cilantro

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges w/ Green Yogurt Sauce by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


the holidays are taking on such a different vibe in our lives this year.  there's a different feeling in everything frank and i are doing and planning as we're wanting to share in it all with amesy.  at 2 months old he certainly won't remember any of it, but celebrating his first holiday season has been becoming a big deal around here.  we've been playing christmas tunes for him since the end of november, and we got his first christmas tree last week!  decorating, cooking - it's all bringing out a joy and excitement that i knew we would feel, but didn't anticipate how intense it would be.  even though he doesn't really "watch" the tv, having holiday classics play on the television have touched on that bond of sharing in these small cozy moments as a family, and have even gotten us excited beyond the holiday classics with the idea of sharing movies and music with him that have been special to us.   hopefully these will be some traditions we can establish that amesy will be able to reflect on one day and only have good memories.

so it only seemed natural to team up with Disney for this recipe, and to highlight the release of "The BFG" on Blu-ray, Digital HD & Disney Movies Anywhere (get it here).  The BFG is one of those stories that i look forward to sharing with amesy one day, and i know lots of parents would love to share with their kids as well. the special relationship between sophie and the bfg i feel says a lot about the power of sometimes unlikely relationships between dissimilar people and what can come from those.  i also can't help but feel that their relationship is similar to the experience of having a baby, in that (at least for me) i didn't know i could feel this kind of bond until he came into my life. and now that amesy is here i couldn't imagine my life without that unbreakable connection.

talking about connections, i've also got a loyal bond with carbs.  in this potato wedge situation, these sweet potatoes take on a slightly more wholesome version of the typical fried wedge.  in this recipe they're roasted in a bit of olive oil and italian spices in the oven and served with a dairy-free yogurt dip that's been broken down with some bright herbs, tahini, and lemon juice.  it's the perfect snack to sit and watch a movie with, as a holiday snack, or appetizer :)

holiday cheers, babes! xoxo 

*this post was created in produced in association with disney.  all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.  thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that help to keep dolly and oatmeal going!



roasted sweet potato wedges w/ green yogurt sauce | v

| serves 4 |

  • 2 large sweet potatoes, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch wedges
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, or arrowroot powder
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • fresh ground pepper, to taste

green yogurt sauce

  • 1 cup unsweetened cultured coconut yogurt (or greek yogurt if you don't need to be dairy-free)
  • 2 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons parsley leaves
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • fresh pepper, to taste

method

  1. preheat oven to 425°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. place wedges and cornstarch (or arrowroot) in a large plastic bag and toss to coat evenly. transfer the wedges to a large bowl and add the olive oil, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. spread the wedges into a single layer on your prepared baking sheet. bake for 30-35 minutes, stopping halfway through to flip them over, until the edges are browned.
  3. while the potatoes are baking, make the sauce. combine all the sauce ingredients in an upright blender or food processor until well chopped and sauce is green in color.
  4. serve the potatoes warm with the sauce on the side.

Cilantro-Watermelon Granita w/ Mint by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


i know this space is usually reserved for the more mundane conversations about food, life, weather, what's going on at the moment; but there's so much more of the heavier things that impact us all on a daily basis that i typically reserve for conversations with family or friends. maybe some of you are aware that before i started blogging i was a teacher here in nyc.  i came into contact with students from all walks of life - those more affluent, those of whom who weren't. the last position i occupied before i left was in a low-income neighborhood in upper manhattan where i was working with elementary-aged children with learning disabilities.  it was a program that was run both during the day and after school.  i got to see these children in the morning, in the afternoon during lunch, and after school when they were tired and depleted from a long day.  

as i was running my blog part-time on the weekends and connecting my personal relationship with food and its impact on my health and well-being, i couldn't help but do the same with the kids i was working with each day.  i remember coming home and telling frank that there was nothing to eat in the neighborhood for lunch, or to grab for a snack.  so each morning i would meticulously pack my meals with fresh fruit from my local farmers market, make big green salads, and have my tea or green juice concoctions in my travel mug.  my kids would come in with their snacks brought from home - cheese puffs, potato chips, cookies, etc.   when the students in our after school program showed up they too would come with various snacks they had bought or that was packed for them and seldom was there anything substantial like a fruit or some sort of vegetable.  i began connecting the dots.  i was bringing food everyday because there were little options for purchasing fresh produce and meals in this neighborhood and my students didn't have that option either.

there was no term for neighborhoods or even towns like this when i was teaching (or at least i wasn't aware of them then), but they're now identified as food deserts.  food deserts effect more than 30 million americans across the country; they're places that have little or no access to fresh, affordable vegetables and fruit. they can be in the middle of a busy city like nyc, or in the middle of the country where contact with main routes of travel often produce less traffic, and therefore less fresh fruit and veg.  i'm teaming up with naked juice and their #DrinkGoodDoGood initiative to fight food deserts.  for every fruit or veggie selfie taken with the hashtag: #DrinkGoodDoGood, naked juice will donate 10 pounds of produce to aid communities in need - how awesome is that!? and you can totally join in on the cause by posting a selfie on instagram or twitter using the #DrinkDoGood hashtag - simple as that!  

*this post was created in partnership with Naked Juice.  all thoughts and opinions are my own. thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal going!



cilantro-watermelon granita w/ mint 

this is a simple, hydrating and super refreshing snack or dessert for this last hurrah of summer before we go back to school and things get back to the hustle and bustle.  i used cilantro and mint to herb the granita up a little bit, and i love the flavor here! sweet, watermelon-y, a few hints of cilantro and mint, and a little tang from the lime juice.  it's my perfect summer cooler -especially at 37 weeks pregnant! :) 

| serves 4-6 |

  • 1 medium seedless watermelon, rinds removed and cut into chunks (roughly 4 cups)
  • 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
  • juice from 1 1/2 limes
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh mint
  • mint blossoms, for garnish (optional)


method

  1. place the chunked watermelon, sugar, lime juice, and salt into the container of a blender. blend on high for a minute or so, until watermelon is completely broken down and sugar is dissolved.  add the cilantro and mint and pulse until herbs are broken up.  pour mixture into a 9x13" rectangular pan and place in the freezer.
  2. freeze mixture until the edges begin to set, about 35-40 minutes.  use a fork to scrape and break up any frozen parts, then return to the freezer for another 35-40 minutes.  continue to scrape and freeze until all shavings are frozen and fluffy, about 3-4 hours.  (granita can be made a few days in advance and kept covered in the freezer.)
  3. scoop granita into cups or bowls and top with mint blossoms (optional).

enjoy!


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granola ice cream w/ blackberry chia sauce

granola ice cream w/ blackberry chia sauce

mellow melon salad

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Summer Fridays! Cilantro & Hemp Salad On Tahini-Yogurt Toast by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


happy summer friday, y'all!  i hope you've had a good week, and that you have some awesome things planned for this weekend.  or maybe your plans are to just chill, which is something i've been super into lately :)  

today's recipe (or lack there of) is really just an idea of things i love, coming together in one place.  last year i discovered salad toast somewhat on accident.  the one ripe avocado i had in the house was super funky, so i had to adapt.  i had already made a little salad that i had wanted to top my avo toast with, so i decided to throw some leftover tahini-yogurt over top of my toast.  it turned out to be one of those simple, accidental, meant-to-be moments, and i've been excited to share it here ever since.  each time i make this the salad is different according to what season it is, or what's in my fridge on a given day.  

today, i made a hemp-y cilantro salad because my little baby cilantro plants (that i sprouted from seed!) are mature enough to be eaten, and there's nothing my husband and i love more than cilantro's just-picked fragrance - so in it went!  hemp seeds just add a bit of texture, and tomatoes and cucumber slices (also from my garden!) because they were what was hanging around and most fresh on my counter.  i personally like using a hearty piece of bread, like a focaccia here (i linked to the gf brand i love below in the ingredients), but a slice of toast should work just fine in a pinch.    and you may recognize the tahini-yogurt from a bunch of recipes on my site.  sorry it's so ubiquitous, but it's soooo good, you guys.  

anywho, here's my personal serving of summer on a plate.  i hope you enjoy or at least find some inspiration in this teeny recipe! 

xo's!



cilantro hemp salad on tahini-yogurt toast | v/gf

| serves 2 as a snack |

tahini-yogurt sauce (makes extra)

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cultured coconut yogurt (or yogurt of choice)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • fine sea salt & fresh pepper, to taste

salad

  • 1 1/2 cups baby greens
  • 1/4 cup sliced baby tomatoes
  • half a small cucumber, sliced thin
  • 2-3 sprigs cilantro, minced
  • 2 teaspoons hemp seeds, more for topping
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • fresh lemon juice
  • fine sea salt & fresh pepper
  • 4 small toasted slices hearty bread or focaccia (i used my favorite gluten-free focaccia), cooled
  • cilantro blossoms, for topping (optional)

method

  1. whisk together the tahini sauce transfer to a lidded jar and place in the fridge until ready to use.  leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  2. toss together the greens, tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro, and hemp seeds.  drizzle in a bit of olive oil (about 1-2 teaspoons), a spritz of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  toss everything together once more.  taste and adjust if necessary.
  3. spoon a good amount of the tahini-yogurt sauce onto each piece of the cooled bread.  divide the salad between each piece of toast and top with more hemp seeds and cilantro blossoms if using.

enjoy!


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