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April 8, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

flourless almond cake w/ kombucha macerated berries & a brunch | dolly and oatmeal

we spent the better part of last week sitting my parents' dog at their house upstate. it was great spreading out, so to speak, and actually having room in our living space! amesy transitioned really well to sleeping in his little travel crib, and i've finally began putting him down for naps without rocking him to sleep first. this has been such a relief because babies falling asleep on their own doesn't come as easy than when they're teeny infants apparently - it's been a learning curve to say the least! there are so many things happening in his little world these days, so many developments and progressions. last week was all about his teeth, and now this week he's been eating solids for a whole a week and absolutely loves sweet potato and avocado (he is definitely my little guy). he's beginning to show curiosity in crawling and standing, and now i'm beginning to see how this whole baby thing passes by way too quickly. a month ago he was still and an infant, and now there's this huge emergence of a little personality. he voices when he doesn't like something, when he does, and when he's having the best time ever. my whole heart could explode at how amazing it is to witness it all each day.

that's not to say that trying to fit everything into a working day with a babe, doesn't have its challenges. it is THE challenge if anything. i have a lot more grey hairs, way more stress, and have morphed into the person who wears yoga pants and big comfy flannel shirts every day. but i'm ok with that ;) one huge constant in my life is the whole foods market that's a quick drive away and totally comes in clutch all the time! frank and i usually have some sort of super casual, buffet-style brunch thing for an easter/passover mashup. so this year i've teamed up with the whole foods market team to show you what i'm serving up from their menu, and how to make this super easy almond cake with kombucha macerated strawberries. i found that ordering online saved me that awkward phone call with a cooing (or screaming) baby in the background, but i'm sure it's just as convenient for anyone sans baby. it makes the whole process super fast and simple, and when i went to pick up my order, it was really convenient to snag the flowers for the table (i bought a big pot of pansies and transplanted them to smaller terracotta planters), and other groceries to make the cake and its topping. the cake is simple to make, and only uses a handful of ingredients, most of which are pantry staples. it's one of those back pocket recipes that comes in handy, all while being super nourishing as well. the berries are macerated a bit in kombucha and a little coconut sugar to give it that spring feel :)

happy brunching <3

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

a brunch menu

wild basmati rice w/ peas & pistachio

roasted fingerling potatoes w/ horseradish

carrots & parsnips w/ coriander honey

grilled asparagus

hard-boiled eggs & toast

flourless almond cake w/ kombucha macerated berries

flourless almond cake w/ kombucha macerated berries | gf & df

you could use any fruit or berries you like here, just keep in mind the fruit's natural sweetness and adjust the sugar as necessary. as for the kombucha, i like a ginger variety (this gingerade is my go-to) as i find it gives the berries a subtle flavor, but you could use any flavor.

| makes a 9-inch cake |

4 large pasture-raised eggs, separated
1/2 cup coconut sugar (or regular sugar)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

berries

1 cup strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup kombucha
1 tablespoon coconut sugar

method

preheat the oven to 350°F and oil a 8-inch round pan with coconut oil. set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the sugar, the oil, and the almond and vanilla extract. in a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot, baking powder and salt. then combine with the egg yolk mixture (batter will be very thick, that's ok), and set aside.
using a stand mixer or electric mixer, whip the the egg whites on medium-high until they get nice and fluffy. a little at a time, add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar until soft peaks form. a spoonful at a time, fold the egg whites into the batter. (the batter with start out thick and will become more and more airy as the whites are incorporated.)
spoon batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cake pulls from the sides a bit.
place cake on a rack and let cool completely.
while the cake is cooling, make your berries. place the berries in a bowl, stir in the kombucha, and sugar. stir the berries occasionally for about 30 minutes.
top the cake with macerated strawberries, and a sprinkle of toasted sliced almonds. slice and serve.

similar recipes:

strawberry-rhubarb & olive oil chocolate cake

black beluga lentil hummus w/ roasted fennel + garlic / February 4, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Black beluga lentil hummus w/ roasted fennel + garlic | dolly and oatmeal

me and frank generally wake up super early - he likes to get the gym before it turns into a madhouse, and i basically like to get up with the stars, the earlier the better, most times. i'm not a big gym person, something about the fluorescent lights, music blaring, metal machines, and various personalities makes me want to scratch my eyes out first thing in the morning. but this also could have to do with the fact that i'm also very much a me person; i like alone time, personal space, and proper chill time all by my lonesome. so, my early mornings are centered around my yoga mat, our bedroom window, the morning stars, and the first bits of light that appear on the horizon.

because frank is the most easy going, go-with-the-flow dude i've ever known, we tend to do things that i want to do or that i like. the only things he gets super opinionated about are the movies we go see and in what format, and technology in general. almost everything else is up for grabs. so usually the conversations surrounding most weekends are: me: whatcha wanna to do this weekend? frank: whatever you want to do, babe. and mostly it's me mentioning some restaurant, or park i want to check out, or driving upstate to see trees. so when he told me, somewhat adamantly, that his home state's football team, the panthers, made it to the super bowl this year, and that he wanted to watch it, i was like, YESSS! yes, i would love watch it with you because you're the best, most patient soul there ever was! and i'm going to make you some hummus, too!

where do i even start with hummus? it's basically a food group in our house. i usually cook up some chickpeas, mung beans, etc., freeze half the portion and make hummus with the remaining bit so that i have easy access to preparing it later on. while i love chickpea hummus, it hasn't been loving me back lately - no matter how much i soak them for or how much baking soda i add. so, heidi's mung bean hummus is my go-to since they're a lot more digestible. but a few weeks ago i had some leftover black lentils, a hankering for hummus, and an empty freezer with zero frozen beans/legumes! in went the lentils. i was surprised by how tasty and creamy they became when blended up with usual hummus suspects. it made me want to try it with some other flavors to jazz it up. i love fennel, especially when it's roasted - that caramelization is just so good. and even better when providing some elemental flavor to this solid hummus. :)

winter xo's and.... go panthers!!!

black beluga lentil hummus w/ roasted fennel + garlic | v + gf

if you don't have black lentils on hand, i imagine that any lentil would prove to work just as well here (red lentils might have a thicker and creamier outcome), or feel free to use chickpeas, or another bean of choice.

| serves 4-6 |

1/2 cup black beluga lentils, soaked and rinsed
1 large fennel bulb, fronds reserved
4 cloves garlic, skins on
1 tablespoon olive oil, more for serving
salt + fresh pepper
1/2 cup tahini paste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2-3/4 cup water

toppings:

crispy lentils
fennel fronds
chopped parsley
olive oil
flaky sea salt

method

preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
place the drained lentils in a small saucepan, and cover them with about 2 inches of water. place over high heat, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer; cook for 15-20 minutes, until tender. remove the lentils from the stovetop and drain off any remaining water, set aside and allow to cool.
cut the fennel in half, then in fourths; cut core through the bottom and discard. slice the 4 pieces in half. place the fennel pieces and garlic cloves on the parchment, drizzle the oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper; use the paper to toss it all together. roast until edges of the fennel are sufficiently caramelized and garlic is tender, about 25-3o minutes. once cool, peel the skins from the garlic, discard, and set aside.
in an upright blender or food processor, add the lentils (reserve a handful for serving), fennel, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few cracks pepper. blend a bit, then add the water and blend on high until for about 1 minute, until the hummus is smooth and creamy. refrigerate for at least 2 hours, then serve with crackers, bread, vegetable spears, or whatever you prefer.

enjoy!

similar recipes:

black lentil , sweet potato + kale chili w/ kabocha biscuits

passion fruit + lemon-ginger fresca (and a giveaway, too!) / January 13, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

passion fruit + lemon-ginger fresca | dolly and oatmeal

around this time each year i dream up of some sort of tropical vacation that never seems to pan out. i fantasize about adventures through balmy rainforests, white sand beaches, tan lines - maybe an overly sweetened tropical drink with one of those paper umbrellas. it seems like forever ago when we honeymooned in costa rica. we visited during the wet season, and on top of that we stayed in a tree house in a rain forest canopy- which was super dope - but our host explained that the humidity was at about 110%. so wet it truly was! at least once a day we would try to get down to the beach to relieve ourselves of the oppressive humidity and moisture. down we laid our incessantly wet towels on the sand and ran down the shore to the cool, refreshing waves. once we were back on our towels a man with a humble juice cart fitted with a machete would ask if we wanted a fresh drink. frank would get fresh coconut water, while i would usually get mango batido (made from fresh fruit, water, and ice). it was the most heavenly and enlivening thing to touch my parched mouth that i can still taste it if i think about it hard enough :)

so, whenever the doldrums of winter hit, you can usually find me summoning tropical vibes in some sort of fancy beverage. this year with so many friends and family going dry for january, wanting to keep their diets clean, or giving their digestive system a bit of a break, i thought there was no better thing than to fuse 2 of my favorite things to drink: tropical batidos + kombucha! KeVita's kombucha is one of those super power beverages i love to slurp on its own, the thought of all those beneficial probiotics aiding my digestion and my wonky immune system leaves me feeling invigorated and comforted. while this is a loose interpretation of a batido, the fresh fruit juice mixed with KeVita's Sparkling Probiotic lemon-ginger drink (my flavor of choice) is a new favorite! the lemon and ginger whole plant extracts that KeVita uses, mixed with fresh passion fruit juice and a bit of passion fruit seeds make this my non-alcoholic go-to that is awesome for a late afternoon sipper or a more luxurious evening beverage.

and the best part is that KeVita was generous enough to give 1 lucky reader a 6 month supply of KeVita! to enter:

follow KeVita on instagram
visit Kevita'a facebook page and give them a like
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this post was created in partnership with KeVita, all opinions are my own, thank you for supporting dolly and oatmeal's sponsors! see the store locator here to see where you can purchase KeVita in your neck of the woods ;)

passion fruit + lemon-ginger fresca

i use passion fruit here because i love its flavor and the texture its seeds lend to the drink. however, passion fruit can be hard to locate in some places around the globe, so another tropical fruit juice like that from mango, dragonfruit, papaya, or pineapple would work beautifully here as well!

| serves 1 |

ice
1 tablespoon fresh passion fruit juice*
4 ounces KeVita lemon ginger Sparkling Probiotic Drink
1-2 tablespoons mineral water or sparkling water
fresh thyme springs, for serving
passion fruit pulp, for serving

*passion fruit juice

1 ripe passion fruit
2 tablespoons water

method

in a lowball glass or a glass equivalent in size, add a couple pieces of ice, the passion fruit juice, lemon ginger sparkling probiotic, and 1-2 tablespoons sparkling water (depending on the size of your glass). garnish with a sprig or two of fresh thyme and a good spoonful of passion fruit pulp and seeds.

enjoy!

*to make the passion fruit juice, cut the passion fruit in half. use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and seeds; add to a blender along with the 2 tablespoons of water. blend on high for 1 minute. strain the juice over a bowl with a fine mesh sieve. transfer juice to a lidded jar and refrigerate until ready to use.