dinner

"CHEESY" SPINACH & BUTTERNUT BAKED SHELLS | V & GF / November 14, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

we’re coming in to the homestretch of the year, and with that brings all the holidays. my aim this holiday season is to create simple recipes to ring in the holiday season, that are approachable, allergen-friendly, and (importantly) delicious. first up, is this creamy pasta bake that my family adores. this is the kind of dish that pleases just about any customer. #1: there’s pasta involved, and who doesn’t love a chewy, warm carb? #2: the creamy “cheesy” sauce will make you think you’re eating a traditional mac ‘n cheese drowning in dairy, when you’re actually not. #3: it’s kid-friendly! amesy, who doesn’t like pasta, will eat this dish with actual glee. so i’m quite sure any other child out there (picky or not) will love it as well. and lastly #4: it’s super easy to put together (you could actually make the sauce and cracker crust ahead of time) and makes a bunch of leftovers (especially if you’re single or a small family). have i convinced you to make this yet?

the sauce is butternut squash-based which gives it that nostalgic mac ‘n cheese color, while also providing flavor and nutrients (yay!). instead of flavoring the sauce with pantry items to make it taste cheesy, i actually add a good bit of plant-based cheese to really give it the depth of cheesy flavor we want in a baked pasta situation. and i can’t overstate how much i love Thrive algae oil here as well. i use it in the sauce and the cracker crust. with the highest level of good-for-you, heat-stable monounsaturated fats and the lowest level of bad fats of any cooking oil, it provides everything we need, without affecting the “cheese” vibe one bit - it’s completely neutral in flavor, despite what you might assume about algae! plus, it gives the sauce that lush and velvety texture that’s so satisfying. (i also love that it’s so widely found in grocery stores across the US, and easily accessible online as well.)

my intention for sharing this recipe is that it makes for a great weeknight meal of course, but that it’s also reliable and sturdy enough to serve alongside your thanksgiving staples as a vegan AND gluten-free option for guests that lean that way. but i’m also sure that folks around the table that don’t have a specific dietary restriction will love it all the same! and can i say that this makes for a healthy-ish dish too? i use chickpea pasta here (protein), the butternut squash sauce is mixed together with a healthy amount of fresh spinach (fiber), and the sauce is also mixed with algae oil replacing saturated fats found in other cooking oils with
all those good monounsaturated fats our bodies need and love. it’s a well-rounded meal without even really trying to be. aren’t dishes like that the best? i hope you love this one as much as my family and i do :)

xo!

this post was created in partnership with Thrive Algae Oil. all opinions, as always, are my own. thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep dolly and oatmeal running.

cheesy spinach & butternut baked shells | gf & v

| serves 4-6 |

butternut sauce

1 1/2 cups butternut squash puree
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup thrive algae oil
4 ounces vegan mozzarella
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

cheesy cracker crust

2/3 cup gluten-free cracker crumbs
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons thrive algae oil
leaves from 4 sprigs fresh thyme

pasta bake

1 pound gluten free pasta shells
kosher salt
2 1/2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
fresh herbs (i like sage and thyme), to garnish

method

preheat oven to 425°F, and oil a 10-inch baking dish.
make the cracker crust. combine the cracker crumbs, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and thyme in the container of a blender and pulse everything together until combined. transfer to a mixing bowl, and use a fork to mix in the oil until the mixture looks wet and sandy. set aside and wipe out the blender container.
make the butternut sauce. in your blender container, combine the butternut squash puree, milk, oil, cheese, garlic, salt, onion powder, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. whiz everything together on high, stopping to scrape down the sides, until the sauce is smooth and creamy. taste and adjust, adding more seasonings, if needed. (add the additional 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you prefer more heat, if not, leave as is.) set the sauce aside.
cook the pasta and spinach. fill a large pot with water, add 2 tablespoons salt and bring to a boil. add the pasta and cook until al dente (it’s going to cook later on, so don’t overcook it. i usually cook it 2 minutes less than what the package instructs). 1 minute before the pasta is finished cooking, add the spinach. drain the pasta and spinach.
to your prepared baking dish, add the pasta and spinach. pour over the sauce and use a spoon to mix it together. use your fingers to evenly sprinkle the cracker crust over top.
bake in the center of your oven for 10-12 minutes, until golden and bubbly. cool 5-10 minutes, then serve.

similar recipes:

vegan hasselback potato & shallot gratin

vegan alfredo w/ caramelized shallots & kale

butternut squash chili w/ cilantro yogurt

PUMPKIN SEED PESTO SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOWLS / October 23, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

PUMPKIN SEED PESTO SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOWLS | dolly and oatmeal

we’re heavy into pumpkins at the moment here at our house. amesy is in full-on halloween mode - listening to a halloween album non-stop, asking to watch “it’s the great pumpkin, charlie brown” again and again, and spotting each and every pumpkin on doorstops and grocery stores like it’s his job! which is all to say that the halloween/spooky vibe has never felt so spirited than before, and i’m going with it full throttle. i remember counting down the days until halloween, planning what my costume would be, and i can imagine that’s what amesy is feeling to a certain degree (as much as 3-year old can, of course). for a while there he wasn’t understanding what a costume was, and didn’t want to dress up. then, all of a sudden a couple of weeks ago, all amesy could talk about was wanting to “skooky punkin” (aka, spooky pumpkin). when i asked him what his baby brother should be, he said: a pumpkin. when asked what me and my husband should be, he said: pumpkins! suffice to say, ames is all about the pumpkins, so we’re rolling with that this year (even though i have a sneaking suspicion he’s really going to want to wear his dinosaur costume from last year…we shall see). in any event, i can’t wait to see how halloween unfolds for him - being witness to his enthusiasm for holidays, and life in general, is the greatest gift.

i’m trying (very slowly it seems) to keep up my end of the bargain and cook all things pumpkin, pumpkin spice, etc., etc. but with all the pumpkin everything recipes out there, i thought i would share an equally festive, but savory use of pumpkin, that is: the pumpkin seeds. today we’re making a vegan pumpkin seed-based pesto. we add a bit more seeds than a traditional pesto calls for as that’s where a lot of the full-bodied, nutty flavor comes from. the pumpkin seeds provide a lovely toasted essence and really creamy texture. we also add a mixture of basil and arugula (a combination i love), your typical garlic, lemon juice, and salt, too. i use here Thrive Algae Oil too. since olive oil is what’s typically used in pesto, and because it offers a distinct flavor, i wanted to see if algae oil would be just as good. turns out it is!! not only does the oil let the other flavors shine (algae oil is flavorless!), but it offers the pesto a kind of luscious texture that almost felt buttery, and i don’t have to sacrifice nutrition for better taste and consistency. thrive algae oil actually has more good fats and less bad fats than olive or any other oil, with 90% heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. needless to say, i will be reaching for it anytime i make pesto going forward, and i nudge you to as well! algae oil is widely available at grocery stores nationwide, and online as well.

*this post was created in partnership with Thrive Algae Oil. all thoughts and opinions are, as always, my own. thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep dolly and oatmeal going!

PUMPKIN SEED PESTO SPAGHETTI SQUASH BOWLS | V & GF

feel free to serve this pesto over spaghetti or any pasta of choice. alternatively, if you’re in a warmer climate, zucchini noodles would be wonderful as well. we generally like to add some protein to the mix here. i love a piece of roasted wild salmon, personally. but you could add ground or roasted chicken (or turkey), chicken sausage, chickpeas, or cooked lentils.

print the recipe!

| serve 2-4 |

1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise
Thrive Algae Oil spray
2 cups fresh basil, plus more for garnish
2 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
juice from 1/2 lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1 clove garlic, smashed
fine sea salt & freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup Thrive Algae Oil

method

preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
spray the cut sides of the spaghetti squash with oil, and place cut-side down on the baking sheet. cook for 40-50 minutes, until squash flesh is tender. remove from the oven and set aside.
while the squash is cooking, make the pesto. in a container of a food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade, combine the basil, arugula, toasted pumpkin seeds (reserve a few for later), lemon juice, garlic, a few big pinches of salt, and a couple grinds of pepper. with the motor running drizzle in the oil until everything comes together to form a fluid paste. taste and adjust, adding more salt, lemon juice, and/or oil. set aside.
once the squash has cooled enough to touch, use a fork to scrape the strands from each squash half. transfer strands to two bowls, and season with salt and pepper, give it a good toss. add a few tablespoons pesto to each bowl, garnish with chopped basil, and reserved pumpkin seeds. serve with protein of choice (optional), and enjoy warm.

similar recipes:

baked purple kale & spaghetti squash cakes

broken lasagna w/ vegan white pesto & broccoli rabe

PESTO, BALSAMIC & PEACH PIZZA W/ GARLIC-CASHEW CREAM (GLUTEN FREE) / August 29, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

we welcomed our little baby joey on august 15th. we couldn’t be more in love and smitten with him. even amesy is tolerating his cries, and endless diaper changes. he’s even been pretty good at sharing me with his baby brother. i plan to share a bit more about joey’s birth story. but needless to say, it’s been a wonderful, chaotic whirlwind. so, stay tuned!

let’s talk pizza. specifically this peach-y garlicky pizza that we’ve been making all summer long! this combination of ingredients was somewhat of a hodgepodge of things leftover in our fridge one saturday night/a medley of ingredients we frequently combine for salads and such. the first thing you need is a ripe juicy peach. i’ve tried this with a semi-ripe, not-too-sweet peach, and while tasty, it didn’t hit the right note (the sweet, juiciness is key here). but since it’s the height of peach season just about everywhere in the states, i doubt you’ll have trouble finding one. next, you need some really good aged balsamic. the watery grocery store variety probably won’t cut it in terms of the sweet, acidic drizzle we’re going for here. and lastly, a good pesto. if i’m not making my own, then a store bought version is just as good. for cheese, i go between a buffalo milk fresh mozzarella, or a vegan mozzarella that are both wonderful here (of course depending on your diet). and for the pizza crust, i always use my recipe for the best gluten free pizza dough, or, if i’ve run out, i use this frozen dough that is quite good as a backup.

this is our go-to friday night summer pizza pie and i only thought it my duty to share its deliciousness here with you before we say goodbye to summer vacation. i hope you get the chance to make it! happy end of august!

xoxo!

PESTO, BALSAMIC & PEACH PIZZA W/ GARLIC-CASHEW CREAM (GLUTEN FREE)

garlic-cashew cream | makes roughly 1 1/2 cups

2 small heads garlic
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup raw cashews, soaker for at 5 least 5 hours or overnight, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2-3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
salt & pepper

pizza | makes 1 pie/8slices

1 portion of this pizza dough (or pizza dough of choice, roughly 1/2 pound)
1/4-1/3 cup garlic-cashew cream (recipe above)
1 ripe peach, sliced
6-8 ounces mozzarella (if using fresh mozzarella about 2-3 small balls)
2 tablespoons pesto, homemade or store bought
1 cup baby arugula
extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
flaky sea salt
freshly ground pepper

method

make the garlic-cashew cream. preheat oven to 400°F. cut the tops of the garlic heads to expose cloves of garlic. place the garlic heads in foil and drizzle over the 2 teaspoons olive oil. fold up the foil to make a loose packet, and place in the oven. cook until knife tender, about 30-40 minutes. let cool.
in the container of an upright (preferably high-speed) blender, combine the cashews, roasted garlic cloves, almond milk, 1 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons vinegar, dijon, onion powder, a few fat pinches salt, and a couple grinds of pepper. blend on high, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until the garlic-cashew cream is smooth. taste and adjust, adding more vinegar, salt, and/or pepper if needed. use right away, or store in a resealable container in the fridge (garlic-cashew cream can stay in the fridge for up 1 week.)
make the pizza. place a pizza stone in your oven, and preheat to 500°F.
cut a large piece of parchment paper and place it on your countertop. place the dough in the center, and sprinkle with some brown rice flour. starting from the center, use your fingertips to spread the dough out into a large 10-11-inch circle or oval (the edges may crack a bit, and that's ok, just pinch the dough back together). use your dishtowel, and place it on top of the dough, letting it rise again, for roughly 30 minutes.
trim the parchment paper below your pizza dough, and discard. (if there's too much overhang it can quickly burn, we just need enough for the dough to sit on.)
use a pizza peel (or cookie sheet) to carefully slide your pizza dough (along with its' parchment) onto the pizza stone. par-bake the dough for 6-7 minutes. remove from oven, and use a spoon to spread the garlic cream evenly over top. then evenly spread the peaches over the garlic cream. place in the oven and bake for 5-6 minutes, until peaches have softened. add your cheese of choice, then add dollops of pesto. bake one last time, until cheese is melted and crust is crisp, about 6-8 minutes. remove from oven and top with arugula. drizzle with olive oil, the balsamic vinegar; sprinkle some flaky sea salt, and fresh pepper over top.
slice, and serve hot.