Za'atar Swirl Bread / March 2, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

as i'm sure a lot of you know, my love for chickpea flour runs deep, deep enough to write an entire cookbook dedicated to it. that's not to say that my affinity for the flour didn't fade. after recipe testing with it for over a year or so, i developed a distaste for it. after i turned in my manuscript, i was somewhat repulsed by its subtle flavor for a good year. each time i went to the grocery store i stocked up on chickpea flour, so when i was done with writing it, i felt a sense of freedom that i could shop without the demand to purchase it. there are still some favorite recipes that i make almost weekly, namely socca. frank loves it. plus, it's an easy meal to pull together with a hearty vegetable for dinner, and (bonus!) frank knows how to make it, so that means i can get a night to not worry about prepping a meal.

since having amesy our meals have become somewhat of a routine; a well-oiled machine, i would say. i generally worry about what we're going to eat way too far in advance of dinner. so having a little schedule provides some much needed sanity in a world of baby-uncertainty and chaos. and while i love routine (almost to a fault), i also crave spontaneity at times. which is why i love this za'atar bread recipe with my whole heart. it's very much like socca in that it's made from chickpea flour and water, but it's is baked, not fried, and has an abundance of flavor from the za'atar. this little dish was all i needed on "socca night" to get me out of my routine (while still kinda existing in one) and jazz it up a little. plus, i'm not sure i had this much fun cooking a dish in a really long time (thank you jessica!). polka-dotting the bread batter with za'atar oil, and then swirling them to make super easy/fancy looking swirls is a good night in my book. i guess the moral of this story is go beyond what makes you comfortable, if only a teeny bit, it may make all the difference.

this recipe comes from jessica murane's debut cookbook, one part plant. i was first introduced to jessica via twitter (i think), when we were first starting out in the blog world. jessica had graciously asked me to contribute a little write-up on one of my favorite ingredients and i was completely taken aback that someone was interested enough in what i thought, let alone what a favorite ingredient of mine was. and from that time on, i learned that jessica's way was to engage, discuss, and understand, as she had done on her blog, and now, on her podcast. she carries that beautifully into her book with a frank conversation about how she healed her body/mind/soul with plant-based whole foods. her recipes are simple, full flavored, and vibrant. there's a recipe for white bean buffalo hummus (for those of us who can't digest chickpea easily - hello!), an open-faced falafel sandwich, and a recipe for chocolate hazelnut crispies that are all on my to-make list when i'm off of my cleanse. in the meantime, i'll be swirling some za'atar into my bread from now on!

xo's!

za'atar swirl bread | v + gf

the za'atar bread is amazing as is. i happen to love garlic, so i added a clove to the batter after adding the water. i also sprinkled some flaky sea salt on top when it had finished baking.

| makes 8 servings |

2 tablespoons ground sumac
5 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pan
1 cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
1 cup water

method

first, make the za'atar mixture: in a small bowl, combine the sumac, sesame seeds, thyme, salt, and oil. set the mixture aside to let the flavors meld until your batter is ready.
add the flour to a medium bowl and stir in a little water at a time until you have a thin batter. set it aside for 2 hours.
preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8-or 9-inch round pan (jessica notes that she prefers a cast-iron skillet for this - and so do pour the batter into the pan. drop and scatter 1/2-teaspoon-size scoops of your za'atar spice mixture on top of the batter. it should look like za'atar polka dots. with a knife or skewer, zigzag and swirl through the batter from one side of the pan to the other. make sure you go all the way to the edges; you want to be sure to distribute the spices throughout.
bake the bread for 25-30 minutes, until the edges begin to brown and the dough pulls slightly away from the sides. let it cool for at least 5 minutes. cut and serve. jessica notes: this bread makes a great appetizer to go with dips and spreads, especially hummus and baba ganoush.

similar recipes:

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

Sprouted Brown Rice Pilaf w/ Roasted Grapes & Fennel / October 19, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Sprouted Brown Rice Pilaf w/ Roasted Grapes & Fennel | dolly and oatmeal

hey y'all! it's felt like forever since i've blogged in real-time and it feels so good! the last time i checked in here i hadn't given birth to our son, james,("amesy"). he finally came september 27, 10 days after his due date! when i can gather my thoughts into cohesive sentences i plan to write more about his entrance into the world :)

newborn baby life has somewhat rocked mine and frank's existence a bit ;) we knew that sleep deprivation, emotional rollercoasters, and general fuzziness were in our futures but there was really no way to prepare or scale how much a little human impacts every minute and second of your life. at this moment we're trying to keep him alive and healthy, marvel at his little toes and button nose, take in every coo and odd sound he emits, and study the range of emotions that take over his teeny face at a given second. he's, in a word, precious. but i would be lying if i didn't say that navigating this new territory is wrought with emotion, and just plain terrifying at times. i know frank and i are strengthened by all of those who have done this parenting thing before us, and those who continue to do it presently with grace and honesty.

and now, rice pilaf! i knew this dish would come in handy after our little amesy was born. it's basically a one-stop-pot of grainy goodness (which also means less dishes to clean!). pilaf has no bounds as to what kind of flavors you want the end product to have. so here i wanted something soothing and minimal in terms of spices, and more emphasis on fresh herbs and produce. the herbs, onion, fennel, and roasted grapes shine together as i'm a big time fan of fruit mixed all up in a savory dish/salad. i have a feeling this humble pot is going to continue to make a weekly appearance as a side dish or a for a quick lunch. hopefully you'll find it easy-peasy as well!

big autumnal hugs! xo's

Sprouted Brown Rice Pilaf w/ Roasted Grapes & Fennel | v & gf

i chose to use a sprouted variety of brown rice, but feel free to substitute your preferred grain and cook according to the directions on the package.

| makes 4 servings |

roasted grapes

1 cup seedless grapes
2-3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and fresh pepper, to taste

pilaf

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped
1 cup sprouted brown rice (i like this brand)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 3/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chopped sage
salt and fresh pepper, to taste
1/4 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
handful of fresh parsley, chopped

method

preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
toss the grapes with the oil, and salt and pepper to taste. transfer to the baking sheet and roast until the grapes are slightly burst and juicy, about 12-15 minutes. remove from the oven and set aside.
heat the oil in a lidded saucepan over medium heat. once hot, add the onion and fennel. cook until the onions are translucent and the fennel is soft, 5-6 minutes. add the rice and cumin until well-coated, and cook for another couple of minutes, then add the water and sage, season with salt and pepper, to taste. bring the rice to a boil and cover with a fitted lid.

similar recipes:

charred broccoli & red onion salad w/ shaved apples

raw cauliflower couscous w/ cherries & sumac dressing

Spicy Hummus (Oven) Fries / August 19, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Summer Fridays!: Spicy Hummus (Oven) Fries | dolly and oatmeal

since i got pregnant i haven't really craved anything that's too bad in terms of food. i heard that i would have these crazy, impulsive cravings, but so far there hasn't been anything too out of the norm for what i usually tend to favor. there's the occasional bag of these vegan nacho chips that i could probably eat a whole bag of, sometimes too many of these cookies, and dark chocolate dipped in peanut butter. these tend to be my go-to's. but a few months back frank and i spotted a new falafel restaurant in a nearby neighborhood. so we got takeout one night and were pleasantly surprised that any single order came with a cabbage salad, an israeli chopped salad, and basmati rice with sautéed onions! i added on a beet salad to my order, frank added a side of spiced fries. to my delight the meal also came with a small container of hummus. as we dug in to our meal i snacked on a few of frank's fries, and because i didn't really have anything else to dip into the hummus, in the fries went!

needless to say, you're seeing this recipe here today because dipping those fries was one of the best food-related decisions i've ever made. i knew i wanted to make an at-home version because they were just too good, but i also wanted to make a less greasy version (because all that frying makes a pregnant lady's feet and hands swell like whoa!). the fries i made here are coated with olive oil, dusted with smoked paprika and cayenne, and baked up until golden and crisp. and my ever-loving french fry husband didn't miss the fried version at all! the hummus recipe is an iteration of a long-time favorite recipe from heidi. it's a mung bean-based hummus which is super easy to whip up, is really flavorful, and also very kind on the digestion front! i suspect that once you give this recipe a try you might be as obsessed as i am ;)

happy summer frie-day, friends! ;) ;) xo

spicy hummus fries | gf & v

the hummus recipe i provide below is a sprouted mung bean-based dip. i like using mung beans because they are easier to digest, quicker to cook, and provide a really great earthy flavor. and when i use sprouted mung beans their digestibility only improves (you can sprout your own mung beans, or i usually purchase them from here ). and i probably sound like a broken record, but a good tahini paste goes a long way - you can find my favorite brands in the recipe notes here.

| serves 2-4 |

hummus - recipe adapted from 101 cookbooks

1/2 cup sprouted mung beans
1/4 cup tahini paste
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
fine sea salt & fresh black pepper
1/2 cup water (or more), to thin
chopped parsley, to garnish
olive oil, to garnish
ground sumac, to garnish

fries

3 russet potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch matchsticks
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
chopped parsley and flaky sea salt, to garnish

method

make the hummus. cook the mung beans according to the directions on the package. drain and rinse them with cold water until they have stopped cooking. place them in the container of a blender or a food processor fitted with a metal "s" blade. add the tahini, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, the garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. with the motor running, drizzle in 1/2 cup water, stopping and scraping down the sides until the hummus is smooth. (you may need to add more water for a thinner consistency. if so, drizzle in a tablespoon at a time until your desired consistency is achieved.) taste and adjust the lemon juice and/or salt if needed. place into a bowl and cover with cling wrap. refrigerate until ready to use.
make the fries. preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. rinse the cut potatoes to remove any unwanted starch, place them on a dishtowel and allow them to dry thoroughly. once they are dry, toss them together with the oil, garlic powder, salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. spread the fries on the baking sheet into a single layer. bake the fries for 25-35 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until edges are crisped and browned.
remove the hummus from the fridge and garnish. serve the fries warm and top with chopped parsley and flaky sea salt.

dip, and enjoy!