holidays

ginger-apple crumble pie (gluten + dairy free/vegan) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

today i'm sharing a recipe for this gluten + dairy free/vegan (depending on if you use an egg wash for the crust) ginger-apple crumble pie.  it's my first foray into crumble pie topping, and i can say that it's going to be a staple around here for years to come.  as for the ginger-y apple filling, that's a fave too!  as i've said before, i'm not the biggest on overly sweet anything, so the ginger really balances it all out, all with a hint of spice.   and the recipe is over on food 52 today in celebration of pie week!  also, food 52 and squarespace are teaming up for a few giveaways, so head on over there to check it all out!

a few thanksgiving-y links:

renee's beautiful pie, using my pie crust recipe that was posted on food 52 earlier this week.  THYME marshmallows! this sweet video, family traditions (especially when they involve food) give me the happiest goosebumps!  for the day you needed powdered sugar, only to find your pantry empty of it: homemade! powdered sugar. heidi's  vegetarian thanksgiving dishes. and pumpkin brownie swirly-ness at it's finest!  

happy friday!!! and happy weekend!  wishing you all a cozy one! xo

salted dark chocolate nut bars /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

greetings friends! i hope you all had a lovely holiday are finding time to relax and chill a bit.  as the new year rolls in i offer you a seriously healthy and wholesome candy bar..? health bar..? nut bar!?  anywho, regardless of the name they're full of crunchy sweetness, and (my favorite) roasty, toasty, nutty flavor! i've been a long time believer in nuts, maybe not believer per se, but i love nuts in anything and everything.  i always thought my love of nuts would someday bite me in ass as i would surely wake up and hear that the calories and fat they contain are just too much for human body to handle.  

as it turns out, just the opposite is true!!!  according to 2 recent new york times articles, nuts are not just healthy and good for you, but they trigger the part of the "reward" centers of the brain (parts of the brain that are usually triggered by cookies, candy, and chips) that essentially tell the body that it is being rewarded with a super tasty snack! so win-win as far as i'm concerned: healthy AND my brain thinks they're yummy too!   (you can find these articles here and here.)  i'm sharing these bad boys over at Food 52, so hop on over there for the recipe :)  

peace + love to all of you in 2014! 

miso-yam soup w/ sesame roasted carrots /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

ok, before the holiday season gets out of control, with all the cookies and treats that are popping up all over the place, let's get our nutrition on!  i've somewhat been off my regularly scheduled eating patterns with traveling, and the recent holidays.  so whenever i'm looking for a boost, be it when i'm sick or my stomach is dysfunctional, my go-to is miso soup.  it's easy to make, suuuper soothing, and has (magical) healing benefits.  personally, i'm a fan of miso's beneficial bacteria that helps aid digestion as well as maintain a healthy immune system! one could go on about everything else that miso is good for, but i'll leave that to the experts.  

i recently came across a super-duper ipad app, Uniqlo Recipe.  not usually one for recipe apps, i was interested in it because i'm a fan of the photographer who shot it.  i came across a recipe for butternut squash miso soup and was instantly obsessed. the original recipe came from Brian Leth, a chef who runs an awesome restaurant here in brooklyn, Vinegar Hill House.  most miso soups i've eaten come in broth form, so i loved the idea of a creamy, slightly sweet miso soup, and i loved how the ingredients seemed subtle enough to not outdo the miso flavor.  using what i had available in my kitchen, i swapped some ingredients for others using white flesh yams in place of the squash, and roasted carrots instead of sautéed apples and brussels sprouts.  the soup was a cinch to make and so darn yummy; a total winner!

miso-yam soup w/ herb + sesame roasted carrots | gf + v

| makes 4 cups |

i used white flesh yams but feel free to use any sweet potato, potato, or squash (except spaghetti squash) here  

adapted from Brian Leth via Uniqlo Recipe

ingredients

  • 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch chunks
  • 1/2 tablespoon red miso paste
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • approximately 3 cups filtered water
  • salt to taste
  • one bunch of baby carrots (~4 ounces), washed and cut in half (alternatively, you can use larger carrots and cut them into smaller pieces)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon mirin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chives, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced
  • pinch of salt
  • toasted sesame seeds and extra chives for garnish

instructions

 

make the soup

  • place the yams in a stock pot with the miso paste and 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.  cover with 2 cups of the filtered water (or until yams are completely covered).  give the ingredients a stir to dissolve the miso.  bring to simmer, cover and cook the yams until tender; about 20-25 minutes.  carefully transfer soup ingredients to a blender, puree soup until smooth - thin with water until you reach your desired consistency.  season with salt and transfer back to stock pot
  • ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with carrots, toasted sesames and chives

 

roast the carrots

  • preheat oven to 375° and line a baking sheet with parchment
  • in a mixing bowl, toss carrots with sesame oil, mirin, chives, cilantro and salt.  spread out onto baking sheet and roast until lightly browned, 12-15 minutes