Grain-Free Summer Berry Scones / August 9, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Grain-Free Summer Berry Scones | dolly and oatmeal

we're coming up on almost 7 weeks until amesy turns one whole year old (!!!!), which seems insane sometimes. i've begun casually planning a few things like buying decorations from my favorite store in brooklyn, and making a smash cake in the form of a mini dinosaur..maybe..? frank thinks it'll be too hard, but i think i can do it (we'll see!). it's really too difficult to put into words what a (almost) year of being a parent feels like. frank and i have had discussions about how much our relationship has changed, but also how much we've continued to have a similar dynamic. how we love each other more than anything, but how we love amesy so much more. if i could describe my feelings about it in one sentence it's that this first year as a parent has gone at warp speed, but has also crept by at the slowest rate of time imaginable. it's all very disorienting when i stop to think, which is why perhaps i tend to just go, and do. but i think this 1 year mark will hit us, at least that's what i'm anticipating.

these scones aren't directly related to amesy, or his 1 year birthday, but they are related to my diet; which had changed when i was a few months postpartum. balancing my blood sugar has also been an issue, even from a really young age. but i recently began confronting it once again, and i started reducing the amount of grains in my diet, which is something i've done here and there for a few years now. it's not something i would say is for everyone, but it works for me, and i feel better for it. (just as a side note, everybody and body is different, what works for me, may not work you and vice versa.) in any event, i've been baking with almond flour a lot, and have just started working with cassava flour, which is made from the root of a yuca (or cassava) plant. whenever i bake with a nut flour i always combine it with a starch (it gives the baked good more a crumb texture, and it's great for binding), and cassava works perfectly here, just like in these cookies from the other week.

i never liked scones growing up, but my mom would occasionally have one in the afternoons with some tea, and over time i began liking their lightly sweetened, biscuit-like flavor and texture. i've tested grain-free scone recipes here and there, but was never really happy with the result. (i even made a semi-pledge back when the blog was still a teeny baby, that i was looking forward to making a good grain-free scone!) finally after about 4 years these babes were born! they are perfect sliced in half, toasted up, and slathered with some salted ghee, or vegan butter. the summery berries in there can replaced with whatever fruit you like or have on hand, i could imagine peaches or nectarines tasting really great as well. i hope you have the chance to make them. and if you do, tag me at #dollyandoatmeal so we can share in the goodness :)

big love! xo

grain-free summer berry scones | gf & df

| makes 4 large scones |

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup cassava flour, more for dusting
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 heaping teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 large egg (preferably pasture raised), at room temperature
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup mixed raspberries and blackberries, cut in half
1 egg white (optional)

method

in a mixing bowl, combine the milk and vinegar, give it a little whisk and let it sit for 10 minutes, until it's curdled a bit.
while the milk and vinegar are resting, use a separate mixing bowl and whisk together the almond flour, cassava flour, coconut sugar,baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
to the milk and vinegar mixture, whisk in the egg, oil, and vanilla.
add the wet ingredients to the dry, and use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients together. then cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
in the meantime, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. remove the dough from the fridge and fold the berries in. turn the dough out onto the parchment lined baking sheet.
dust your hands and the top of the dough with cassava flour and form it into a round with a 1 1/2-inch thickness. use a sharp knife to cut the dough in half, and then in fourths. (the dough will be sticky, this is ok.) pat the 4 pieces of dough into rounds with about 1 1/2-inch thickness. lightly brush the tops with egg white (if using).
bake for 18-23 minutes, until the tops and edges are golden. let them cool before eating. scones can be stored at room temperature covered by a piece of parchment for about 3 days. alternatively, you can store these in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, and reheat them in your toaster/oven.

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Dark Chocolate Kabocha Muffins / February 15, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Dark Chocolate Kabocha Muffins | dolly and oatmeal

every year around this time i feel so overly done with winter. whenever the new year begins it feels like such a long journey to the spring equinox, until there are longer days, more sunshine, increasingly warmer days, essentially. but this year is different. maybe because we have a babe now and all i want him to do is explore outside, breath fresh air, and be enveloped by sunshine..? it's no wonder that i reach for comfort in the form of food then, and chocolate in particular.

while i usually grab some dark chocolate, mid-winter usually beckons for something a bit more indulgent. i wish my metabolism were one that could tolerate eating baked goods on the regular, but alas, i could eat air and still gain a pound. so i reserve those types of cravings for these cold, bleak days, when a few shreds of chocolate baked inside a cake-y muffin just seems crucial, ya know?

these are by far my favorite muffin i've made. i have to say that every time i use fresh as opposed to canned puree, i find the resulting texture one that can't be beat. it's rich and velvety (something a canned variety has yet to ever yield), yet still light and airy. i would say these are more on the cake-y side as opposed to a more hearty muffin. either way, they've become quite the staple around here. and if you're wanting to make a slightly healthier/less sugar version of them, eliminate the chopped chocolate, as to cut out some of the sugar. but let's face it, no baked goods are ever going to be healthy, so why not go full tilt and keep those chocolate bits ;)

xo's friends

dark chocolate kabocha muffins | gf & df

the kabocha puree can be substituted with any winter squash puree (butternut, acorn, pumpkin). i would nudge you to try making these with fresh puree, but if you're in a pinch canned puree will do.

| makes 12 large muffins |

1 1/4 cups fine brown rice flour
2/3 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup almond flour, plus more for topping
5 tablespoons raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup kabocha squash puree*
2 large free range eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup chopped dark chocolate
cacao nibs for topping

*kabocha squash puree: preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. cut the squash in quarters, remove the seeds. rub the flesh side with a bit of coconut oil and place face down. cook until fork tender, about 35-40 minutes. let the squash cool until it is ready to handle. scoop flesh out and allow to cool completely before using or storing it.

method

preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cavity muffin tin with liners.
in a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. in another large mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until mixed. add the dry ingredients to the wet a little at a time until combined. then fold in the chocolate.
evenly distribute the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cavity 3/4 of the way. top with a sprinkle of almond flour and a small sprinkle of cacao nibs.
bake in the center of your oven until a cake tester comes out clean, about 28-34 minutes. cool on a rack for 15 minutes, then remove muffins and let them cool completely before eating. leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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apple cider + honeycrisp puffed pancake / October 9, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

apple cider and honeycrisp dutch baby - dolly and oatmeal

i never realized that so much of what i do each day and night relies on my ability to smell and taste. i was forced to come to this realization last week when i down and out with a wicked cold. perhaps i was (and still am) a big baby about it, but i haven't been sick in quite some time. i suppose not being able to breath, the coughing, congestion, sneezing, and sleepless nights will do that to you, yeah? it's been super frustrating to cook and want to get all experimental in the kitchen only to have an end product that is only distinguishable by the contents of it's sugar, salt, or acid (i.e. the only things halfway distinguishable). i guess my point is that until one of these senses is temporarily not working, it's not entirely clear how important a purpose they serve. because of my limited ability to smell and taste, i have commissioned my unofficial taste-tester: my husband. he has been happily testing my puffy pancakes in my attempt to get them just right. he doubted his palette and his ability to distinguish flavors, but i found his feedback quite helpful these past few days. i have come to rely on him in yet another way i never imagined i would have to. so, here's to my husband, who brings you these fun, puffy pancakes.

i was gifted a bottle of boiled cider by my mother. when i asked her what to do with it, she said something along the lines of "i don't know, play with it." the teacher in me decided to go with an apple theme with this recipe and i took to replacing some of the pancake's liquid with cider. the cider is not sweetened and therefore lends a tanginess to the pancake much similar to baked goods with sour cream or buttermilk - yes! frank and i love honeycrisp apples, and they're at their absolute finest this time of year, so in they went. (i hear honeycrisps are not so easy to come by outside new york state, i would say that gala apples or pink lady apples would make great substitutes.) dutch baby pancakes or puffed pancakes seem to really be making the rounds on the interwebs since autumn has come to. so, i wanted to make a version that i could enjoy and eat, and of course also share with you all. i had had my eye on a beautiful recipe from a publication i received last year, and it took me awhile, but i managed to swap most of the flour and dairy products with ingredients that i normally bake with to make a light and puffy pancake that's crisp in all the right places!

apple cider and honeycrisp dutch baby - dolly and oatmea

apple cider + honeycrisp puffed pancake | GF + V

the flour and arrowroot powder can be substituted with any other flour with the same amount. i use coconut palm sugar because of its low glycemic index, but it can similarly be replaced by any other sugar - i'm not sure how liquid sweetener would be since the batter is essentially liquid to begin with

adapted from Fig & Fauna for Pure Green Magazine, Volume 4

| serves 2-3 |

ingredients

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour (i prefer Honeyville brand)
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder/flour
1 1/2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon coconut palm sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (plus a pinch for the apples)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (plus a pinch for the apples)
3 large organic eggs
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons boiled cider or unsweetened apple cider
1/2 cup honeycrisp apples, sliced about an 1/8" thick
2 teaspoons coconut oil
powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

directions

preheat the oven to 425°
heat your cast iron pan to medium-low on the stovetop. when hot, add the coconut oil. using a silicone pastry brush, brush up the sides and all around the pan to coat evenly with the oil (if you don't have a pastry brush, using a paper towel will work as well). add the apples, stir in a 1/2 teaspoon of the coconut palm sugar and sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon to taste - stir. cook the apples about 2-3 minutes on each side until they're lightly browned and soft. arrange them to cover the bottom of the pan. turn off the heat and set aside
in a blender or food processor, add the almond flour, arrowroot, salt, sugar and spices; pulse to combine. then add the eggs, coconut milk, and cider. blend for approximately 1 minute
pour the batter (it will be quite thin) into the pan to cover the apples. very carefully, place the pan into the middle of the oven - bake for 15-20 minutes until pancake puffs up and lightly browned on top and around the edges

dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately - enjoy!