Creamy Garlicky Pasta w/ Charred Broccoli & Figs / September 28, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Creamy Garlicky Pasta w/ Charred Broccoli & Figs | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

this post was created in partnership with Bed Bath & Beyond. all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own. thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal going!

where would we all be without pasta? do i dare say it's maybe the most versatile food...? it always has been for me. pasta was probably the first thing i started cooking on my own as a kid for dinner. i remember heating tomato sauce on the stove, cooking up a single-serve portion of it, and adding fresh, creamy ricotta cheese to the mix - that was my go-to, always!

as the years have gone by, that has changed a bit. when i first gave up gluten and dairy i didn't touch it. i couldn't imagine a rice or quinoa-based noodle being al dente or chewy enough that it could live up to traditionally wheat-based pasta that was engrained in my (partially) italian tastebuds. turns out they could!

around here pasta dishes are a weekly affair. sometimes they're tossed with homemade pesto and caramelized balsamic onions. other times it's thrown together with sautéed veg and a tomato-based sauce. or when i plan ahead enough i make the chickpea and cashew alfredo sauce from my book with greens or whatever else i have on hand. but when i'm in a pinch and don't have time to soak nuts, i make a quick cannellini bean sauce that takes all of 5 minutes to whip up. with just a few pantry staples added it turns into a super flavorful sauce that - bonus! - is packed with protein! i personally love something a bit sweet to counter all the savory flavors in a dish like this. so whether it's sweet, summery tomatoes, sautéed balsamic onions, or the sliced figs here, something toothsome is always something i gravitate towards. and the charred broccoli is another staple, especially because it's so fresh this time of year. i prefer using a cast iron skillet, and this one from bed bath & beyond's new artisanal kitchen supply line is twice-seasoned making it so much easier to use right out the gate! this was the best experience i've had with a new cast iron pan without having to season it multiple times (which, when i'm making something like socca, makes all the difference!).

thank you to bed bath & beyond for supplying me with all the pieces you see here from their new artisanal kitchen supply cookware and serveware line, that includes the olive wood tools used for serving. i really love the earthy tones, and simplicity of these products, they're reasonable, simple, and beautiful.

xo's!

creamy garlicky pasta w/ charred broccoli & figs | gf & v

| serves 4 |

garlic bean sauce

1 15-ounce can cannelleni beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup filtered water
1 large or 2 small clove garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
fresh pepper, to taste

pasta

1 12-ounce package brown rice pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets (about 3 cups)
fine sea salt & fresh pepper, to taste
1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts, plus more for serving
6 ripe figs, thinly sliced

method

make the sauce. combine all the ingredients in an upright blender (preferably a high-speed blender such as a vitamix), until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. taste and adjust the salt, lemon juice, and/or the vinegar if need be, then transfer to a small saucepan and set aside.
make the pasta. cook the pasta according the directions on the package until al dente. drain the pasta and set aside.
while the pasta is cooking, steam and char the broccoli. place broccoli florets in a steamer over 1-inch over water and bring to a boil. steam for 2 minutes until tender but crisp. heat a heavy bottomed saute pan (preferably cast iron) over medium, once the pan is hot add the oil and broccoli. cook the broccoli on each side until charred in spots and tender, about 5-6 minutes per side. remove from heat.
heat the sauce over medium heat until steaming, add more filtered water by the tablespoon until it is fluid but coats the back of a spoon. add the sauce, pasta, and walnuts to broccoli and give it all a good toss. gently fold in the figs, taste and adjust the seasoning adding more salt if needed.
divide the pasta into portions and serve immediately with extra toasted walnuts.

enjoy!

similar recipes:

crunchy crusted sweet potato bowl w/ golden dressing

green soba bowl w/ olive and sesame yogurt sauce

heidi's cauliflower pasta w/ za'atar + olives / September 22, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

heidi's cauliflower pasta | dolly and oatmeal

i'm pretty sure that when there's a recipe labeled "heidi's..." that we as cookbook readers, food blog consumers, and general fans all know who we're referring to. heidi swanson needs no introduction, she has in many ways built the food blog "house", among other endeavors. her blog, 101 cookbooks was the first food blog i ever read; her images, her words, her recipes, and the ease at which she allows us all to follow along, as if she were a trusted friend.

i turned to her blog and cookbooks when i was seeking new ways to change my diet; her approach to cooking and food helped me to formulate more clearly what it meant to eat real food, to be nourished, and to treat yourself well. how an everyday, or any day, story of food, friendship, family, inspiration, or plain old life, find their way into your home, can get compiled into a meal and served on the kitchen table. heidi transcended that barrier that is the computer screen, and invited us in, to a space beyond recipes and pretty pictures.

her new cookbook, near and far: recipes inspired by home and travel is simply a jewel. when it showed up on my doorstep this summer i found myself (like a teenager to a pop star) constantly looking through the beautiful pages of her book, placing it on my kitchen table, and then picking it back up to read every word written on each page. the book is organized by regions of the world, starting with san francisco, breaking for an en route section dedicated to packing a nourishing plane ride meal. the book then moves through morocco, japan, italy, and france; and then ending in india. the chapters are rounded brilliantly offering ideas and different ways of coming to a dish. it's a journey through different parts of the world, and even if you've been there yourself, you can't help but to admire and cherish the lens through which heidi views the world, and in that, her approach to preparing beautiful meals.

wishing you all a wonderful start to the fall season, xo!

heidi's cauliflower pasta (gluten free + dairy free alternative)

recipe from: Near and Far Recipes Inspired By Home and Travel by Heidi Swanson

this recipes comes from heidi's san francisco section which highlights an inspiring array of inviting bites and meals. i made this recipe with a few alternatives to make it more friendly to my diet, which i provide below heidi's recipe. this dish is nothing short of flavorful, simple and comforting, especially for a cool fall day.

| serves 4-6 |

8 ounces yuba skins or dried pasta
1 1/2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
12 ounces cauliflower, cut into small florets
15 green olives, rinsed, smashed, pitted, and chopped
3 tablespoons creme fraiche, plus more for serving (*dairy-free alternative ingredients below)
2 teaspoons za'atar

method

if you're using yuba skins, cut them into 1/2-inch strips and separate the "noodles" into single layers, creating a light, airy tangle of yuba. heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and pan-fry the yuba with a generous pinch of salt for about 7 minutes, until the edges of the yuba take on a nice amount of color and crisp up some. remove from the pan and set aside. (Alternatively, if you're using pasta, cook according to the package instructions in well-salted water. Drain and set aside.)
to cook the cauliflower, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. add the cauliflower and a pinch of salt and saute, stirring occasionally, until the edges brown. about 30 seconds before you think the the cauliflower will be cooked, stir in the olives. remove from the heat, wait about 10 seconds, then stir in the creme fraiche. serve over the bed of yuba skins or pasta, either on individual plates or family-style, sprinkled generously with za'atar and drizzled with creme fraiche.

*for a gluten-and-dairy-free alternative:

for a gluten-free alternative use yuba skins (some are seasoned with miso that contain gluten, so be careful of which ones you purchase), or use a gluten-free pasta/noodle of choice.
i made a dairy-free alternative using a coconut yogurt and tahini based sauce. i doubled the amounts here, which provided me with some leftovers for drizzling as heidi's instructs to use just before serving.