thanksgiving

twice baked sweet potatoes w/ pumpkin seed dukkah /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

life's been a bit full-force these past few weeks, as i'm sure everyone feels the crazy holiday vibes out there. i'm finding it a bit hard to escape it all, even when i try.  i've been saying yes to a lot of fun projects, running myself a little thin, all with a wacky as heck sleeping schedule as of late.  weekends spent working have been awesome creatively, but i would be lying if i said that i didn't feel like it was taking something away from time with my husband and our pup.  getting consumed and overwhelmed easily is a problem of mine (or at least it can feel that way), so much so that i need someone to shake me out of that.  i love it more than anything when my husband, who is the most even, kind and gentle man, tells me i need to put it all down and relax.  i listen. and then i remember that balance is clutch, and tuning in to the present moment is what can be the difference between a freak out and and cool calm look at the world.  

balance, balance, balance.  to me, something that always need balance is the sweet potato.  as the sweet potato is already quite sweet, i find that the addition of sweet things this time of year is a little over the top for my personal taste.  in an effort to combat that problem, with all the sweetened sweet potato dishes out there, i took a family favorite from years ago and gave it an update.  twice baked potatoes were something my mom and i made each year around the holidays.  we would make tons of them, and subsequently have those stuffed spuds for days and days, after all the holiday craziness was over - a tried and true favorite we're talking.  if you've never had a twice baked potato, it's kind of like eating the creamiest, yummiest mashed potatoes inside a crisp, salty potato skin.  some people like eating just the whipped potato filling (hi, mom), and some love eating the whole shebang (hi, rest of the world!).  i started recreating this dish with sweet potatoes in mind as i've come to really love them - mostly for their nourishing properties, but also because white potatoes don't sit the best.  and since roasting acorn squash the other week with za'atar, and loving how the spice blend cut through the sweetness of the squash, i thought incorporating a super punchy dukkah spice blend would be great here with the sweet potato.  fragrant flavors of coriander, fennel, and cumin, some thyme, and my favorite: tangy sumac. i don't know how i didn't put these ingredients together sooner, definitely a power combo!

xo!

twice baked sweet potatoes w/ pumpkin seeds dukkah (v + gf)

dukkah is a nut and seed spice blend hailing from egypt.  most times it's made with hazelnuts, on occasion i've seen it with peanuts, and sometimes pumpkin seeds.  since it is pumpkin season, i only thought it was appropriate that they represent here, but feel free to add what ever nut or seed you like.  below i indicate more sumac for garnish.  

| makes 12 halves |

twice baked sweet potatoes

  • 6 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1/3 cup scallions or green onions, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 3/4 cup tofutti (or vegan cream cheese of choice)
  • 2-3 tablespoons hot, unsweetened almond milk
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, extra for greasing and cooking
  • fine salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • parsley, for garnish
  • sumac, for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons pumpkin seed dukkah (recipe below)

pumpkin seed dukkah

  • 1/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (1/2 tablespoon is using dry)
  • 1 teaspoon sumac
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

instructions

  • take cream cheese out to reach room temperature.  preheat oven to 350° and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.  grease and salt skins of potatoes; place on baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.  remove from oven and cool to handle, about 30 minutes.  
  • while potatoes are cooling, cook the onions and garlic.  heat a skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to coat bottom of pan, and saute the scallions/onions until soft, about 3 minutes.  add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. remove from heat and set aside.
  • once potatoes have cooled a bit, cut in half and carefully scoop cooked potato into a bowl, being careful to reserve skins.  using an electric mixer, mash potatoes, cream cheese, 2 tablespoons milk, scallions, garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper.  depending on your preference, add more milk. (2 tablespoons is usually enough to get a creamy consistency.)
  • using a spoon, carefully fill skins with potato mixture.  sprinkle tops with pumpkin seeds dukkah blend and place back in the oven for 20 minutes more.  serve hot with fresh parsley and extra sumac

pumpkin seeds dukkah

  • heat a heavy skillet over high heat - toast pumpkin seeds, until slightly browned and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. repeat with place coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds; remove from pan.  toast sesame seeds, then peppercorns.  allow spices to cool, add the peppercorns to a mortar and pestle, and crush.  add seeds, sumac, salt, and thyme, and grind until mix is crushed.  spice blend can be stored at room temp in an airtight container 

hearty herb, corn + oat bread /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

if you've read the last couple of posts here, then i'm sure you know how thanksgiving food is not exactly my ideal meal.  i've usually been one to avoid it all - eating/making thanksgiving-type food - but this year i felt it was necessary for both me and my husband's sake that i embrace this holiday and give it a chance (because apparently being married doesn't mean you only get to eat the food you like - it's all compromise i suppose!).  last week i highlighted a simple way to make stuffed acorn squash with a zingy tahini sauce as a possible side dish or entree for thanksgiving.  this week, i'm talking cornbread!  

in the past, it was the one item on the t-giving table that i knew and loved; however, in the last few years as gluten intolerances crept in, my go-to was sadly no more.  in an effort to change that situation, i've been playing around with a few different corn-y bread recipes; and i'm super happy to report that i've found a new appreciation (and recipe) for my old friend, cornbread.  this time around it's a more savory bread with a combo of oat flour and cornmeal; a bundle of chopped herbs, and vegan buttermilk to make sure it's nice and moist. while i can say with confidence that it's the perfect companion to anything thanksgiving, it's also makes a super slick accompaniment to breakfast meals: egg + cornbread breakfasts, or perhaps it could sit beside your bowls of weeknight chili and begged to be dipped.  either way, the herbaceous flavors, and licks of salt in each bite are kind of dreamy (and addicting!).   i'm diving into this thanksgiving thing full force, peeps, and next week i'll be sharing pies, pies, and more pies! (ok, maybe just one pie, but still!)

love + light, y'all! xo

hearty herb, corn + oat bread (gluten + dairy free)

i love this cornbread for so many reasons, but mostly because it's super moist, but also light and fluffy!  if you're looking for a more traditional, non-herby, cornbread, just take the herbs out and replace the olive oil with 1/4 cup coconut oil.  

| makes 8x8 inch square loaf |

ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup (non-gmo) organic cornmeal
  • 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
  • 1 tablespoon natural cane sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs (i used sage, thyme, and rosemary)
  • 1 free-range egg
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, extra for pan

instructions

  • preheat oven to 350° and grease an 8x8 inch square pan with oil, line the bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper and fold the paper over each side to make "wings".  set aside
  • in a mixing bowl, combine the coconut milk with the vinegar and let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes
  • in a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, oat flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and chopped herbs
  • to the coconut milk mix, add the egg and whisk; add the oil and whisk once more.  add the wet to the dry and mix thoroughly until combined.  pour the batter evenly into prepared pan, and place in the center of oven.  bake for 30 minutes, edges should be slightly browned and top should crackle a bit.  remove from oven and place on cooling rack; after 15 minutes, use parchment "wings" to gently lift bread out of pan.  place back on cooling rack and allow bread to cool completely before slicing
  • serve warm and enjoy!

stuffed za'atar roasted acorn squash w/ pepper-lemon tahini sauce /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

with thanksgiving approaching later this month (holy s#!@, is it really november already!?), i've been getting asked about what kinds of dishes i prepare for the holiday.  i have to admit that thanksgiving has probably been my least favorite holiday meal.  turkey was always meh.  in the past, i could get down with mashed potatoes, along with biscuits and cornbread.  but cranberry sauce, what-surprises-are-hiding-in-it stuffing, various casseroles, baby food looking sweet potatoes - perhaps it was all a sensory/food phobia of mine, but on thanksgiving i strictly hung out with all the carbs.

the past few thanksgivings i've been changing that situation, and have made some seriously tasty meals that could easily replace, or sit beside a thanksgiving classic.  i've been working on the ultimate gluten/dairy free cornbread, which is so super major, and i've also been playing around with a stuffing salad - kind of like a stuffing panzanella (?) if such a thing exists.  but today i'm sharing this super hearty za'atar squash dish, stuffed with lots of all-star ingredients: a spiced kale, shallot, and chickpea saute with quinoa, all topped off with a zesty tahini sauce with a bit of a peppery kick!  i love these acorn squash for a lot of reasons, but mostly because it's a quick meal that allows you to prepare everything while the squash are baking in the oven - yes, friends, these are the things that make me happy :)  

 have a good one, folks! xo

*also, i'm picking a winner for the giveaway of Amy Chaplin's cookbook today! so check your internet mail to see if you're the lucky winner! 

stuffed za'atar roasted acorn squash w/ pepper-lemon tahini sauce 

za'atar is an herby spice blend that can be found in most supermarkerts in the herb + spice aisle.  if you can't find a store that carries it, you can easily make your own.  i have a recipe here for za'atar -  i love making a big batch of this to have when i want to throw it into a meal.  

| 6 servings |

ingredients

  • 3 acorn squash, washed and cut in half
  • 2 tablespoons za'atar
  • 2 cups chickpeas, cooked (or a 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed) 
  • 1 medium shallot, diced
  • 3 large kale leaves, destemmed and shredded
  • 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
  • 1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
  • salt + pepper
  • sesame seeds, for garnish

pepper-lemon tahini sauce

  • 1/4 cup tahini paste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • sea salt
  • 1/4-1/3 water

instructions

  • preheat oven to 400° and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.  place squash cut side up, and brush with olive oil; season with a pinch of salt for each, and evenly sprinkle the za'atar spice.  place in oven and bake until fork-tender; roughly 40-50 minutes.  remove from oven and set aside
  • while squash are cooking, heat a 8-10 inch skillet on medium, once hot, add the olive oil and shallot; saute shallot for a few minutes, until translucent and soft.  add the chickpeas, cumin, and cayenne pepper, and a couple pinches of salt; cook for 1 to 2 minutes.  add the kale and cook until a bit wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.  remove from heat and set aside
  • in a large mixing bowl, combine the sauteed chickpeas and kale, with the quinoa.  taste for seasoning and adjust if needed
  • stuff each squash half with roughly a 1/2 cup quinoa mix (more or less depending on the size of your acorn squash).  serve warm with a few drizzles of the tahini sauce, and sesame seeds

enjoy!

for the tahini sauce

  • in a small mixing bowl, combine the tahini, lemon juice, pepper, garlic, a few pinches of salt, and 1/4 cup water.  if consistency is too thick, add more water.  taste and adjust.  store in a lidded jar in the refrigerator until ready to use.  (if the tahini sauce has thickened while refrigerated, add more water, a few teaspoons at a time, to thin it out.)