brunch

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! 

green shakshuka w/ smoky socca /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

the other day i was up at some crazy hour in the morning thinking about this cute, wobbly old table i had purchased a few years ago.  the table made a brief appearance here in our new(er) apartment, but was sent to my parents basement - or as we call it, storage - for a day when we have a large enough place to fit cute, non-essential furniture.  anyway, the other day i was thinking that i missed that table's cheerful turquoise hue, and its random chips of paint.  i told my dad that i was thinking of a way to utilize the table and asked if there was a way to trim the legs and make a tray.  my dad, being a pretty smart (and rad) guy, transformed this once not so very functional piece of furniture into not only a large serving tray, but was also able to save other parts of the dismantled table for wall shelves!  the tray now sits comfortably on our ottoman in the living room, and makes a pretty backdrop for photographs ;)

on to this shakshuka.  like most people i eat a red shakshuka, and sometimes a reddish-green shakshuka.  that was until i ate green shakshuka at my most favorite restaurant, jack's wife freda.  the base of their green sauce is tomatillos, green peppers, cilantro, onion and garlic.  the shakshuka here is a riff off of theirs.  not knowing exactly how they prepare it, i took to making it how i would prepare a regular red shakshuka and frank and i love it!  the sauce isn't as sweet and i definitely make it spicier when it's green, and i LOVE the taste of the cilantro mixed with the heartiness of kale!  and whenever there's a runny egg in town be sure that there's a piece of bread around to sop up all its runny, yellow yolk goodness! enter: socca. essentially a flatbread, and super easy to make, plus, you can add virtually any spice or herb to it and make it to your liking.  some of my favorite additions include: tons of garlic and herbs, za'atar, and smoked paprika! 

green shakshuka w/ smoky socca 

serves 2

ingredients

  • 8 medium tomatillos (~1 pound), trimmed and cut in half
  • 5 large lacinto kale leaves, ribs removed
  • 1 cup cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, stem removed (i added some seeds for spice)
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 3 large free range eggs
  • olive oil, for sauteing  

smoky socca

  • 1 cup garbanzo bean flour
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  •  1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

directions

make the socca

  • in a medium bowl, whisk the garbanzo bean flour, salt and smoked paprika.  add the warm water while whisking.  add 2 tablespoons olive oil and minced garlic, whisk to combine.  cover mixture with plastic wrap and let it sit for 1 hour - or up to 12 hours
  • place a 12" cast iron skillet (or oven safe baking dish of same size) in oven and preheat to 450° 
  • once heated, remove from oven and add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan; swirl to cover the surface and edges.  give the socca batter one more whisk and add to hot skillet, return to oven and bake for about 13-15 minutes.  turn oven to broil and bake until edges and top of socca bread are lightly browned and crisp - about 3-5 minutes
  • carefully transfer the bread to a large plate or pizza pan and cut into wedges.  serve hot

make the shakshuka

  • combine halved tomatillos, kale, 3/4 cup cilantro, cumin and salt in a food processor, and pulse until contents are blended.  set aside
  • heat a 10" skillet over medium heat, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onions until soft and translucent - about 3 minutes.  add the garlic and saute until garlic is soft and fragrant - about 2 minutes.  add the tomatillo mixture and bring sauce to a light simmer.  cook over medium-low heat for about 12-15 minutes, until half the liquid has cooked off
  • make divots in the sauce for the eggs.  one at a time, crack the eggs into a small bowl and gently transfer to the green sauce.  repeat with remaining eggs.  cook eggs until whites have set (i generally use a cover to speed this process up) about 6-8 minutes.    
  • garnish with leftover cilantro and serve with the socca...enjoy!

overnight oat waffles w/ lemon zest + poppy seeds (+ pomegranate honey!) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

breakfast meals are somewhat of a big deal around here...on the weekends.  first of all, it's probably my favorite meal of the day, and the most fun to think about and prepare.  i love running through the various morning recipes i've collected (and pinned, hello technology) and thinking up a really killer breakfast.  there's something super about weekend breakfasts - the relaxation with a perfect hot cup of coffee all while chowing down on a morning meal!

breakfast is also the only couple days where frank and i get to slowly welcome the day, have coffee in bed, curl up on the couch with the newspaper, and eat a breakfast that's a bit more complex than instant oatmeal.  more likely than not, we go the savory route and have something consisting of eggs (lately, we've been super into eggie burritos with guac and sriracha - sooo good!), but every so often we find a need for something a little sweet.  these waffles were perfect, hearty and full of (vegan) buttermilk-soaked oats, lemon zest - both its scent and flavor, and poppy seeds which provided small flecks of crunch! all of that topped with a syrupy pomegranate honey i made last week.  

(*lead photo: Polaroid taken on Impossible 600 color film) 

overnight oat waffles w/ lemon zest + poppy seeds (+ pomegranate honey!)

| gluten free + dairy free |

makes 4 large waffles

adapted from Orangette's Oatmeal Pancakes

ingredients

  • 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour
  • 3 tablespoons brown rice flour
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
  • 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest 
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1/2 cup almond milk 
  • 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 large free range eggs
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate honey for serving
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds for serving (optional)

instructions

the night before

  • combine almond milk with apple cider vinegar, let the mixture rest for about 10 minutes.  add the rolled oats and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the next morning

the morning of

  • heat your waffle iron on medium-high.  turn your on oven on low (to keep your waffles warm) and place a parchment lined baking sheet inside.  remove oat mixture from the refrigerator 
  • in a large bowl, combine almond flour, brown rice flour, arrowroot powder, sugar, salt and baking soda.  rub the lemon zest between your fingers as you add it to the dry mix (to release natural oils), mix with your hands to combine. set aside
  • in another large bowl, whisk the eggs, olive oil and vanilla.  add the soaked oats and mix.  add the wet mix to the dry, and stir until combined. add the poppy seeds and mix until combined
  • using a ladle, spoon roughly 2-3 tablespoons of batter onto iron and cook according to your preference and waffle maker's settings.  (my waffle iron has a 1-5 setting, i place the setting on 4, and cook it for 5 minutes.)  once waffle is done, use a spatula or fork to transfer it to the preheated baking sheet.  repeat with remaining batter
  • once finished, serve waffles and drizzle with pomegranate honey

enjoy!