dip

A (Vegan) Spring Onion Dip! / April 12, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

is there an appetizer than defines your childhood? one that you remember gathering around with family, immediate and/or distant, and noshing on, and catching up, and just having a good time? well, i do, and it was a salad dressing brand's leek soup packet that my mom mixed with sour cream and cream cheese to make an onion-y dip. she served it alongside cape cod potato chips, and it is one of my favorite food memories. my aunt would serve a similar dip at thanksgiving and christmas, so there's all sorts of nostalgic memories of my cousins and me sitting around eating chips 'n dip. i've wanted to recreate a new, vegan/dairy-free version of a traditional onion dip for a long time. whenever i did though the flavor was never right, and i couldn't really do the original recipe any justice.

but with the uptick of really good, tasty, vegan cream cheese brands on the market, i though i'd give it another go. here, there's some vegan cream cheese blended together with soaked cashews, and then mixed with sautéed, melty spring onions. it sets in the fridge and chills for few hours (or overnight), and while it's doing that, the onion flavor is developing a bit deeper as well. you can then serve it with anything you love to dip: chips, crackers, etc. i served with some lightly steamed broccoli rabe and green beans, sliced cucumber spears, and of course, potato chips. it's a pretty straightforward, and definitely a reliable little dish to fall back on when you're heading to a potluck, or having a get-together.

i shared this recipe, along with 2 others (a cashew cream of fennel & pea soup, and falafel-spiced cauliflower wraps - photos below), with my email list, in my first ever "seasonal recipe bundle". my idea behind it is to send out 3 recipes at the beginning of each season to inspire some seasonal cooking. transitions are always a tricky thing, and moving from winter to spring is especially different depending on what part of the country you live in (or world!). so, i created 3 recipes that could easily have a place at the table anywhere, and in any climate. so, if you want to sign up there's still time. you will be sent this (spring) recipe bundle as well as future recipe bundles, my photo guides, and other relevant news :) you can sign up here if you like :) and if you are on my email list, and haven't made this dip yet, then consider this the most subtle nudge to do so ;) if there's a savory spring recipe to make on my site, this one's it!

big, big love to you all!

**and be sure to tag me @dollyandoatmeal when you're making any recipes from the site or my book! i love regramming you all on instagram stories! xo!

spring onion dip | v & gf

this dip is best served cold, right out of the refrigerator. i prefer making this at least 1-2 days prior to serving it, only to maximize the flavor.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped spring onions
1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight or at least 2 hours
fine sea salt
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (such as kite hill)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon gluten-free tamari
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup filtered water, plus more if necessary
chives, for garnish

method

heat a large skillet over medium heat. add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the onion, and a few pinches of salt, stir. cook the onions for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes until they are very soft and melty. transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool.
meanwhile, add the cashews, cream cheese, lemon juice, vinegar, tamari, garlic powder, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the container of an upright blender (preferably high-speed). whiz everything together on high, scraping down the sides until the dip and smooth and creamy. taste and adjust the salt and/or lemon juice, as needed.
pour the dip into a bowl, and fold in the onions.
transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight to really develop the onion flavor.
serve with sliced veggies, chips, crackers, etc.! store the dip in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 4 days.

Cashew Cream of Fennel & Pea Soup | Dolly and Oatmeal

Falafel-Spiced Cauliflower Wraps | Dolly and Oatmeal

similar recipes:

A Winter Mezze / December 13, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i don't know about you, but the holidays, and more specifically christmas, has always meant a good amount holiday hors d'oeuvres. my family's christmas eve tradition was to basically snack on a whole spread of cheeses, fruit, bread, crackers, nuts, etc. throughout the night. it was my favorite! it was a special night where we gather around the coffee table in our living room that my mom would set up with all the snack-y items along with special little hors d'oeuvres forks, fancy paper napkins, and sparkling apple cider in our nice glassware. my dad would make a fire, and we would sit and snack and chat and have the best time.

our christmas eve tradition was something that always stuck with me, not the gifts, or which year's christmas tree was the best. the moments i spent with my family, in that living room, munching on finger food was. i yearn for traditions like that to continue with amesy. we're still in the everyday hustle of having a little one running around that it's difficult to see how or where those traditions will be molded and made, but i have great hopes that they will naturally take place.

this year i wanted to keep that snack-like tradition going, but make a change to be more friendly to how we generally eat nowadays. so i made a cozy, winter mezze. there's a take on a dish that was my favorite from a restaurant in brooklyn called, tanoreen. it was a fried cauliflower dish with tahini sauce and pomegranate molasses that i would scarf alongside a big helping of mujadra. the spiced cauliflower i made here is my iteration of it. we season it with 7 warm spices, then roast on a high heat so it gets a bit of carmalization on its edges. from there it's served warm with a creamy tahini sauce, and a few drizzles of the punchy pomegranate molasses. there's also a beet techina (tahini dip) that's perfectly smooth and creamy, and seasoned with a bit of cumin, a good amount of lemon juice, some earthiness from the beet, and little flecks of crunch from the poppy seeds. it's all served with falafel, warm flatbread, hummus, fresh cut veg, some briny olives, and some sweet fruit.

i'm so grateful to simply organic for their, cook for a change initiative that's highlighting ways we can change the way we're cooking, connecting with others through food, transforming classic dishes into ones that fit your lifestyle, or trying different cooking techniques. and you can get involved for such a wonderful cause. simply organic and the Ceres Community Meals Healing Project are teaming up to deliver organic meals to critically ill people during this holiday season. if you would like to participate: take a photo of how your cooking change tagging it with, #cookforachange. tag a friend and challenge them to #cookforachange as well. 1 tag + 1 hashtag = 1 meal delivered. i love the idea that no matter what you're cooking, or how you're cooking it, that you can relate and connect through the nourishment of food. whether that's in the physical act of eating it, or sharing moments with those you love.

wishing you all cozy times ❤️ xo

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

beet techina (tahini dip) | v

| serves 4-6 |

1 small red beet, root and top trimmed
1 cup tahini
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Simply Organic ground cumin
filtered water
fine salt & fresh pepper
2 teaspoons Simply Organic poppy seeds
fresh dill, to garnish

7-spice roasted cauliflower

| serves 4-6 |

1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons 7-spice mix (ingredients below)
kosher salt
tahini sauce (recipe below)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
pomegranate molasses, for serving
chopped parsley, to garnish

7-spice mix:

1 teaspoon Simply Organic allspice
1/2 teaspoon Simply Organic ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Simply Organic ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon Simply Organic ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon Simply Organic ground cardamo m
1/8 teaspoon Simply Organic ground ginger

tahini sauce:

1/4 cup tahini
1 small clove garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
fine salt & fresh pepper
filtered water

method

preheat oven to 400°F. prick the beet all over with a fork, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until fork tender. let cool completely.
beet techina. add the cooled beet, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and 1/2 cup water to a high-speed blender or food processor. blend until combined, stopping to scrape down the sides, and adding more water for desired consistency. season with salt and pepper. scrape the dip into a lidded container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use (dip can be made a couple of days in advance).
spiced cauliflower. preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. add the cauliflower florets to a large bowl and drizzle well with olive oil. mix in the spice mix, and season with salt. spread the cauliflower out onto the baking sheet. cook for 30 minutes, tossing the cauliflower halfway through, until edges are golden.
while the cauliflower is cooking, make the tahini sauce. whisk together the tahini, garlic, and lemon juice, add water a couple tablespoons at a time until the sauce is runny. season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
place warm cauliflower in a serving bowl, drizzle with tahini sauce. top with pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, pomegranate molasses, and chopped parsley. serve warm.

similar recipes:

mujadra tacos w/ leeks, spring herbs & pea tendrils

black beluga lentil hummus w/ roasted fennel & garlic

za'atar spiced chickpea crackers w/ maldon sea salt

Lunch Hacks: Cauliflower, Kalamata Dip & A Quick Pulled Salmon Salad / August 23, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Lunch Hacks: Cauliflower, Kalamata Dip & A Quick Pulled Salmon Salad | dolly and oatmeal

i'm going to be super honest here. i'm not the greatest when it comes to preparing lunch. for some reason, even before anesy was in the picture, i couldn't be bothered to put much thought into it. please tell me i'm not the only one!?

a few days out of the work i basically eat 2 eggs, 1/2 avocado, maybe in a salad, but mostly on a piece of toasty bread. the weekdays are pretty scheduled, so i roughly know how much time i have between amesy's naps to get work done, and eat lunch. so preparing a lunch that requires more brain power than boiling eggs, toasting bread, and mashing an avocado can simply be too overwhelming. but since moving to LA, the amount of wholesome, prepared food that's available is kind of crazy. so, my lunch hack has been to pick up some prepared items a couple times a week to give myself a break. so i'll pick up a few pieces of wild salmon for amesy and i (he loves it mashed in avocado 👍🏼). i usually throw mine over greens, with some other veg, and whatever hummus or dip i have in my fridge, and always serve it with some crackers (because crunch is key!).

another thing that's key is dip! i've talked all about my fondness of it before, but it's really the thing that makes lunch feel fun for me. and since i have such a lack of love for lunch, it's the one thing i look forward to eating midday. i'm a little meticulous (or maybe just crazy) when it comes to actually eating this salad/dip, and have somewhat of a sequence in eating it. i usually add half of it to the salad to mix around with the salmon and veg, and the other half i save until the end just to enjoy with my crackers. i was loving simple mills sprouted crackers even before i started limiting the amount of grains i eat, but now that i am, they've been coming in clutch! their ingredients are as simple and straightforward as ingredients lists come, made with a sprouted seed mix, with some tapioca, and cassava flour, as well as a few other basic components. you can learn more about how simple mills is making our back-to-school/back-to-work lives easier here ;)

do you have any lunch hacks? i'm considering starting a monthly, lunch series to help push myself out of this lunch rut, anyone with me!? ;) let me know if you're into it in the comments, or shoot me an email. i'm all ears!

big hugs! xo

this post was created in partnership with simple mills. all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own. thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal running!

cauliflower, kalamata dip

you can mix your lunch items around depending on your diet. i usually aim to have a good portion of protein and healthy fats, some leafy greens, and always something a little crunchy, like crackers :)

| makes a little over 1 cup and about 5 servings |

1 cup cauliflower florets
1 15 ounce can cannellini beans (preferably non-bpa), drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for topping
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
herbs, for garnish

pulled salmon salad

1/4 cup cauli white bean dip
5-10 Simple Mills Sprouted Seed Everything crackers
bibb lettuce
1 piece prepared wild salmon
thinly sliced radish
cucumber spears
microgreens
juice from half of a small lemon
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt & fresh ground pepper

method

bring a lidded pot with about 2 inches of water to a boil. place the florets into a steamer basket, and place into the pot. cover and turn heat to medium. steam for until the cauliflower is tender, about 10-12 minutes. remove it from the heat and let cool.
add the cauliflower, beans, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and garlic to a food processor fitted with a metal "s" blade, and blend until smooth. add the olives and pulse until the olives are broken down into small flecks. season with salt and pepper. place the dip in a lidded container and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.
to prepare your lunch, tear the lettuce with your hands and place in a large bowl. pull the salmon from the skin into bite-size pieces an place in the bowl as well. to your salad add sliced radish, cucumber, and microgreens. finish it off with a generous squeeze of lemon juice, and a drizzle of olive oil. season with salt and pepper. give it all a toss and serve it with your dip and crackers.