaigrette.)  let the lemon peel cool

to make the vinaigrette, place the minced shallot in a small bowl, add the vinegar, and a pinch of salt; let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes.  stir in the mustard, then whisk in the lemon olive oil.  season with salt and pepper to taste

heat a large skillet on medium, coat pan with olive oil.  while pan is heating, snap off and discard the tough bottoms of the asparagus.  dd the asparagus to the hot pan; cook for 10-12 minutes depending on how thin or thick your asparagus is.  place cooked asparagus on a platter and spoon the vinaigrette over them.  garnish with chives and fried lemon zest.  enjoy