December 21, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Molly's Chocolate Tahini Cake w/ Tahini Frosting | dolly and oatmeal

in an effort to make new traditions, i thought making holiday cookies was only fitting. obviously amesy is too young to partake, but the idea of him being in the kitchen with me while i bake seems like the beginning of a tradition we'll hopefully continue as he grows older. but as i was thinking through what cookies to make, it dawned to me that i didn't know frank's favorite christmas cookie/s! after having a quick cookie convo i was informed that his go-to's are a pecan cookie (very much like a mexican wedding cookie) his mom would always make, and jammy thumbprints that i make each year with my mom. so the plan is to have a cookie-making day this week (if the babe permits!) where i'm going to bake up these and these cookies for frank, these almond-based cookies for a naturally gluten-and-dairy-free cookie for my mom and i, and something chocolatey for my dad. we also like to enjoy a light little cake while we open presents and sip on hot coffee, so this cranberry-lemon cake from last year is on the agenda for a christmas morning treat.

and speaking of starting new traditions, i think molly's tahini cake will have to join the ranks! it's a no brainer that if you know molly and her blog, then you know that she knows cake! in her new book, molly on the range she highlights quite a few of them, one of them being this tahini chocolate cake with tahini frosting. i love tahini, in any and all applications, but adding it to sweets is something i reserved for another, more brave, day. so when i saw the recipe in her book, i knew i needed to try it. the tahini mixed into the chocolate cake adds just the right amount of nutty flavor that you can taste in each bite! and while i would normally think the tahini added to the frosting would be overpowering, it's actually quite balanced and lovely. and to make the cake a little more festive, i substituted the ground cinnamon in the frosting with gingerbread spice, as well as added some sugared cranberries and winter trees for a decorative topping.

i'm pretty sure you all know, but molly's book is genius! not only are there awesome recipes, but her writing is so beautiful and whimsical. when i had first received it, i sat there with amesy (all of a few days old) and read through parts of it with him. i'm not sure if he was staring at the beautiful photography, or the colorful illustrations, but he was entranced just like the rest of us, i'm sure. so if you're looking for a gift this holiday season, there's no better book than this one!

wishing you all the brightest of days, and the happiest of holidays! xo

Molly's Chocolate Tahini Cake w/ Tahini Frosting

recipe from Molly On The Range by Molly Yeh. reprinted with permission.

i made some substitutions to make this cake gluten and dairy-free, which came out really delicious. you can follow the notes below :) i also substituted 1/2 teaspoon gingerbread spice for the cinnamon for a more festive, holiday flavor.

| makes one 8-inch layer cake, one 13-inch by 9-inch sheet cake, or 24 mini cakes |

cake

1 3/4 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup flavorless oil
1/2 cup tahini
3/4 cup boiling water

frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup tahini
2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

toppings

notes:

to make the cake gluten-free, i substituted the flour 1:1 with an all-purpose gluten-free flour mix, i used arrowhead mills heritage gluten-free flour mix (which i found at my local whole foods). i also replaced the sugar 1:1 with coconut sugar. to lessen the amount of refined sugar. to make the cake dairy free, i substituted the whole milk 1:1 with califia's unsweetened almond creamer. and i opted for melted coconut oil instead of flavorless oil for a more wholesome substitute.
to make the frosting dairy-free, you can replace the butter 1:1 with non-hydrogenated palm oil.

method

to make the cake: preheat oven to 350°F. grease and line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans or one 13x9-inch baking dish.
in a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, oil, and tahini. add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. whisk in the boiling water.
pour the batter into the cake pans or baking dish until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. begin checking for doneness at 28 minutes for round cakes and 32 minutes for a sheet cake.
let cool in the pans or dish for 10 minutes and then remove to a rack to cool completely.
to make the frosting: in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and tahini until creamy. gradually ass the powdered sugar and mix to combine. mix in the salt, cinnamon, and vanilla.
for a layer cake, level the round cakes and stack them with a layer of frosting between them. frost the top and sides of cake.
for a sheet cake, spread the frosting on top and cut into squares, or chill in the refrigerator until the frosting is firm and use a biscuit cutter to cut into mini cakes.

similar recipes:

cranberry, lemon & poppy seed breakfast slice

chocolate layer cake with macadamia mousse

Julia's Shaved Carrot & Avocado Salad w/ Tahini / November 16, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Julia's Shaved Carrot & Avocado Salad w/ Tahini | dolly and oatmeal

the first cookbook i ever owned, that was truly all mine, was mark bittman's how to cook everything, it was a present my mom and dad had given to me for christmas one year. i sat down the next morning with my purple sticky notes tagging all the recipes i wanted to make: basic pizza dough, roasted garlic soup, classic chocolate chip cookies, etc. i came across words like miso, and compote; and read about things i knew nothing about: pickling techniques, and the basics of pasta-making. but out of it all, the one recipe i practiced most was his basic scone recipe. i made them over and over again, sometimes with blueberries, sometimes plain, but they were my baking go-to, something i felt super confident about. i worked up enough confidence in my scone skills that over time i replaced the buttermilk with sour cream, and then ricotta a time or two. i also researched the best way to cut the into the flour while still keeping it cold (turns out quickly grating butter on a cheese grater worked best for me!).

i'm sure we've all had (or have) that one recipe in our back pocket that makes us feel really accomplished or fancy, but the thought of veering away from what's comfortable into an unknown realm is packed with worry (maybe cooking is a metaphor for life?!). so when i read julia turshen's intro in her new, and totally beautiful cookbook, small victories, i knew i was at home. her thought behind each recipe is that if you only have 2 recipes in your repertoire, then guess what, in all actuality you know how to make about 200 things. every recipe in the book comes with ingenious spin-offs, giving us a few different takes on the recipe and turning 1 small victory into a few. it's an encouraging way to cook from a book that motivates rather than overwhelms. similar to bittman's book, small victories reassures you that it's ok to try new flavors, various techniques, and different flavors in a series of inspiring but relaxed recipes, that feels like julia is cheering and comforting you from the sidelines.

but more importantly, julia is teaming up with Friendsgiving for No Kid Hungry to raise awareness for childhood hunger and help to make healthy food more accessible to children across the country. to learn more about the campaign or to donate click here.

here's to small victories in and out of the kitchen! xo

shaved carrot & avocado salad w/ tahini

recipe from Small Victories by Julia Turshen. reprinted with permission.

| serves 4 |

1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
kosher salt
3/4 lb (340 g) carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal into coins
1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
2 scallions, roots and dark green tops trimmed off, white and light green parts thinly sliced
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

method

in a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, boiling water, olive oil, and lemon juice. season to taste with salt. put the carrots in a large bowl, add half of the dressing, and toss to combine.
transfer the dressed carrots to a serving platter. use a spoon to artfully scoop the avocado from its shell into pieces and place them over the carrots. season the avocado pieces to taste with salt and then drizzle the salad with the remaining dressing. scatter the salad with the sesame seeds, scallions, and cilantro (if using). serve immediately.

note: if your sesame seeds aren't already toasted, put them in a dry skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring, until they're golden brown, about 4 minutes

spin offs:

toss shaved fennel, thinly sliced kumquats, and sliced scallions with kumquat and/or lemon juice and olive oil. garnish with fennel fronds, toasted marcona almonds, and lots of shaved parmesan.

dress shaved celery, toasted walnuts, and chopped italian parsley with lemon juice and olive oil.

dress shaved cabbage with sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil.

dress shaved green apples with fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar. stir in salty peanuts and thinly sliced fresh red chile.

similar recipes:

fennel-roasted carrots & shallot salad w/ shaved apples

garlic & spice market carrots w/ tahini-yogurt

Summer Fridays! Cilantro & Hemp Salad On Tahini-Yogurt Toast / July 22, 2016 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

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.
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.
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!