A Spring Picnic & My Easy Peasy Go-To Menu /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

frank and i started dating in doldrums of winter.  we had plenty of dates in warm, cozy coffee shops in the east village, heated movie theaters, or long walks through central park bundled up in hats and scarves.  as soon as spring hit we would drive north of manhattan to where i grew up, where we would take walks along the hudson river, breath fresh air (while also having sneezing fits from all the pollen), and lay in the grass with sunshine on our faces.  getting out of the city and into a more natural world is something i crave this time of year.  so when we had a free weekend and the weather was nice we made our way up to one of our favorite spots. the area where we usually park was closed so we took a new adventure through an overgrown path, down a hill, and into the most beautiful pasture that led us to a gravel road. it was lined with the most beautiful mossy stone walls, tall grasses, and wispy wild flowers - slice.of.heaven.

not that i'm a pro picnic-er or anything, but i've learned some tips and tricks along the way to packing a super fun and totally functional picnic meal: 

first - i prefer parchment paper to plastic bags for sandwiches.  yes, parchment could certainly be better for the environment, but it also doubles as a plate/placemat which is an awesome thing when you're out in the wild (er, at a park).

second - snack packing is a must! especially for me.  no one (and i'm really just talking about myself here) should get hangry in a beautiful walk/hike situation.  i reach for snack, or light energy bars in the car, as we're walking, or in some cases as dessert.  i'm digging kashi's new plant-based GOLEAN bars, especially the salted dark chocolate with nuts! it's packed with plant-y protein, and there's no laundry list of ingredients you've never heard of or can't pronounce.  they're a new favorite, for sure!

third - when deciding what salad to bring, lose the greens.  salads that don't wilt are my go-to, usually a grain or bean salad, or a chopped israeli salad. 

fourth - fresh fruit preferably packed in some sort of jar to avoid any unwanted mushiness, along with a small cutting board and some sort of pocket knife for cutting, although that's not totally necessary, and totally depends on what fruit you're packing.   

fifth - i prefer using cloth napkins.  not because i'm too good for paper, but they act as really efficient padding when i'm packing the picnic bag.  they also don't blow away as easy as paper, and they're reusable (i wrapped my cutting board in one at the end of the picnic so i didn't get the inside of my bag all messy - 2 thumbs way up!).

and lastly - beverages.  we happened to pick up an insanely delicious raspberry and tomato (!!!) smoothie that was awesome, but we also had plenty of water to keep up hydrated as well.

picnic menu

avocado asparagus sandwiches (*recipe below)

mixed nuts

fresh strawberries (or whatever fresh fruit is at its peak)

grain or bean salad 

energy/snack bars (like these)

add ons

cloth napkins

water or beverage of choice

pocket knife

small cutting board

plates - disposable or enamel

fresh picked wild flowers, picked along the way (totally optional) 

* this post was created in partnership with kashi.  all opinions, as always, are my own. thank you for supporting dolly and oatmeals's sponsors!

sautéed asparagus and dijon avocado sandwich | gf  (vegan option)

sandwiches like these are my favorite - fresh, simple, and wholesome.  i love the sandwich as is, but i could see a splash of balsamic adding even more delicious flavor. 

  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or veganaise
  • 2 tablespoons good dijon mustard
  • 1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • half a bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed
  • fine sea salt & fresh pepper
  • 1 ripe avocado, sliced thin
  • handful of baby greens
  • 4 slices toasted whole grain gluten free bread (or bread of choice)

method

  1. whisk together the mayo (or veganaise) and the dijon. set aside.
  2. heat a skillet over medium heat.  once the pan is hot add enough oil to lightly cover the bottom.  add the asparagus, a couple pinches of salt, and a few cracks of pepper.  cook asparagus, shaking the pan every few minutes, until tender and lightly browned.  remove from heat and let cool.
  3. top each slice of bread with the dijon mayo, then add some greens, avocado slices a few pinches of salt and pepper, and as many asparagus spears will fit (depending on what bread you use).
  4. wrap the sandwiches in parchment paper. 
A Spring Picnic & My Easy Peasy Go-To Menu | dolly and oatmeal

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Sprouted Quinoa & Ramp Sliders w/ Garlicky Cucumber Slaw /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

this time last year i was in full on meltdown mode.  we were just about to move and i was in the middle of finishing up the manuscript for my cookbook.  there was a month long dispute with our new landlords over the apartment we were supposed to move into, and we were essentially forced to move into the adjacent apartment.  all the things worked out, but the apartment was the smaller unit, so aside from our couch taking up what you would call a living room, everything worked out quite nicely.  if you've followed along here you know i've talked about some of the work we've done to our backyard.  but after some gnarly finds in the soil (oh, hello rusted metal, and partially broken down plastic randomness!) we decided that if we were going to grow any edibles this year they were going to have to be in pots or a raised bed.  

frank took on the challenge and whipped up a pretty sizable and impressive raised bed (all the muscle arm emojis!).  and since the weather's been super lovely we've been gardening and sprucing everything up!  i say this every year, that spring is just the best feel-good season! the market is alive with all the green things, birds so chirpy, flowers popping up, buds, and sprouts - too much to love! and is it just me or are you so much more inclined to be a happier cook?  there's such a difference when the windows are cracked, the door to the backyard is open, and you feel that pulse of life in the air.  

while we've had some days that reached temps in the 80's (!!!), there are also the days where it's cool in the morning and evening, so a nice warm breakfast or supper is still in order - be it spring veg pasta, or roasted strawberry breakfast bowls.  but i'm enjoying mixing those springy greens, especially one of the first greens that hits NYC, ramps.  they're a great mix of spring onion meets spring garlic - subtle but flavorful and fragrant.  

these sliders are mix of a recipe i developed for a client and these falafel sliders from a few weeks ago.  they're made with sprouted quinoa which really helps on 2 levels: one, because sprouted quinoa is awesome for digestion; and two, because i'm terrible at remembering to soak my grains and even worse at sprouting beans and grains : /  so, thank goodness for truRoots who has a really awesome line of sprouted and germinated grains, among other products!  these sliders are super tasty, fluffy but firm, and so easy to put together; and the coating of breadcrumbs makes them less mushy veggie burger, and more crisp, sturdy burger. plus, the quinoa adds just enough protein to make these a substantial meal on their own, and adds such great texture and a sweet nutty flavor.  sometimes i forgo the bun altogether on plop these guys on a bed of greens with a good drizzle of the garlic tahini yogurt sauce. i see them as a forever go-to adding whatever seasonal produce available :)

happy spring! xo. and you can follow me over on snapchat for some garden snaps, pup photos, and daily life :) @dollyoatmeal

* this recipe was created in partnership with truRoots, all opinions, as always, are my own.  thank you so very much for supporting dolly and oatmeal's sponsors!

sprouted quinoa & ramp sliders w/ garlicky cucumber slaw | v + gf

look for sprouted quinoa to help save overnight soak time, if you have to use regular quinoa remember to soak overnight to start the sprouting process.  i really enjoy the cool cucumber slaw here, but any vegetable will work in its place.    

cucumber slaw

  • 1 small cucumber, julienned 
  • half of a small red onion, sliced paper thin on a mandolin
  • 1 teaspoon chopped dill
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon garlic tahini-yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • fine sea salt & fresh pepper, to taste

| makes 12-14 small patties |

  • 1 cup truRoots sprouted quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups water (preferably filtered)
  • big pinch of salt
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 bunch ramps, stems and leaves roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup sweet potato puree
  • 1/2 cup italian seasoned, gluten free bread crumbs (or bread crumbs of choice)
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sumac
  • fine sea salt & fresh pepper

toppings

method

slaw

  1. spread the julienned cucumbers on a dishtowel and allow the towel to soak up any moisture, let sit for about 5 minutes.  place cucumbers in a bowl and mix together with the red onion, dill, vinegar, yogurt, and oil.  season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.

sliders

  1. preheat oven to 375°F, line a baking sheet with parchment and brush with olive oil to coat; set aside.
  2. place the rinsed quinoa in a saucepan with the water and salt.  bring the quinoa to a boil, stir, cover, and turn heat to low.  simmer the quinoa for 20-25 minutes, until the water has completely evaporated. remove from heat and let the quinoa come to room temp.
  3. while the quinoa is cooking saute the ramps.  heat a fry pan over medium heat, once it's hot add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  add the ramps, a pinch of salt and pepper, and stir.  cook for about 1 minute, until wilted and bright green.  remove from heat and set aside.
  4. in a large bowl, thoroughly combine 2 cups cooked quinoa, ramps, sweet potato, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, sumac, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and fresh pepper to taste.  
  5. place the remaining bread crumbs in a shallow dish, set aside.  using a tablespoon measure, scoop 2 tablespoons worth of the mixture and form into patties.  dip the tops and bottoms of the patties into the bread crumbs and place on the prepared baking sheet.  gently brush tops of patties with a light coating of oil and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping patties over halfway through, until edges are lightly brown and crisp.  
  6. schmear 1 or both sides of the bun with garlic tahini-yogurt, then top with microgreens, a slider, and some garlicky cucumber slaw. 

enjoy!

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Celebrating Earth: Spring Scenes From My Garden /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i have vivid memories of my elementary school lunches.  i'm not sure if my mom would religiously pack me my meal because she enjoyed the process, or if she didn't like the idea of me eating cafeteria lunch. regardless of how busy my mom would be, she took her packing job seriously.  sometimes there would be a note inside, other times she would buy the reusable, environmentally friendly bags, or she would pack me a brown bag lunch and draw floral designs with my name somewhere in the mix.  it was the early nineties, so the environmental craze was just starting - our school had just begun equipping each classroom with the blue recycle pales, and we were only beginning to understand what pollution was, and what it meant.  so when i would walk into the cafeteria with my vinyl, neon blue (environmentally friendly) lunch bag with an earth patch on it, i would get sometimes get a few stares and teased a bit.   needless to say, i begged my mom to stop sending me to school with that lunch bag, despite the fact that i knew that using it was the right thing to do.

i think early on that notion of doing small things lent itself to the bigger picture which was engrained in me pretty early on.  my dad was (and still is) a super nerd when it came to recycling just about anything and everything.  we kept a compost pile under an enormous pine tree in our yard, that at the time i thought was smelly and gross, but only when i got older was able to understand and appreciate its significance. presently, i do my small part each day (and let's face it, i could always do more), but keeping a garden where i see life thrive, and butterflies rest, and bees pollinate makes my small backyard garden filled with cycles of life.  i try to take care in whatever way i can - big or small.  as part of this year's observance of earth day, i've teamed up my pals at Naked Juice to sow some seeds, plant some baby kale, and enjoy their Kale Blazer juice which is bottled in 100% post-recycled renewable bottles, minimizing waste along the way - something i can always get behind!

all the green hugs!   

*this post was created in partnership with Naked Juice.  all opinions, as always, are my own.  thank you for supporting dolly and oatmeal's sponsors!