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ZA'ATAR GARLIC KNOTS (GLUTEN-FREE & VEGAN) by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


hi! it’s been a minute!

sorry for the unintentional break from this space, but i have been completely consumed with a little 6 month old (!!!). right around christmas joey went through the “4-month sleep regression”, which lasted a good 2 months. frank and i were sleep deprived on a daily basis, and we thought we could power through. but it got to the point where we were actually putting ourselves, our babies, and the rest of LA in danger. so we buckled up and did some sleep training a few weeks ago. i’m happy to report we’re all getting more sleep, joey’s in a crib (no longer the bassinet), and we’re functioning on all 4 cylinders (most of the time).

anywho, sleep aside. let’s talk about these garlic knots! they’re a riff off of my gluten-free and vegan pizza dough recipe, but with an extra rise, and a bit more time to shape them. aside from that, they bake up quick, are delicious reheated, and have that airy/doughy texture that takes me right back to my childhood. while you can certainly make these plain (without the za’atar), i love the subtle kick of the herb and seed mix here. i usually make these in lieu of pizza and serve them alongside zucchini noodles (sometimes with this sauce), or as a super flavorful addition to any soup you’re serving. you totally just each them plain, too. you really can’t go wrong.



za’atar garlic knots | gf & v

| makes roughly 20 knots |

dough

  • 1 1/2 cups water, warmed to 110°-115°F

  • 1 teaspoon cane sugar

  • 1 packet instant yeast (roughly 2 1/4 teaspoons)

  • 1 tablespoon pysillium husk powder

  • 2 cup fine brown rice flour

  • 1 cup arrowroot powder

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 egg whisked or 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk, for

za’atar garlic topping

  • 3 tablespoons vegan butter (i use miyokos’)

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced on a handheld grater

  • 3-4 tablespoons za’atar



method

  1. preheat your oven to its lowest temperature. as soon as it's preheated turn the oven off.

  2. in a wide, shallow bowl, stir the warmed water with the sugar until it dissolves. sprinkle your yeast over top, let it sit for a couple minutes. once you know it’s active, whisk in the physillium husk powder. let it sit for 5-7 minutes, until the mixture is a bit gel-like.

  3. in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, arrowroot, and salt. make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and add the yeast mixture, and the olive oil. use a rubber spatula to incorporate the flour into the wet mixture until a dough starts to form. set the spatula aside and use your hands to knead the dough until it comes together in a smooth dough. transfer dough to an oiled bowl, and pat the top and sides of the dough with oil. cover with a clean dish towel. at this point your oven should be warm, if it feels too hot, vent it a bit, opening the oven door for a few minutes. place the covered dough in the warm oven for about 45 minutes - 1 hour, until it has puffed up and nearly doubled in size.

  4. portion the dough into 2 even pieces, then cut each half into 8 even pieces.

  5. dust a clean work space with flour. use your hands to roll each piece of dough into a long snake, about 8-9 inches long. gently tie each piece into a knot, and place on floured baking sheet. cover with a clean dish towel and place in a warm, draft-free area until they’ve puffed up, about 1 hour.

  6. preheat your oven to 400°F.

  7. brush the tops and sides of the garlic knots with the egg wash or milk, bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, until a bit golden and crisp.

  8. while the knots are baking, make the za’atar garlic topping. add the butter and garlic to a small saucepan, and cook over low heat swishing the pan every now and them. cook until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes. remove from heat.

  9. brush the tops and sides of the cooked knots with the garlic butter, then sprinkle on the za’atar and some flaky sea salt. serve warm.


similar recipes:


za’atar spiced chickpea crackers

za’atar spiced chickpea crackers

za’atar pesto

za’atar pesto

stuffed za’atar roasted acorn squash

stuffed za’atar roasted acorn squash

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.



9 (GLUTEN-FREE & VEGAN) POTATO RECIPES FOR YOUR HOLIDAY TABLE by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

coming in at the last minute with some of my favorite back pocket potato recipes that are perfect for your thanksgiving table. and instead of the ubiquitous mashed potato recipe, we’ve got roasted, smashed, garlicky, salty, creamy, accordion-style; and my favorite: a vegan potato and shallot gratin! you kind of can’t go wrong with any of these, and the best part is they’re all gluten-free and vegan. so no worries when you have a guest with a specific dietary restriction. i hope these bring you some last minute inspiration.

wishing you all a most wonderful thanksgiving ❤️

PEREFECTLY ROASTED POTATOES, EVERYTIME

this is my go-to roasted potato technique each and every time. it’s a no-fail kind of deal that’s perfect for any kind of occasion - whether that’s a typical weeknight dinner, or a holiday feast. you can dress them up as you like, or leave them as is and finish with some flaky sea salt. i personally love a traditional tuscan-style seasoning.

CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES W/ GARLICKY-YOGURT VINAIGRETTE & PICKLED RED ONIONS

you can never go wrong with smashed potatoes - velvety, fluffy insides, and crisp, golden exterior. add an almost drinkable garlicky-yogurt vinaigrette and you’re good to go. while this takes a couple extra steps, each one is intentional and takes this dish up a notch. crowd-pleaser for sure.

WARM FINGERLING POTATOES W/ GARLIC-TURMERIC SAUCE

a site-favorite for years. this warm potato dish with a creamy turmeric-garlic sauce is classic through and through. it’s what we call a “flavor bomb”. earthy turmeric, mixed with some pungent minced garlic, creamy yogurt, and nutty tahini paste. easy to put together, and visually pleasing for your holiday table.

SALTY SMASHED POTATOES W/ HARISSA YOGURT

more smashed potatoes, because one recipe isn’t enough! this one is a little lighter on the ingredient list, but no less flavorful. again, we par-boil, smash, oil, bake, and let the potatoes get nice and crispy. we serve it with a spicy, yet cooling yogurt dipping sauce, and it makes the most delicious little dish.

HASSELBACK POTATO & SHALLOT GRATIN

this is mother os all holiday potato dishes, and therefore it deserves a little more time to put it together. if you have a mandolin you’re going to want to bust it out, because we’re slicing almost a dozen potatoes, and about a half dozen of shallots. the cheesy sauce relies on cashews and store-bought vegan mozzarella, and it bakes up perfectly browned and creamy, your guests will never know they’re not eating dairy.

TWICE-BAKED SWEET POTATOES W/ PUMPKIN SEED DUKKAH

a slightly healthier version of your dairy/cream-laden twice baked potatoes, this recipe uses garnet yams (sweet potatoes), and vegan cream cheese and butter. the dukkah on top though is the icing on the cake, and offers what is already a delicious potato dish, even more flavor. plus, i love these because they’re an easy make-ahead dish that just needs to be warmed the day of.

ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES W/ ROMESCO SAUCE & HERBY BLACK QUINOA

i love a perfectly rounded dish, and this one is just that. warm roasted potatoes, freshly cooked quinoa, and a creamy romesco sauce. not a typical thanksgiving dish, but one that will certainly please the folks around your table.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO WEDGES W/ GREEN YOGURT DIP

now that i have children (one of them being a picky toddler), i’m always thinking of options that are kid-friendly. this one surely checks that box. at our house we call these wedges “big orange fries”, and i serve them with some sort dipping sauce, in this case a green yogurt (hidden with all sorts of leafy greens). it’s the kind of side that pleases kids and adults alike - win, win.



GARLICKY ACCORDIAN POTATOES

this is one of the oldest dishes on my site (we’re talking 2013, here!), and it still stands the test of time. if you’re a garlic lover, this one’s for you (and if you’re not, you could easily substitute the garlic with sliced shallots). i also love accordion potatoes because they’re visually pleasing and sure to impress whoever you serve them to. i use sweet potatoes here, but feel free to use your preferred spud :)