spring

ALEPPO PEPPER POTATO SALAD W/ GARLICKY VEGAN LABNEH /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

we’ve been eating our weight in potatoes here in the Love household. sweet potatoes, waxy russets, and these banana fingerlings. call it drowning our emotions in carbs, or just that it’s “that time of year” to cook potatoes. the truth is, i’m certainly eating my emotions, but if you look back in my recipe archive you will see a trend - potato salad is my spring/summer go-to (pandemic or not). on the east coast new potatoes don’t arrive until later in june/july, but here in LA they’re everywhere. maybe it’s a bit too early for a classic, cold potato salad. so we’re keeping things a little more on the cozy side (even though it’s nearly been 100°F here), and using fingerlings so we can roast them.

this isn’t your traditional potato salad, clearly. we’re using homemade garlicky vegan labneh that holds everything in place and adds the oomph here. it takes a little time to prepare it (about 24 hours), but it is worth it, trust! we roast up some fingerlings with aleppo pepper until they’re golden and crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. the pepper gives the potatoes a good amount of heat, which i love in contrast to the cool yogurt. we add fresh chives too, adding some green bits, but also so much flavor. we finish it with a hit of fresh lemon juice, just to brighten it up a titch. if you have fingerlings, cool. if you don’t, use what you got, all potatoes are welcome :)

sending love and hugs. xo.

aleppo pepper potato salad w/ garlicky vegan labneh

  • i love this potato salad with a light protein - i usually go with chicken or fish, but you could certainly go the plant-based route as well. serve it with a simple green salad and you’re good to go.

  • if you don’t have fingerling potatoes, use another baby potato. if all you have are large potatoes, cut them into 1-inch pieces and adjust the cook time to 30-35 minutes.

print the recipe

| serves 4 |

  • 1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes (or another small potato), cut lengthwise

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

  • 1/2-1 teaspoon aleppo pepper

  • kosher salt & cracked pepper, to taste

  • 1 1/2 cups vegan labneh*

  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped chives

  • flaky sea salt

  • fresh lemon juice

*to make the labneh garlicky, grate 1 large garlic clove over a microplane. mix into the yogurt mixture before your 24 hours strain.

method

  1. preheat oven to 425°F. in a large bowl toss together the potatoes, oil, aleppo pepper, a few pinches salt, and a few cracks of pepper, until the potatoes are evenly coated. dump potatoes out onto a baking sheet and spread into an even layer, making sure that none of the potatoes are overlapping. bake until potatoes are crisp and golden, about 30-40 minutes.

  2. remove from oven and let the potatoes come to room temp.

  3. in a shallow serving bowl, add the vegan labneh. use the back of a large spoon to swirl it around your bowl, add the potatoes in the center, and top with chopped chives, a few drizzles of olive oil, flaky salt, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

similar recipes:

perfectly crispy roasted potatoes, every time

perfectly crispy roasted potatoes, every time

crispy smashed potato salad w/ garlicky yogurt vinaigrette

crispy smashed potato salad w/ garlicky yogurt vinaigrette

AVOCADO-BLUEBERRY FLAX JARS & CINNAMON SWEET POTATO PUREE /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

joey’s nearly 4 months old, so i’ve already begun to think about introducing solids in another 2 months. it’s hard to believe he’ll be sprouting little teeth soon, and be chomping down on actual food as well. his preferred position is to sit up, and not in a reclined position - this guy likes to be at a 90-degree angle at all times, which can be quite the challenge (especially when i need to get things done and he’s just not having it in his little play-gym). but he’s really just the most happy little boy - always smiling, and talking, and noticing just about everyone and anyone who walks in the room. he adores his big brother, his face beams just looking at amesy. we think joey just wants to big like him and do all the cool things.

when it comes to baby food though, i really started super basic with amesy. taking things frank and i eat and just making them baby-friendly. take sweet potatoes for example. frank and i eat them throughout the week, so when it comes to food prep, i just roast a few extra to puree into baby food. and since i wanted to introduce some subtle spices, i flavored them with a bit of ground cinnamon. amesy loved them so much that we gradually moved to roasted sweet potatoes wedges with cinnamon as got older. side note: he still eats sweet potatoes almost every night ;)

for the blueberry-avocado flax jars i really wanted to incorporate some healthy fats and fiber with the blueberries. it’s almost like a little smoothie for your babe. using avocado instead of banana is my favorite way to keep it a low-glycemic food, while maintaining a super creamy and velvety texture. (plus, for a more toddler-friendly version, i add unsweetened almond milk yogurt to fill it out a bit more for breakfast or a snack.) .

but baby food is only as good as what contains it, really. with so many toxins and chemicals in modern day plastic containers, i am particularly careful what i use to store my baby food in. while i’ve always relied on le parfait glass canisters and jars for pantry goods and flours, i also use them to store my baby food, as they’re a brand i know and trust. not only that, but i can make a big batch of baby food ahead of time, preserve it, and use it later without wasting any food (if you’re curious on le parfait’s technique, you can find it here). even if you choose to preserve your baby food a different way, le parfait containers make it easy by making so many various shapes and sizes to fit your needs. they’re a wonderful resource, here’s a link to hop over to their site - you can check out a wealth of knowledge, as well as some wonderful recipes.

thank you Le Parfait for sponsoring this post! all thought and opinions, as always, are my own.

cinnamon sweet potato puree | gf & v

| makes roughly 2 cups |

  • 2 organic sweet potatoes

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

AVOCADO-BLUEBERRY FLAX JARS | gf & v

| makes roughly 2 cups |

  • 2 cups organic blueberries, washed and patted dry

  • 1 1/2 ripe organic avocados

  • 2 tablespoons ground flax

method

  1. preheat oven to 400°F.

  2. sterilize your jars and containers. fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil. submerge jars in the water for 45 minutes. use tongs to remove them. let them dry and cool. keep your pot on the stove with the water inside, we’re going to use it again later.

  3. while jars are drying, make the cinnamon sweet potato puree. poke the potatoes all over with a fork. place potatoes on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 45 minutes-1 hour. remove from oven and slice open, let cool completely.

  4. scrape potato flesh from the skin and place in the container of a food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade. add the cinnamon and blend on high, scraping down the sides of the container until no lumps remain, and the mixture is smooth. fill your containers 3/4 of the way. wipe containers rim, and fasten lids tightly on top.

  5. place a rack or tea towel on the bottom of your pot; bring water back to a boil (212°F). lower jars into the water, making sure the tops are covered (if they’re not, simply pour more water in). boil for 45 minutes, then let cool. store preserved baby food in a cool dark place, preferably a closed pantry.

  6. make the blueberry-avocado flax jars. combine the blueberries, avocado, and flax in the container of a food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade. process on high, scraping down the sides as needed until everything is combined and creamy. immediately fill your jars 3/4 of the way, and proceed to preserve the jars as outlined above.

GREEN GODDESS DRESSING (VEGAN) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

if there was ever a universal sauce, green goddess dressing is it! while this isn’t an exclusively “summer” sauce, i love it best during the hot summer months. the yogurt, and fresh herbs lend a cooling vibe to each and every meal it graces. it’s creamy, yet light, and adds so much flavor, while not being overpowering. there are quite a lot of vegan green goddess versions out there in grocery stores and the internet, but nothing compares to a homemade version with your designated mix of herbs and seasonings; and most importantly: no weird emulsifiers or additives (as many bottled brands can have, unfortunately).

if you’re familiar with a lot of the creamy recipes on this site, then you’re used to me referencing this greek-style plant-based yogurt that i love for just about everything from making vegan labneh, yogurt-tahini, and this vegan caesar dressing. while you can use your preferred yogurt of choice, i lean on that greek-style yogurt once again here. to it, we add a whole bunch of fresh summer herbs, and squeezes of tart lemon juice. and in leui of anchovies, we coconut aminos (of miso paste) for a bit of umami flavor. it’s essentially a super simple list of ingredients for what results in a powerful little dressing that also qualifies as a sauce and dip.

a few things i love using it for (in no particular order):

  • used as a sauce over vegetable, chicken, or fish kebabs

  • mixed into a potato salad instead of a traditional mayonnaise base

  • drizzled over your favorite green salad or a wedge salad situation

  • used as a dip for fresh cut vegetables and grilled (or toasted) bread

  • a dip for roasted or grilled sweet potato wedges

  • slather it over bread and make a green goddess sandwich

  • or use it as a dressing for a cold, green goddess pasta salad

sky’s the limit! xo!

green goddess dressing | v

| makes 1 1/4 cups |

print the recipe

method:

  1. in the cup of a food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade, combine the herbs, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, tahini, vinegar, mustard, capers, and yogurt; season with salt and pepper. blend, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container. taste and add more vinegar, and/or salt & pepper if necessary and blend once again.

  2. once the dressing is to your liking, transfer to a lidded bottle or jar and store in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.

ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley

  • 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives

  • 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini paste

  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard

  • 1 teaspoon capers, drained

  • 10 ounces unsweetened plant-based yogurt (preferably greek-style, like this one)

  • salt and fresh ground pepper