raw cauliflower couscous w/ cherries + a sumac-lemon vinaigrette /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

the month of june always brings about the anticipation of summer, and undoubtably the nostalgia of the summer months.  i see the anticipation of summer on children's faces, adults too, but there's something about the significance and care-free quality that summer holds for the kid in us.  for me, it was going to the pool, taking vacations with my family up to martha's vineyard, building sand castles, staying up late with my brother and the neighborhood kids to play hide-and-seek.  adventure and excitement were everyday occurrences, for you didn't know if a thundershower would envelope you with its downpour, or if your friend would get their hands on a bunch of water guns and balloons and there would be a spur-of-the-moment water fight.  bbq's, hamburger and hotdogs, watermelon, and ICE CREAM - hello carvel and ben and jerry's! while i still dream about super-soakers, sandcastles and sweet, cold food items that melt in your mouth, i also dream about tending to my garden, sowing seeds and watching them grow, and seeing how happy the warm weather makes our pup!  

another thing i loved as a kid was couscous - near east brand was my jam, especially the garlic and olive oil flavor!  it was always an easy dish to make on the stovetop for the times i would prepare dinner for myself. but, this time around it's  a raw, cauliflower version with sweet (first-of-the-season!) cherries, a ton of herbs and a super tangy vinaigrette to counter the sweet and earthy flavors going on here.  i see this dish being in heavy rotation in the coming months - there's seriously nothing like NOT turning on the oven to make our apartment even warmer than it already can get in the summer!  happy june, ya'll! xo

raw cauliflower couscous w/ cherries + a sumac-lemon vinaigrette

| serves 4 as a side |

ingredients

  • 3 cups cauliflower (about half of a large head)
  • 1/2 cup cherries, stoned and cut in quarters
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely minced
  • a big handful fresh peas, shelled and blanched (frozen peas work just as well, but cook according to package directions)
  • 2 tablespoons capers, roughly chopped
  • 4 small leeks, sliced thin

sumac-lemon vinaigrette

  • juice from 1 large lemon (about 1/4 cup)
  • 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sumac
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • salt + pepper

instructions

make the vinaigrette

  • to a small bowl, add lemon juice, salt, fresh ground pepper, sumac and garlic; stir to dissolve the salt, taste and adjust if needed.  vigorously whisk in, a little at a time the olive oil and taste as you go
  • refrigerate until ready to use

assemble the couscous

  • cut the cauliflower head in half, then cut florets into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until you are left with a fine crumble.  place the crumbled cauliflower in a large serving bowl and season with salt and pepper 
  • add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.  add dressing as desired and adjust seasoning if need be

enjoy!

strawberry-oat cacao muffins (gluten + dairy free) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

as warmer weather makes its way to us, so do the hordes of people seeking a place to eat weekend brunch.  weekends in the city were always a respite for me growing up - all the cool kids left to go out east to the hamptons, and the city and i were left alone to play, explore and inevitably get lost.   the opposite is true now - weekends are reserved for road trips outside the city's perimeters, to explore other places - for finding peace by the shore, and for spending the kind of time with people that isn't rushed by life's chores. i've been enjoying my time in the car, a place of respite from all the noise that's out there; a space i don't have to share with anyone and something that's able to take me where i want to go - whether it's the next neighborhood over or across the country. frank and i have been discussing, with some trepidation, whether we want to live here versus some sort of suburb.  we're both pretty confident that staying in the city - more specifically our brooklyn neighborhood by the water - is something we want for the long-term.  the question of money always comes into play, a common theme when you talk about new york real estate (or purchasing any real estate i suppose).  almost automatically shit gets real when you're faced with how much money has been spent on rent, or how much will be spent in the future (down payments, mortgages...oy!). and then, instantaneously *POOF* you become a grown-up about the whole situation, being all practical and responsible.  but, in the meantime, we're content in our 2nd floor apartment that gets natural light only in the spring and summer, that has old squeaky floors and a fire escape large enough for growing a wee garden; that we wake up to the sound of buoys in new york harbor on quiet mornings, and hear ship horns blowing in the fog.  

speaking of warm weather, i'm getting a tad stoked about all the summer fruit that's going to be available soon!  there's little more that i like doing than cramming as much fresh, fruity goodness into a baked good. so today we're stuffing these chocolatey muffins with as much strawberries as they can handle.  therefore, we're calling them "healthy" because they've got strawberries and raw cacao powder in them - two powerhouse antioxidants!  speaking of antioxidants and baked goods, melissa, from the faux martha, had me dying the other day when she referred to her cacao nib scones as protein antioxidant scones - a title reserved for days when she's feeling guilty about them - i'm totally with this smart lady!  speaking of "healthy" my girl edlyn, over at egeedee, posted this drool-worthy spring-y socca with a walnut pesto! and this rye bread frittata by phi, from princess tofu, is super stunning!  also! you can't post a muffin recipe without including a classic dusty muffin skit!  cheers, all!

strawberry-oat cacao muffins (gluten + dairy free)

| makes 12 muffins |

ingredients

  • 3/4 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup oat flour
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup raw cacao powder 
  • 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 large free-range eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil or olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 pound fresh strawberries, cut into small chunks

instructions

  • preheat oven to 350° and line a muffin tin with 10 liners
  • in a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients with a whisk.  in another large bowl, combine the coconut milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla; add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined
  • using a tablespoon measure, fill the muffin liners up about half way; distribute strawberry chunks and cover with remaining batter (batter should reach 3/4 of the way up the muffin liner).  top each muffin with leftover strawberry chunks
  • transfer muffins to oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean
  • transfer muffin tin to a rack; allow to cool 20 minutes, then remove muffins and allow them to cool completely 
  • muffins can be stored at room temp. in an airtight container for 3-4 days 

enjoy! 

asparagus, pea + broccoli rabe sauté over a chickpea + chive mash /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

it feels like it wasn't even that long ago we were still bundling up just walk outside, but these past few weeks there's been a break in the cold.  i've planted some sprouts on my fire escape, and frank's allergies have returned with a vengeance.  this new season all seems so fresh, yet we're already looking at summer and realizing we need to make plans before it gets away from us.  last year around this time frank and i were in a bit of a wedding prep daze; where our mornings, nights, and weekends were filled with runs here or there, creating invites, and even bagging coffee.  this year we're looking forward to a change, to get away, and enjoy our summer and see some family.  we're making plans to take a road trip down to frank's family in north carolina, and introduce our little pup to his family; as well as realizing a long awaited trip to LA to see my bro and sis-in-law, and meet their 2 furry, four-legged children.  we're also stoked to have the time this summer to just chill out and do what comes our way - sometimes the best things in life happen when they're not planned at all!   

much like chilling out and taking things as they come, this dish is a lot like that.  on most sunday evenings you can find me cooking up a big heap of veggies, be it leftover ramp greens with spring onions and chard or kale, asparagus or green beans - it all goes in the skillet with olive oil, lemon, salt + pepper, for a light sauté.  it's usually coupled with black rice or quinoa, all topped off with a bog dollop of hummus.  i stir it altogether and make a big mess of it.  here, i chose to restrain the messiness, and also highlight the chickpeas, but in a mashed form as opposed to the ubiquitous hummus purée.  the veggies were chosen according to what was at the market that day - but can certainly be swapped for what's available to you. this dish is totally light and springy, but has the depth and heartiness for a substantial meal.  

asparagus, pea + broccoli rabe sauté over a chickpea + chive mash (gf + v)

chickpea + chive mash inspired by Food & Wine Magazine, May 2014

| serves 4 as a side, 2 for a meal |

ingredients

  • 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed and cut into 1-2" pieces
  • 1/2 cup fresh peas, (frozen are good too!)
  • 1 bunch broccoli rabe, stems trimmed
  • half of a serrano pepper, minced (i kept the seeds in for more heat) (you could also use a jalepeno or habanero pepper)
  • 4-5 green onions, trimmed and sliced thin
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • salt + pepper to taste
  • extra virgin olive oil, for cooking

chive-chickpea mash

  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup fresh chives
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3-4 tablespoons water
  • salt + pepper to taste

instructions

chickpea + chive mash

  • place half of the cooked chickpeas, chives, garlic, lemon juice, oil and salt + pepper in a food processor.  while running, drizzle water until you get a thick puree. taste, and adjust seasoning if needed.  add the remaining chickpeas and pulse to break them up a bit
  • transfer the mash to a saucepan over medium heat, let it warm up for about 5 minutes

sauté

  • heat a large skillet over medium heat, coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil (about 1 1/2 teaspoons).  add onions and minced chili pepper, cook while stirring every few seconds for about 30 seconds - until fragrant. add asparagus and peas, cook for about 2 minutes (i cooked them long enough so they weren't raw, but not too long that they lost their bite.  (if not using super fresh produce you may need to cook a little longer - just taste along the way), then add broccoli rabe and lemon juice, cook until wilted and liquid has reduced a bit - about 2 minutes.  remove from heat
  • serve the chive-chickpea mash individually; using tongs, top with a big heap of the sautéed vegetables 

enjoy!