hummus

Sunshine Mung Bean Spread w/ Gluten Free Za'atar Flatbread by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


meals in general have taken on a life of their own.  when amesy was a teeny babe he slept quite often, and so in between those times i was able to get things done. while his naps are more routine these days, they're much less frequent, and shorter, so the need to get creative and make every moment count is essential in order to get anything done.  if you follow me over on instagram then you might be aware of my new found love for meal prepping.  before having a baby i always strived to dedicate a day during the week for preparing meal components but it was never an essential thing to get frank and i through the week.  but now, especially with amesy starting to eat solids, a dedicated meal prep day is super crucial.  having plenty of dips and spreads is another thing that is kind of vital around here.  i use them to dress up a lunch/dinner bowl, or for a nourishing snack with cut veg and/or crackers or bread.

but more importantly, we're honoring two wonderful humans today, who are going to need all the feel-good snacks that people with a little one need to have.  sonja and alex from a couple cooks, just welcomed their beautiful boy, larson ames to the world and i'm just overflowing with happiness for them.  and if a new baby isn't sweet enough, sonja told me that larson's middle name, ames, was inspired by our little amesy which always brings tears of joy to my eyes every time i think about it.  sonja is the first one to always organize and put together virtual baby showers for so many of us lucky ducks, she goes above and beyond, even when the days were trying.  so i'm beyond delighted to share in this special occasion with her and alex, and so many other bloggers today.  welcome, welcome, little larson!  you are one lucky little guy! and thank you to melissa, sarah, and ashley for putting this baby shower together! 

for this dip i used my favorite pulse: mung beans (also know as moong dal which is the split variety).  essentially, pulses are the seeds of plants in the legume family, they include: chickpeas, lentils, beans and split peas.  i love mung beans  mostly because they're easy on the digestive system (especially when they're soaked or sprouted), but also because they're an all-star bean, packed with a great number of vitamins and minerals, plus they're a great source of protein.  it varies week to week, but i usually prepare a few different pulses to eat throughout the week, but i'm upping my game even more so because this month but I’m doing my best this month to meet the nutritional guidelines for pulses, eating ½ cup serving of the nutritious ingredients 3 times per week.  pulses are not only easy to make, and super versatile (i wrote an entire book on chickpea flour, so you know they can do a lot!), but they're a sustainable food that are drought tolerant, water efficient, and they enrich the soil where they grow making them a natural fertilizer.  

this post was created in partnership with usa pulses & pulse canada.  all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.  thank your for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal going!  

check out the other #ACoupleAdopts recipes:

Flourishing Foodie  |  Avocado and Asparagus Tartines with Basil Pesto
The Full Helping  |  Individual Strawberry Chocolate Crisps
Snixy Kitchen  |  Roasted Lemon Mint Pesto Tartines, Two Ways
This Mess Is Ours  |  Coriander & Lime Scented Cashews
Making Thyme for Health  |  Hemp Ranch Hummus
Two Red Bowls  |  Buttered Eggs on Toast, with Radish & Parsley
Cookie and Kate  |  World’s Greatest Guacamole
Edible Perspective  |  Tropical Oatmeal Snack Cookies
Eat This Poem  |  Red Pepper and Walnut Hummus
Brooklyn Supper  |  Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Cilantro-Avocado Sauce
Gather & Dine|  Muffin Tin Granola Cups with Lemon Greek Yogurt and Berries
The Fauxmartha  |  Laura’s Sunshine Crackers
FoodieCrush  |  Baked Beet Chips



sunshine mung bean spread w/ gluten free za'atar flatbread

you can use any pulse here really, but be aware that there might be differences in consistency, and therefore you may need to add more or less tahini or water.  

sunshine spread (makes about 2 cups)

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked mung beans (i like using this sprouted variety)
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/2 cup filtered water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • sea salt & fresh pepper, to taste
  • sumac, for garnish
  • fresh dill and microgreens or pea shoots, for garnish

gluten free za'atar flatbread (makes four 5-6-inch flatbreads) 

  • 1 1/4 cup filtered warm water (105°-115°F)
  • 1 teaspoon raw honey
  • 1 packet instant yeast (approximately 2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 1 cup chickpea flour
  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup sorghum flour
  • 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
  • 2 teaspoons psyllium husk powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
  • 1/4 cup za'atar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil


method

  1. in a blender or food processor, blend the mung beans, tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, spices, and salt and pepper to taste.  continue blending the mixture scraping down the sides of blender or bowl until the spread is smooth and creamy.  add more water if needed to get your desired consistency.  transfer the spread to a bowl, cover with cling wrap, and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
  2. make the dough.  in a bowl, whisk together the water and sugar until it is dissolved.  sprinkle in the yeast and let it proof until the surface it foamy, about 10 minutes.  
  3. in a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except the oil.  use a wooden spoon to make a well in the center of the flour, then add the yeast mixture and olive oil. stir until dough is mixed.  cover the bowl loosely with cling wrap and allow to dough to rise in a warm place (i preheat my oven to warm - about 150°F - and shut it off about 10 minutes before placing the dough inside) until the dough doubles in size, about 30-45 minutes.  
  4. preheat oven to 500°F and place a baking stone inside (or a cookie sheet).  line a cookie sheet with parchment and set aside.  divide the dough in half and wrap one half in cling wrap, place in the freezer for another time.  place the other half of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet and dust with more brown rice flour.  divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and use your fingers to press it out, using more flour if needed to prevent sticking, until you have four 5-6-inch rounds.  cut any parchment hanging over (to prevent any extra paper from burning.) cover the dough with a clean dishcloth to puff up slightly, about 15-20 minutes. 
  5. whisk together the za'atar and oil, and spoon it over the dough rounds, using about 3-4 spoonfuls to sufficiently cover the tops. use the cookie sheet to carefully shuffle the parchment and doughs onto the baking stone.  bake until golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. et the za'atar bread cool slightly.  
  6. serve 1 piece of za'atar bread with 1/2 cup mung bean spread, some sliced veggies, and olives. 

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spicy hummus fries

spicy hummus fries

black beluga lentil hummus w/ roasted fennel + garlic by Lindsey | 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

  1. preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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!


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roasted golden beet + shallot dip

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summer socca salad w/ burst tomatoes + roasted zucchini by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


i've had a very loose summer "to-do" list, and i'm actually making progress on it (which is really encouraging because i'm the biggest procrastinator and lists rarely ever keep in line)! some items are coming along, while others are more of a long-term kind of deal:

  1. plant a wild flower/meadow garden (and keep it alive) - so far ✔
  2. work on toning my arms a la linda hamilton in terminator 2 - ✔ still a work in progress ;)
  3. grill (gf + v) pizza! - ✔ we did this the other night, and while the grill was too hot, and the bottom of the dough was black and charred, it was still awesome. i'm planning a major post for this recipe when we get it just right!)
  4. a designated no-social-media-day - eh, i have good weeks and not so good weeks with this one. 
  5. read more books, like real tangible books - half-✔. am i the only one who has my nose in the middle of about 5 books for the past 2 years? halp.

speaking of schedules and lists, the opposite can be said for what we've been eating recently. i've been on this kick of preparing easy peasy meals with familiar pantry items and whatever i pick up at the market that the weekend. there's always some sort of grain or legume, a punchy sauce to make things exciting, and little extras like fried capers or toasted breadcrumbs for added crunch and flavor. since the development side of my cookbook has wound down, i'm feeling like i have a surplus of quiet energy that's insisting to just go with the flow. for a while it was a non-stop schedule of recipe testing, styling, and shooting. and while it's been a really fulfilling project, it was also mentally and physically exhausting. so laying back and letting food, and cooking be breezy is what life is dictating at the moment, and i'm just going with it! this socca salad recipe is very much in line with what meals have been looking like around here this summer, veg-heavy, super gratifying, and importantly, low key. 

my husband has always been on board with socca since i first began making it a few years ago. it was one of the first bread-y things (since going gluten-free) we could partake in and enjoy together, and it's been a wrap since then.  this recipe is a very basic socca recipe, one that i've been making and tweaking for years. it's one of those tried and true recipes that i love preparing for lunch, dinner, or as an appetizer for when we have friends over.  socca is so good that sometimes it's best when left plain and topless, but it can also be a blank canvas for just about anything you want to pile on top of it; in this case a simple summer salad. there's a bit of easy prep required but nothing that's tiresome or laborious, just some mixing, roasting, baking, and serving, all for an uncomplicated summer meal!

big hugs! x



summer socca salad w/ burst tomatoes + roasted zucchini (v + gf)

i make this socca 2 ways. the first one is using the entire batter in a 10-12" pan for 1 large, slightly thick round. the other way is to divide the batter between 2 pans and make 2 smaller soccas with a crispy texture. both variations are great, but i tend to like a smaller crispier socca when served with a salad. the toppings can of course vary to include different grains or vegetables, and the yogurt or hummus can be substituted for creme fraiche or labneh if dairy is your thing.  

| serves 2 as a main |

socca

  • 1 cup chickpea flour
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup + 1-2 teaspoons water
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2-3 garlic cloves minced

salad

  • 5-6 small vine tomatoes
  • 1 medium zucchini (about 1 heaping cup), sliced into 1/4" thick slices
  • olive oil
  • salt + pepper
  • 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
  • 2 cups mixed baby greens
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 3-4 tablespoons hummus or tahini yogurt sauce
  • herb flowers or torn squash blossoms, for serving (optional)

 



method

socca batter

  • in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper; whisk in 1 cup of water - batter should be similar to thin pancake batter (but not as thin as crepe batter), if batter is too thick, add water a teaspoon at a time until batter has thinned out.  drizzle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and the garlic, whisk until thoroughly combined.  let mixture sit for 30 minutes or up until 12 hours lightly covered with a dishtowel.

salad

  • preheat oven to 400° F and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.  in a small bowl toss together the tomatoes, zucchini, and 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  turn out onto the lined baking sheet and bake until tomatoes are burst and zucchini is tender, about 12-14 minutes. (if you're using smaller tomatoes like grape or cherry, cook time may be less.) remove from oven and let cool.  combine the quinoa and greens in large bowl, then add the cooled roasted vegetables, set aside.

assemble

  • when you're ready to make the socca, place a 10-12" cast iron skillet (or an oven proof skillet) on an oven rack in the bottom third of your oven, then preheat to 450° F. 
  • once the oven is preheated, carefully remove the skillet from the oven, pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into the skillet and gently swirl the pan to distribute the oil.  give the socca batter one last whisk and then pour it into the skillet, swirling to evenly cover the pan.  quickly place back into the oven and bake for 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned; turn oven temperature up to 500° F and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until edges are crisp and browned and top of socca is golden.
  • remove skillet from oven, and let it rest while you dress the salad.  drizzle salad with 3 teaspoons olive oil, and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.  use a spatula to lift the socca from the pan and place on a large cutting board. slice the socca in half, or serve whole and top with hummus or yogurt, and the burst tomato and roasted zucchini salad. 

enjoy!

**to make a smaller, thin socca (like the one pictured). heat two 10-inch skillets in the oven. once oven is preheated, remove pans one at a time; add 1-1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and swirl to cover pan. add half of the socca batter and swirl to cover the bottom of the pan; place back in oven and repeat with other pan. cook until edges are golden and crisp, about 10 minutes; turn oven temperature up to 500° F and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until edges are brown and top of socca is golden.  remove from heat and serve with hummus/yogurt, and salad. 


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a midsummer cherry + amaranth panzanella salad

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