christmas

December 5, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

SUMAC-ROASTED DELICATA SQUASH W/ ZIPPY GREEN TAHINI | dolly and oatmeal

the holidays are upon us, and i’m still kind of gobsmacked that it’s december and that our little joey is almost 4 months old already! it was around this time last year we found i was pregnant and that we would be giving amesy a sibling. there something so magical about that brief period of time, about what life would be like in a year with another little being to love on and care for. fast forward a year, and by no means has it been easy (how could it ever be?), but the intense love i have for my boys is beyond measure - something i knew existed been could never imagine how it may feel. while we’re trying to live in the moment of baby bliss, frank and i often find ourselves having a conversation about who joey will be, if he’ll have a similar disposition to amesy, or be completely different. for the time being joey is the most happy little babe, always smiling (unless he’s hungry or sleepy), and always wanting to stand and sit up like a big kid. we think he’s trying to catch up to ames.

in any event, i wanted to come here and share this recipe. it’s equal parts warm and grounding, and zippy and bright. to be honest, i really don’t love roasted squash unless it’s drowning in a peppy sauce. and this side checks all the boxes - it could function as a leaf-less salad (i love those!), a side dish, or round it out into a main dish with your choice of protein. it also couldn’t be easier to prepare. we roast the squash, and while that happens everything else gets made: the sauce ingredients get thrown in a food processor (or blender) and whizzed up, and then there’s a quick (optional) chop of red onion, and parsley. toast up some sesame seeds, and toss in some pomegranate seeds and you’re ready to party. this may sound like a mashup of flavors, but somehow they all work together and compliment each other perfectly. and don’t skip the green tahini - this is the linchpin, really. we’re calling it zippy because indeed it it! with a good amount of lemon juice, lemon zest, and ground sumac it brightens everything it touches.

i hope you love this one ❤️

sumac-roasted delicata squash w/ zippy green tahini sauce | v & gf

you can use any squash variety here, or even sweet potato wedges (changing the cook time accordingly). the green tahini sauce makes extra which you’ll thank me for later. i like to pour it over anything and everything - even drizzle over hard boiled eggs for a quick snack/lunch. you may even want to double the recipe, it’s that good.

| serves 4-6 |

zippy green tahini (makes extra)

1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro
1/2 cup lightly packed parsely
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground sumac
2 cloves garlic
zest from 1 lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-4 tablespoons cold water
salt & fresh ground pepper

sumac-roasted delicata squash

2 delicata squash, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds and seeds removed
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon ground sumac
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste

to garnish

1/4 small red onion, sliced thin
handful pomegranate seeds
chopped parsley
toasted black sesame seeds

method

make the green tahini. in a food processor fitted with a metal ‘s’ blade, combine the tahini, herbs, lemon juice, sumac, garlic, and lemon zest. with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil, followed by 2 tablespoons of water. season with a few big pinches of salt, and some pepper. continue to pulse, adding more water as needed, until creamy. pour the sauce into a lidded jar. sauce can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
make the squash. preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
in a large bowl, use your hands to combine the squash with the oil, sumac, salt, and pepper until the squash is coated. place them evenly on the baking sheet, making sure to not let them overlap. bake for 20-25 minutes, until tender and slightly caramelized on the edges. remove from oven and let cool slightly.
arrange squash rings on a platter or large plate. drizzle over a few spoonfuls of green tahini; top with sliced red onion, pomegranate seeds, chopped parsley, and sesame seeds. serve warm.

similar recipes:

squash, parsnip & kale salad w/ pomegranate dressing

julia’s shaved carrot & avocado salad w/ tahini

3-INGREDIENT TOASTED S'MORES BARK / December 20, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

3-INGREDIENT TOASTED S'MORES BARK | dolly and oatmeal

frank loves s’mores. like, lives for them. he recently came home from a little stop at whole foods with their seasonal s’mores holiday bark. while most times he’s disappointed by s’mores chocolate bars/barks/ice creams/ice cream sandwiches, this whole foods version was pretty spot on (it was so overly sweet to me, but i usually find things too sweet). he was so psyched about this bark, but had one gripe: the ratio of graham crackers, to marshmallows, to chocolate was off. frank’s never one to criticize food for the most part. he eats what i make, has constructive comments when i ask for advice, and is just generally the most easy going person when it comes to all things food.

so i love when he loves certain food. and he loves s’mores so much that i wanted to give him his perfect ratio - his dream s’mores bark! the first couple of version were off. we both agreed it was too sweet. so i tried a higher percentage of cacao and that seemed to do the trick. then came the ratio. while i’m not quite the s’mores lover frank is, i do think that anything claiming to be “s’mores” generally has way too much chocolate, and not nearly enough graham crackers or marshmallows. so, i upped the 1/2 cup of marshmallows and graham crackers to 3/4 cup, plus an additional 1/4 cup graham crackers for topping.

and while i was making these, i got pretty opinionated about the marshmallows. you rarely get anything “s’mores” with actual toasted marshmallows, but isn’t that the whole point? that toasty flavor gives them that subtle smokiness which is so notorious with a proper campfire s’more. so here we have it, toasted s’mores with the perfect ratio. it’s not so much a recipe, more of guide of how to make the best dang s’more bark there is (in frank’s humble opinion).

wishing you all the loveliest holiday filled with laughter, and hugs, and love, and wonderful memories! xo!

3-ingredient toasted s’mores bark | gf

| makes one 13x9” tray |

3/4 dandies brand mini marshmallows
12 ounces dark chocolate (preferably 70% cacao)
3/4 cup plus 1/4 cup crushed gluten free graham crackers (i use smoreables)

method

heat your oven to a high broil. line a 13x9-inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper (i like to coat the pan with some oil and then place the parchment on top just to prevent it from slipping when you spread the melted chocolate bark).
line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the marshmallows out evenly so that none are touching. once the oven is hot, carefully slide the pan in. broil marshmallows about 1 minute, rotating the pan halfway through to toast evenly. remove from the oven and let cool completely.
while the marshmallows are cooling, melt the chocolate. in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring every so often. after it’s completely melted, remove from heat and let cool completely.
dump the marshmallows into the cooled melted chocolate, reserving a few for topping. dump the graham crackers in as well, and mix until thoroughly combined.
pour the chocolate bark mix into the jellyroll pan and use and offset spatula to evenly spread it into the corners and sides of the pan. top with remaining marshmallows, and graham crackers.
freeze for 30-40 minutes, until completely solid. use your hands or a sharp knife to break up the bark into jagged pieces.
store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

more holiday recipes:

chocolate tahini cake w/ tahini frosting

YOUR GO-TO VEGAN CHEESE BOARD & HOW TO PAIR IT WITH WINE / December 13, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

YOUR GO-TO VEGAN CHEESE BOARD & HOW TO PAIR IT WITH WINE | dolly and oatmeal

i don’t know about you, but the thought of creating on e of those beautiful cheese boards i have seen on pinterest and food publications over the years. was enough for me not to ever give one a go. that was until frank and i moved from nyc, to la, had a home large enough to have people over to “entertain”. not only that, but i don’t even really eat dairy-based cheese (sometimes i’ll have an occasional bite), so if i was going to make a vegan cheese board what cheeses do i buy? how many of those teeny forks will i need? what do i serve next to said cheese? and most importantly: what wine does one serve with exclusively vegan cheese?!

i’m happy to report, that over the past few years i’ve done research on the above questions. long gone are the days when vegan cheese meant rubbery, odd tasting little shreds on top of your pasta or veggies. today there are a plethora of nut-based, cultured vegan cheeses that are legitimately delicious. even though dairy-free cheese lacks milk-fat, it does contain fat which lends a richness to it all the same. but that is to say, vegan cheeses are a bit more delicate than dairy-based cheeses, and therefore are best when paired with light or medium-bodied wines.

what are medium and light bodies wines? generally medium and light bodied wines have an alcohol content between 12.5%-13.5%, and commonly have that refreshing, crisp vibe. and that’s what we want - light and refreshing. i tend to love serving chilled rose (even in the winter, controversial, i know!) and white wine, and a light and fruity pinot noir with a vegan cheese board. and since vegan cheeses tend to be a bit more mild than dairy-based cheese, you don’t have to go overboard with the pairing of them with specific wine varieties. think floral or citrusy, crisp wines if you’re serving fruit, dried fruit, or preserves alongside your cheese, as to not overpower your tastebuds with too much sweet flavor.

here, i served a light bodied pinot noir as an option (even if it’s not your cup of tea, a guest may prefer it), a bright and citrusy sauvignon blanc, and a faintly acidic rose pinot noir from one of my favorite online retailers that has a wonderful array of great wines from around the globe, millesima. it’s almost better than going to a store because their wines are beautifully curated, giving you the best of options at all price points. and they also offer a number to call for advice (where you get to talk to an actual human!), which is super convenient.

this post was created in partnership with millesima wine. all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.

how to choose which cheese to serve? and what to look for.

first, go with availability. LA is a mecca for plant-based cheese options, but being a life-long new yorker, i know this isn’t the case everywhere.
second, look for cultured cheese. essentially, this means the cheese is going to have more of a traditional cheese flavor. cultured means probiotics have been added, which in turn gives you that cheesy, pungent flavor that is so common with dairy-based cheese.
variety. even if your options are limited and you can only find spreads, look for various flavor profiles - whether that’s chive, herbs de provence, truffle, etc. if you are afforded the option of variety, then i would suggest 3-4 different cheeses: goat-style cheese log, a cheese that slices hard (i.e. a cheese that’s not a spread), a cheese-like dip, and/or a ricotta-style cheese. this gives your guests an assortment to choose from, and gives you more options when it comes to styling your cheese board.
be aware of cheeses that include hard-to-pronounce ingredients, sugar, food coloring, and vegetable oils such as: canola, safflower, soybean, and sunflower.
happy tummy and tastebud ingredients: coconut oil, nuts (if you can tolerate them), tapioca starch, agar, and cultures. the best vegan cheeses i’ve had have the least amount of ingredients. of course, if you’re nut-intolerant it can be quite difficult to find good options out there (sorry!).

what you need to build a vegan cheese board

surface - this is going to dictate your cheese board arrangement. i personally like going with a round cutting board/cheese board, but a rectangular shape works just as well. and gather a few small bowls to hold a softer cheese, preserves, nuts, etc. first i placed my bowls, from there i placed the cheese rounds and cut one into hunks (i think it makes it more visually pleasing, but it’s also easier for guests to pick as opposed to cutting it themselves). slice apple or pear and fan them out, fan more pieces in an opposite direction to get some texture on the board.

1-2 different varieties of crackers - if you’re going with 2, purchase one with a different flavor profile, shape, and texture, just for variety.
add some sweetness - i like to go with seasonal fruit. winter fruit i love to include are: grapes, sliced apples and ripe pears. i like purchasing extra fruit, especially if it’s fresh like satsumas with their leaves still on, or little ornamental pears or crab apples - anything that’s going to add some softness. and i especially love fig conserve to serve with your cheeses (if you can find it, i highly recommend it - i use june taylor’s) , if you can’t find something similar try a cranberry or maybe even a fruit chutney.
nuts - i’m a big fan of roasted and salted pistachios, cracked walnuts, or maybe some flavored mix of nuts.
fresh herbs - i used fresh rosemary and fresh bay leaves here for just to give the board a bit more of seasonal vibe. but you could also use eucalyptus stems, olive branches, or evergreen/pine tree snips.
lastly, i would suggest some sort of low key floral arrangement. i tend to go less “floral”, and more leafy. this has all to do with your aesthetic, but i generally don’t buy anything too fragrant for fear of it distracting from the food.