Sweet Potato Chocolate Brownies from Simply Vibrant / February 14, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Sweet Potato Chocolate Brownies from Simply Vibrant | dolly and oatmeal

happy valentine's day! if you've been reading this blog for a while then you probably know, i'm not that into this holiday. sorry to be a bummer. consider me one of those people who always thought it was a hallmark holiday. but(!) i am finding it easier to get into the spirit now that amesy's old enough to find googly-eyed hearts, or mickey mouse valentine cards funny and interesting. we're not doing any valentine projects (yet, i'm sure they'll come in time), but there is definitely a bit mote of a fuss over all the silly heart-shaped treats and decorations everywhere. dare i say that i'm excited for next year when we'll be able to make cards, or decorations together!? we'll see what happens ;) but until then, BROWNIES!

these brownies come from anya kassoff (from the ever inspiring blog, Golubka Kitchen) and her daughter masha davydova (she takes all the stunning photographs!), and their cookbook: Simply Vibrant. this is their second cookbook that focusses on plant-based, vegetarian meals spanning the day. the contents are broken into very clever categories: morning meals like porridges and pancakes. then there are: wraps and rolls; noodles, pasta, and pizza; and fritters and veggie burgers. the last couple of chapters include sweets, and basics and sauces. anya, like she does on her blog, makes her recipes so inviting not only with the beautiful photos that grace the pages, but the different flavors and textures she incorporates into each dish.

these brownies for instance are made lusciously fudgy by using sweet potato - something i would never think of incorporating into a brownie batter. there's also a good amount of chocolate, but anya instructs you to chop it in the food processor which basically makes the chocolate into a meal, it's then stirred in with the rest of the batter to form these delicious treats. and i especially love a dessert i don't have to worry about giving amesy nibbles of. they're sweetened with dates (and aforementioned chocolate), and i assume some sweetness comes from the sweet potato as well ;) these are the perfect treat to induge in on this day, or any day, really! whatever you're partaking in, i hope it is serving you well!

big XOXO's!

sweet potato chocolate brownies | v & gf

my notes: i used 85% cacao bittersweet chocolate. next time i would use between 60%-70& cacao chocolate, as most of the sweetness in these brownies comes from the chocolate.

recipe from Simply Vibrant by Anya Kassoff

print the recipe!

| makes 12 large or 24 small brownies |

1 cup (200 g) chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups raw hazelnuts
1/2 cup (50 grams) almond flour
3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the brownies
pinch of sea salt
9 to 10 (140 g) large, soft medjool dates, pitted
1 medium sweet potato, baked, peeled, and roughly chopped
1/4 cup almond butter

method

preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, extending the paper up the sides. place the chocolate in the freezer.
spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast them in the oven for 10 minutes. remove them from the oven and let them cool, then rub them with a clean kitchen towel to remove the skins. reserve a few whole nuts for garnishing the brownies, and place the rest of the nuts in a food processor; grind into a meal. make sure you don't overprocess. transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
place the chilled chocolate in the food processor and grind into the smallest pieces possible. transfer to the bowl with the ground hazelnuts and add the almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt. stir to mix evenly.
combine the dates, sweet potato chunks, and almond butter in the food processor and puree until smooth. spoon this mixture into the bowl with the ground hazelnuts and chocolate; stir to combine thoroughly.
spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish and even out the top with a spoon. transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top of the brownie is firm to the touch.
remove the pan from the oven and let it cool to room temperature, then transfer the brownie to a cutting board, using the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. dust the brownie with cocoa powder chop the reserved whole hazelnuts and sprinkle them on top, if desired. slice the brownies into bars.

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A Dinosaur Cake For Amesy's 1st Birthday! / October 5, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

baby-friendly dinosaur "smash" cake | dolly and oatmeal

we celebrated amesy's 1st with confetti balloons, a little taco and guac spread, our dear family, a couple of birthday portraits, and some dinosaur cake! i had planned his birthday a bit more elaborately in my head months back. but it turns out all he needed was some balloons, tickles and love from his fam, and some smash-friendly cake. i know i mentioned that i was going to try and make his cake in the shape of an actual dinosaur. clearly that didn't happen. because as it turns out, i'm not a magician, nor am i that talented in the cake decorating/intricate icing department. i'm reaaaaally good at complicating situations so i took a step back from the endless cake scenarios playing out in my mind and thought about ames, and what he might like. he's a pretty easy going babe, so a simple, easy-peasy mini cake, some cookie "dirt", and a plastic dinosaur on top was going to be perfect for him. i'm not sure whether he enjoyed the happy birthday song, the smashing part, or the actual eating of the cake more, but he definitely had fun at his little party :)

at one point when frank and i were setting up amesy's party, i was kind of struck with this profound parent-y feeling. i've been at parties, helped set them up, thrown shindigs for friends, etc. but it was different and so, so special making a little party for him that it kind of surprised me a bit by how much it struck me. i didn't think being a mom would change in any way. and to a certain degree i'm exactly who i was, but being a mama to ames is the very best feeling i've ever felt and could ever feel. it's similar to how i would feel every christmas morning when i was a kid, i'm just so excited to spend the day with him and see how he takes in his young world.

anywho, let's talk cake. this baby cake is grain free and a made with almond and cassava flour. it's sweetened with banana puree, some coconut sugar (which is completely refined sugar free), and a few drops of stevia. the frosting/whip is just straight up coconut fat from a can of refrigerated coconut milk with a few drops of stevia (not that i think he would have noticed if it weren't sweetened). i chose the ingredients carefully here because i wanted it to be cakey and enjoyable as a sweet treat for ames, but i also didn't want his blood sugar sky-rocketing out of control. and judging by amesy's reaction, i think i found a really great balance of both with this cake. yay! and it's even good for adults too! my dad and brother ate their fair share ;)

peace & love. xo!

baby-friendly dinosaur "smash" cake | gf/df/grain free/refined sugar free

i know cassava flour is hard to come by in some areas, and quite expensive. while i haven't tried it, arrowroot powder would probably make a great substitute.

| makes one 3-tiered, 3-inch layer cake |

1 1/4 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cassava flour
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup banana puree (roughly 2 bananas)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, room temp
1/2 cup liquid coconut oil
2 pasture raised eggs, room temp
4-6 drops liquid stevia
1 cup ground chocolate cookies (i like these or a homemade version), for "dirt"
dinosaur figurines

frosting

1 can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated for at least 24 hours
4 drops liquid stevia

adult-friendly chocolate dinosaur cake

this recipe, substituting the olive oil for coconut oil

frosting

1 cup non-hydrogenated palm shortening
1 cup powdered coconut sugar (i followed ashlae's recipe here, and used 1 cup coconut sugar, and 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder)
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

method

preheat oven to 350°F, and grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with at least 2-inch sides.
in a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cassava flour, coconut sugar, cacao, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
in another large bowl, whisk together the banana puree, milk, oil, eggs, and stevia.
mix the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until combined. pour the batter into the cake pan tilting it to get the batter evenly dispersed. bake in the center of your oven for 30-35 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick come out clean.
place the cake on a rack to cool. once the cake is completely cool invert it onto a piece of cling wrap. refrigerate the cake for at least 5 hours, or overnight.
use a 3-inch round biscuit cutter to cut three layers out of the cake. (there will be quite a bit of cake remnants. i used small cookie cutters to make bite-size cakes for amesy's cousin and other guests.)
make the coconut whip. turn the coconut milk can upside down and open it from the bottom. pour out the coconut water (you can reserve it for smoothies, etc.) and scoop the coconut fat from the can into a bowl. using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix the whip until it's fluffy. add the stevia and mix again. cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.
use an offset spatula to frost the top of one cake layer, add the other top and add the same amount of coconut whip, add the last layer and frost the top and sides with a thin layer of whip. refrigerate for roughly 30 minutes, and then frost with another layer (a second layer isn't totally essential, but because the cake is chocolate, the coconut whip will turn slightly brown with one layer if it's sitting long enough.) add cookie crumbs to the bottom of the cake and little on top. plop a dinosaur on top, and let the smashing begin.
large chocolate dinosaur cake
follow the method here, but instead of using a bundt pan, grease and line two. 6-inch round cake pans, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
bake the layers until the a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, about 35-38 minutes. let the layers cool completely. wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.
make the frosting. add the shortening to a large bowl. sift in the powdered coconut sugar and cacao; add the vanilla and milk. mix together using an electric mixer on medium low until the frosting is fluffy and creamy.
frost the top of one layer, then place the other layer on top. frost the tops and sides with a thin layer to coat it. refrigerate for 30 minutes, then frost the top and sides again in a final, thicker layer. add the cookie crumbs to the bottom of the cake, and make little mounds on top of the cake. decorate with dinosaurs, and slice and serve the cake.

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chocolate layer cake w/ macadamia mousse & coconut whip

Ice Cream & Almond Butter-Chocolate Cupcakes / August 31, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Ice Cream & Almond Butter-Chocolate Cupcakes | dolly and oatmeal

i'm popping in real quick to wish you all a happy end-of-summer! although, i have to say, it kind of seems bittersweet when there's so much heartbreak and devastation happening in texas. it's the large scale situations like these that have me feeling like anything i do isn't enough. that giving to a few foundations or food banks doesn't really make a difference in someone's life who's lost so much. my heart breaks for the families, and pets, and people there. if you're wanting to donate and you're not sure where to donate to, here's a link to Feed Texas, a non-profit that provides food during major disasters. also, the Houston Food Bank is another group working to help people affected by Harvey.

alas, i bring you these almond butter chocolate cupcakes with frozen frosting (ahem, ice cream)! frank loves an ice cream cake. or anything cookies and cream related. me? i could go without it. but since i'm not really consuming sweets as much, and there's nothing super sweet in the house for him to nosh on, AND because he's being such a great sport about it - i decided to make him something that would satisfy his craving.

these cupcakes are seriously my favorite. at first i was a bit afraid of how a grain-free cupcake would fare when mixed with almond butter. i didn't know if all that fat in a baked good would even work. i thought the result would be super dense, but the almond butter actually gave them a super lush texture, and the cassava flour (aka, my new baking buddy) gave them that delicate crumb that we're all used to having in a really good cupcake. if you've followed along on instagram stories, then you know i tinkered around quite a bit with this recipe until i got it just right. i hope you give them a try, and if you do, i hope you enjoy them as much as we do :)

wishing you all a bright holiday weekend, and the best end of summer! xoxo

ice cream almond butter-chocolate cupcakes | gluten/grain/dairy-free

i didn't make my own ice cream here, for lack of time (and sanity), but i have a few recipes here. i know the question is going to come up, so i'll just disclose here that i haven't tried making these vegan. but i'm hopeful that 2 flax "eggs" will do the trick (1 flax egg = 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water).

| makes 12 cupcakes |

1 1/4 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cassava flour
1 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 heaping teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup raw almond butter
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, at room temp
1/2 cup liquid coconut oil
2 pasture raised eggs, at room temp
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 pints dairy free ice cream of choice
sprinkles (optional)

method

preheat oven to 350°F and line your muffin/cupcake tin with 12 liners.
in a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, breaking up any clumps. in another large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. mix the wet ingredients into the dry and use a rubber spatula to fold the batter together.
fill each muffin/cupcake cavity just below the top. bake in the center of your oven for 28-32 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
cool cupcakes on a rack for about 10 minutes. then remove the cupcakes from the tin and let them cool completely.
scoop ice cream onto the cupcake and serve immediately.
cupcakes (without ice cream) can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.