Thai Slaw / January 25, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

so we're in the clear! amesy has been free of his cold as of a few days ago, which is such a relief, plus we're all finally getting some sleep again! he will be 4 whole months on friday and i can't quite grasp how this time has both flown in a sense, while also inching by. since we returned from LA the other week he seems to have grown so much. he looks bigger, more mature; his smiles seem to begin at his toes and work their way up his whole body before he opens his mouth to grin the widest, silliest grin. he's lifting his head, even when laying down, and inching his legs like a caterpillar on his tummy as if he wants to go and explore all the places. it's enchanting and heartbreaking and magical (i.e. all the emotions). all i want to do is eat him up, capture every coo, and take in his general enthusiasm for life and things around him.

now that he's bigger and can hold his head up better, we got a carrier that's easy for frank and i to put on by ourselves, and has the option for ames to face out - which he loves! most nights when i'm prepping dinner, amesy's at his most curious. sometimes he can occupy himself in his rocker with a toy, but most times he's strapped to either frank or i as we clean, chop, and cook. i joked to frank that this babe is going to be meal prepping by age 3! he's super observant, and for the most part a happy camper just watching me go as i simultaneously cook and bop him around. it's been such a fun thing that we've been doing together, i hope it only continues :)

this salad/slaw was way too involved in the prep process to wear the amesy. but while there's a lot to chop, you get to enjoy it for days and days, as it made a hefty portion! it's a recipe from tess masters' newest cookbook, the perfect blend which has nourishing blender recipes for smoothies, snacks, salads, main dishes, and dessert. in this recipe the blender is used for the delicious dressing that tops the slaw! it's cashew-based which makes it super creamy and gives it a delicious flavor, and mixed with vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, and a good bit of lime juice. i typically stay away from salads in the winter, but the raw, crunchy vegetables combined with the lush dressing turned out to be the perfect wintery side. there are so many recipes i'm looking forward to trying, especially this recipe for a cauliflower mac n' cheese with (grain-free) cauliflower breadcrumbs! spring cookbook season is upon us, and i couldn't be more pumped for it!

warm winter hugs! xo

thai slaw

| serves 8 as a starter, 6 as a main; dressing makes 2 cups (480ml) |

dressing

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest, plus more to taste
1⁄2 cup (120ml) fresh lime juice
1⁄3 cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄3 cup (80ml) rice vinegar
1/3 cup (80ml) toasted sesame oil
1⁄4 cup (37g) roasted unsalted cashews
3 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1⁄4 teaspoon natural salt

salad

6 cups (480g) firmly packed shredded Chinese or napa cabbage (1 small head)
4 cups (400g) firmly packed shredded red cabbage (1⁄4 large head)
2 cups (160g) loosely packed bean sprouts
2 cups (180g) ribbed, seeded, and julienned red bell pepper (1 large)
1 cup (40g) firmly packed finely chopped cilantro
1 cup (150g) roughly chopped unsalted roasted cashews
1⁄2 cup (25g) firmly packed finely chopped Thai basil
1⁄2 cup (20g) firmly packed finely chopped mint
1⁄2 cup (25g) firmly packed diagonally sliced green onion (green parts only)
natural salt, to taste
limes wedges, to serve

optional boosters

1 cup (50g) julienned leek (white part only)
2 or 3 medium tangerines or mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
1 teaspoon ribbed and finely chopped kaffir lime leaves, plus more to tast

method

to make the dressing, throw all the dressing ingredients into your blender and blast on high for about 60 seconds, until smooth and creamy. tweak the lime zest to taste.
toss all of the salad ingredients, including the leek, tangerine, and kaffir lime boosters, in a large bowl. fold the dressing into the salad, then chill, covered, for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the flavors to open and mesh. season with salt to taste, and serve with lime wedges.

enjoy!

similar recipes:

mole black bean tacos w/ cabbage & cilantro slaw

sprouted quinoa burgers w/ cucumber slaw

crunchy sweet potato lunch bowl w/ golden dressing

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.

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asparagus, pea + broccoli rabe sauté over a chickpea + chive mash / May 13, 2014 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

asparagus, pea + broccoli rabe sauté w/ a chickpea + chive mash

asparagus, pea + broccoli rabe sauté w/ a chive-y chickpea mash

it feels like it wasn't even that long ago we were still bundling up just walk outside, but these past few weeks there's been a break in the cold. i've planted some sprouts on my fire escape, and frank's allergies have returned with a vengeance. this new season all seems so fresh, yet we're already looking at summer and realizing we need to make plans before it gets away from us. last year around this time frank and i were in a bit of a wedding prep daze; where our mornings, nights, and weekends were filled with runs here or there, creating invites, and even bagging coffee. this year we're looking forward to a change, to get away, and enjoy our summer and see some family. we're making plans to take a road trip down to frank's family in north carolina, and introduce our little pup to his family; as well as realizing a long awaited trip to LA to see my bro and sis-in-law, and meet their 2 furry, four-legged children. we're also stoked to have the time this summer to just chill out and do what comes our way - sometimes the best things in life happen when they're not planned at all!

much like chilling out and taking things as they come, this dish is a lot like that. on most sunday evenings you can find me cooking up a big heap of veggies, be it leftover ramp greens with spring onions and chard or kale, asparagus or green beans - it all goes in the skillet with olive oil, lemon, salt + pepper, for a light sauté. it's usually coupled with black rice or quinoa, all topped off with a bog dollop of hummus. i stir it altogether and make a big mess of it. here, i chose to restrain the messiness, and also highlight the chickpeas, but in a mashed form as opposed to the ubiquitous hummus purée. the veggies were chosen according to what was at the market that day - but can certainly be swapped for what's available to you. this dish is totally light and springy, but has the depth and heartiness for a substantial meal.

asparagus, pea + broccoli rabe sauté w/ a chive-chickpea mash

asparagus, pea + broccoli rabe sauté over a chickpea + chive mash (gf + v)

chickpea + chive mash inspired by Food & Wine Magazine, May 2014

| serves 4 as a side, 2 for a meal |

ingredients

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed and cut into 1-2" pieces
1/2 cup fresh peas, (frozen are good too!)
1 bunch broccoli rabe, stems trimmed
half of a serrano pepper, minced (i kept the seeds in for more heat) (you could also use a jalepeno or habanero pepper)
4-5 green onions, trimmed and sliced thin
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
salt + pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil, for cooking

chive-chickpea mash

1 cup cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup fresh chives
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3-4 tablespoons water
salt + pepper to taste

asparagus, pea + broccoli rabe sauté w/ a chickpea mash

instructions

chickpea + chive mash

place half of the cooked chickpeas, chives, garlic, lemon juice, oil and salt + pepper in a food processor. while running, drizzle water until you get a thick puree. taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. add the remaining chickpeas and pulse to break them up a bit
transfer the mash to a saucepan over medium heat, let it warm up for about 5 minutes

sauté

heat a large skillet over medium heat, coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil (about 1 1/2 teaspoons). add onions and minced chili pepper, cook while stirring every few seconds for about 30 seconds - until fragrant. add asparagus and peas, cook for about 2 minutes (i cooked them long enough so they weren't raw, but not too long that they lost their bite. (if not using super fresh produce you may need to cook a little longer - just taste along the way), then add broccoli rabe and lemon juice, cook until wilted and liquid has reduced a bit - about 2 minutes. remove from heat
serve the chive-chickpea mash individually; using tongs, top with a big heap of the sautéed vegetables

enjoy!