"Cheesy" Herb-Crusted Squash / November 30, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

"Cheesy" Herb-Crusted Squash | dolly and oatmeal

the past few weeks have been a little crazy around here. frank and i have essentially been switching off weeks for work travel, all mixed in with the beginning of the holidays, and family and friends coming in to town. life seems very, very full at the moment. i took a trip for work at the beginning of the week with lots of mixed emotions. it was the first time i was going to be away from amesy and something about not seeing him wake up in the morning, and not being there for his nighttime dinner-bath-sleep routine made me somewhat of a mess. i think that a lot of times it's the anticipation of things that are far worse than what the reality is. while i missed amesy dearly, it also felt really good to put my work hat on, be in a different city (that i can't wait to go back to one day!), and let myself sit with the idea that i was okay without him. something about being a mom for the past 14 months has felt very safe. and so getting outside of that (wonderfully amazing) comfort was a much needed reminder that we as moms can wear two different hats and still be ok. :)

switching gears to squash, and "cheesy", crusty goodness! so basically this recipe is roasted squash that's breaded with grain-free cracker crumbs, a good bit of nutritional yeast (giving it that cheesy quality), herbs, and seasoning. there's also a good bit of olive oil that tops these squash chunks making the topping extra crispy and flavorful. it's a great back pocket recipe to have around this time of year when you need a hearty side dish, or are just looking to up your squash game ;) i highly recommend serving this with the pomegranate seeds, they definitely offer that little bit of brightness at the end of each bite.

holiday hugs, friends! xo

"cheesy" herb-crusted squash | v & gf

i used grain-free, vegan crackers and made my own crumbs (instructions below), but any cracker crumbs or bread crumbs will work well here. this recipe can also be easily doubled if you're serving more than 2-4 people.

| serves 2-4 people |

1 small-ish winter squash (1-2 pounds)
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup cracker crumbs (i used these)*
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme and sage, plus more thyme sprigs for garnish (optional)
fine salt & freshly ground pepper
chopped parsley, to serve
pomegranate seeds, to serve

*quickly pulse whole crackers in a food processor or blender until you get small cracker crumbs.

method

preheat the oven to 400°F.
slice the squash in half, then slice into quarters. drizzle a good amount of olive oil into the bottom of a rimmed baking dish (enough to cover the bottom generously).
whisk together the cracker crumbs, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, herbs, salt, and pepper.
brush the squash halves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. sprinkle the crunchy "cheese" mixture onto each of the squash pieces, pressing the crumbs onto the sides if need be, and spray the topping with oil (or drizzle with oil)
bake for 35-40 minutes, until the squash is tender, and the tops and sides are golden brown.
serve the squash warm topped with chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds.

more holiday-friendly recipes:

garlic & spice-roasted carrots w/ tahini yogurt

Brussels Sprouts, Honeycrisp & Cabbage Slaw w/ Spicy Almond Butter Sauce (& A Giveaway) / November 2, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Brussels Sprouts, Honeycrisp & Cabbage Slaw w/ Spicy Almond Butter Sauce | dolly and oatmeal

going to the grocery store has long been one of my favorite things to do. when i visit a foreign country, or another state i'm always wanting to check out what's stocked in the aisles, and what kind of produce they're offering. when i was a kid, going to the grocery store with my dad was a weekly thing. every sunday we would go to grand union or a & p and get our groceries for the week. in the produce section, he would meticulously check whatever fruit or vegetable he was picking up for any bruises or spoilage. and in the dairy section he would tell me to look for the most recent date so we wouldn't get last week's delivery. each and every egg in the carton was checked for cracks or missing eggs. when we got to the check out, he preferred packing our bags, carefully distributing the weight so we wouldn't have any bags that were too heavy. at a young age i kind of thought that all of this was a bit of a chore, but now i find myself doing the exact same thing.

with amesy now, my trips to grocery store involve me hurriedly running through the aisles while entertaining him, or jaunts while he's with a sitter. the luxury of taking my time in the store will return one day, i'm sure, but for now i do the best i can with the time allotted. so buying what i can in the little spurts of time means a lot more especially when it comes to fresh produce. i'm always super bummed when the carton of strawberries i've bought for amesy turns rotten mid-week, or when our cilantro for thursday night guacamole salad get super wilted. no matter if it was my janky brooklyn refrigerator, or my brand new one here in LA, produce mid-week isn't always looking so hot.

so i was super intrigued when rubbermaid approached me to try out their line extension of FreshWorks produce saver containers which keep produce fresh up to 80% longer than traditional store packaging and fit a variety of produce needs (*based on strawberries in FreshWorks containers vs. store packaging. results may vary depending up on product use). to test them out, i stored some sturdier produce like brussels sprouts, and apples; and some tender produce like strawberries, raspberries, and herbs to test the containers out. all i did was remove the vegetables and fruit from their packaging (without washing or cutting) and delivered them right into their respective FreshWorks container. the hearty brussels and apple stayed fresh for over a week, and the delicate herbs and fruit lasted the entirety of the week as well before spoiling, which was so gratifying. the design of the containers is quite smart. the tops have what they call, FreshVent technology which allows the air to properly ventilate. while CrispTray at the bottom also helps ventilation, and keeps the veg or fruit elevated, keeping any moisture away. and i'm so excited about these containers, that i'm giving away a set of them to one reader! check out the details:

*giveaway is now closed* one reader will be chosen at random to win one FreshWorks 3-peice set. to enter: leave a comment (with a working email address, please!) sharing anything related to a supermarket haul (it could a memory, something funny, how your baby/child embarrass you - anything! full disclosure, mine is that i secretly love to see what other people have in their grocery carts! ). giveaway is open to US residents only (sorry overseas friends!), and will close november 9, 2017 at 5pm PST. good luck, everyone! xo

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

Brussels Sprouts, Honeycrisp & Cabbage Slaw w/ Spicy Almond Butter Sauce | v & gf

this slaw is a great base to add a protein to. in my house we like to add some shredded chicken. but you can certainly add your plant-based protein of choice too.

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

spicy almond butter sauce

1/4 cup unsweetened, unsalted almond butter
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons coconut aminos
2 teaspoons coconut nectar
juice of 1 lime
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
fine sea salt, to taste
water to thin, if necessary

slaw

1 pound brussels sprouts, tough ends trimmed
1/2 head of purple cabbage
1/2 apple (preferably honeycrisp or another crisp apple)
4 green onions, ends trimmed, and white and light green parts sliced thin
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped fine
1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons toasted black sesame seeds
pinch of fine sea salt

method

in a mini food processor, blend together the spicy almond sauce ingredients, except the water, until completely smooth. add the water a couple tablespoons at a time until you have your desired consistency. pour the sauce into a lidded jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. remove the sauce about 1 hour prior to using. add more water to thin, if necessary.
place your mandolin over a large mixing bowl (if you don't have a mandolin, you can use a sharp knife), shred the brussels sprouts and cabbage into wispy pieces. use the julienne attachment on your mandolin to slice the apples into thin pieces (you can also do this with a knife if need be). to the mixing bowl, add the sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, toasted hazelnuts and sesame seeds. add a sizable pinch of salt and give it all a toss.
drizzle the spice almond butter sauce onto the slaw and mix (since the slaw it a bit delicate, i like using my hands for this). taste for seasoning, and adjust is necessary.
leftover slaw can be refrigerated in a lidded container for up to 3 days.

similar recipes:

mole black bean tacos w/ cabbage & cilantro slaw

Nina's Moroccan Harissa Salad / October 26, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Nina's Moroccan Harissa Salad | dolly and oatmeal

we took amesy to the beach this past weekend for his first real walk on the sand and his inaugural splash in the pacific. frank and i love the beach, so when we found out i was pregnant, we selfishly wondered if our babe would share in our love of the ocean and salty air as well. luckily our trip on sunday confirmed amesy's love for sand, and salty water, and plentiful sunshine; he also accumulated a good amount of sand in just about every crevice of his body, and didn't mind one bit. and once he got acquainted with the waves, he was waddling down the shore chasing after them - our little adventurer.

if you've been in and around southern california then you know this past week has felt anything like autumn. temps have been over 100 degrees, and aside from the sun being a bit lower in the sky and setting earlier, you would think it's the height of summer. i've only been using my oven in the mornings (when there's a 30 degree temperature difference), to roast ames some carrots and sweet potatoes. other than that it's been really exciting dinners for frank and me, like smoothies and room temp. food ;)

but before the heatwave kicked in i cooked from nina olsson's beautiful book, bowls of goodness. nina's book was released last year in europe, but we're celebrating because now it's out in the US for us americans to enjoy!! the book, as you may have guessed, is filled with vibrant meals in bowls, and i'm not sure what's better than that! i first "met" nina over on instagram. her food photos were stunning, and her recipes involved flavor combinations i would never think to combine. from there, i had become smitten with her blog, nourish atelier. i remember reading through her entire recipe index not knowing what recipe to start with.

her book it just as enticing. it's complete with breakfasts, smaller plates, heartier meals, and desserts. many, if not most of her recipes, are gluten free and dairy free/vegan. and this moroccan inspired salad is just one example of nina's ability to create a dish with such thoughtfulness. the base of this salad is harissa-roasted cauliflower. its mixed with raw carrot ribbons, sliced avocado, roasted red onion, raisins, almonds, and topped with an orange tahini sauce. each ingredient compliments the next and makes for one of my favorite cauliflower dishes to date. if nothing else, make the harissa cauliflower! complete game changer :)

xoxo!

moroccan harissa salad | v & gf

recipe from Bowls Of Goodness, by Nina Olsson

| serves 4 |

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup harissa Mina sauce (or 2 tablespoons harissa pasta with 2 tablespoons water)
1 medium cauliflower, florets separated
salt
2 red onions, cut in wedges
8 carrots, shaved into thin bands
4 avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup toasted almonds

orange tahini dressing

juice and zest of 1 oragne
1 garlic clove
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons agave or maple syrup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

to serve

sesame seeds
moroccan mint leaves

method

preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
blend the dressing ingredients into a smooth sauce, adding small amounts of water while blending until it is at your desired consistency. store in the fridge until ready to serve.
arrange the cauliflower on the lined baking sheet. mix the olive oil with the harissa and pour over the cauliflower, making sure they are well coated. sprinkle with salt and roast with the onion wedges for 35 to 40 minutes. toss the cauliflower and onion wedges after 20 minutes. once tender, remove from the oven.
mix the roasted veggies with the carrot, avocado, raisins, and almonds. top with sesame seeds, and mint leaves. serve with the tahini dressing.