vegan

PUMPKIN SPICE TAHINI (MUMMY) BALLS / October 15, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

PUMPKIN SPICE TAHINI (MUMMY) BALLS | dolly and oatmeal

Bare with me. we’re getting a teeny bit crafty today, all in the name of Halloween. Truth be told, I kind of like kids crafts, I think it’s the former preschool teacher in me. But now that ames is 4, and super into all things Halloween, I wanted to surprise him with the little mummy monster balls.

These are a riff on my chocolate chip cookie dough balls from a while ago. And while they’re just as delicious, we made a few swaps to make these a bit more festive for fall. I love tahini with cozy, autumn spices; so pairing it with pumpkin pie spice seemed almost necessary here - it’s so good, guys! We add a few layers of dark and white chocolate, then mummy eyeballs for good measure! I wanted to make these a little more wholesome in anticipation of all the sugar bombs in the near future, so these balls are full of healthy fats, free of dairy, gluten, grains, and refined sugar (minus the candy eyeballs, of course!). We’re using almond flour for the base. From there, we use a mixture of tahini, coconut oil, and maple syrup for texture, sweetness, and binding purposes. A few dashes of pumpkin spice and a couple pinches of salt. A quick chocolate shell, and some white chocolate mummy drizzles, and we’re good to go.

They’re a super quick and fun little project that requires zero baking! I got you ;)

pumpkin spice tahini (mummy) balls | gf & v

print the recipe!

notes:

if you don’t like/have tahini swap it for another nut butter - almond or cashew butter for a more neutral flavor, peanut or hazelnut butter for more of a distinct flavor.
don’t like/want pumpkin spice ball, swap for a different spice, or leave it out all together.
not in the festive mood, drop the eyeballs and cover your balls in your preference of dark or white chocolate. maybe garnish them with some toasted pumpkin seeds and a pinch flaky salt?

| makes 10 balls |

ingredients

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

dark chocolate shell

1 bar (3.2 ounces) dairy-free dark chocolate (preferably 70% cacao)
1-2 teaspoons coconut oil

white chocolate shell

1/2 cup dairy-free white chocolate chips
1-2 teaspoons coconut oil
20 edible candy eyes

method

line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
in a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, pumpkin spice, and salt. using a rubber spatula, mix in the oil, maple syrup, tahini, and vanilla. fold together until a dough forms.
scoop roughly 1.5 tablespoons worth of cookie dough, roll the dough between your palms to form a smooth, uniform ball; place on your prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.
freeze dough for at least 30 minutes.
while the dough balls are chilling in the freezer, make the dark chocolate and white chocolate shell. in a double boiler, melt the chocolate separately. remove from heat and stir in the coconut oil to thin it out a bit (if chocolate is too thick add more coconut oil 1/4 teaspoon at a time until it’s thick, but runs off the back of a spoon). let cool completely.
once the balls are solid, use two forks and gently dip the balls one at a time in the dark chocolate. place back on the parchment and repeat with remaining balls. freeze again for another 20-30 minutes, until chocolate is solid.
remove the balls, use a fork and drizzle the white chocolate over the the tops of the balls, making (rustic) horizontal lines. (you could also pour the melted white chocolate in a small ziploc bag, and snip the corner to make a piping bag.). plop 2 eyes on top, and gently press them down. go over the balls once again with the white chocolate drizzle, making the lines more visible.
pop the balls back in the freezer for another hour to freeze through. remove and store the mummy balls in an airtight container in the fridge. balls can stay for up to 1 week.

NUTTY CARDAMOM COCOA GRANOLA / October 8, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

NUTTY CARDAMOM COCOA GRANOLA | dolly and oatmeal

cozy granola season has arrived! as soon as september/october roll around i’m usually making a few batches, while also making some equally cozy nut milks. it always feels like the right move to gently ease into fall.

today we’re making this cardamom-spiced cocoa granola. it’s crunchy and nutty, and chocolate-y, with a subtle spice that makes your kitchen smell like autumn. we start by making the chocolate mixture - combining coconut oil, maple syrup, and cacao powder over a low heat to get everything nice and smooth. then we toss a variety of nuts and seeds (please feel free to sub in what you have/like), and cacao nibs together. everything gets mixed together and covered in the chocolate sauce. from there it gets a little bake time in the oven. when it’s done cooking, we pan-toast the coconut, and combine everything. (coconut side note - i don’t know about you, but i love coconut flakes/shreds in granola. but when i combine it with the granola, it usually gets too burnt in the oven for my liking. this is why i’m adding the extra step to toast it in a pan.)

it’s a perfect breakfast, smoothie topper, yogurt garnish, or snack eaten right out of the jar. i hope you love this little recipe :)

nutty cardamom cocoa granola | gf & v

print the recipe!

| makes about 3 cups |

notes: you could of course use whatever nuts and seeds you have on-hand. if you don’t have cacao nibs, replace then 1:1 with something else - more nuts or seeds, or even chocolate chips if you wanna get crazy ;)

ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 cups mixed raw chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, etc.)
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup cacao nibs
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut flakes

method

preheat oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
in a small saucepan over low heat, melt the coconut oil. remove from heat, and whisk in the maple syrup and cacao powder until smooth. then whisk in the vanilla and salt.
in a large bowl, mix together the chopped nuts, seeds, cacao nibs, and spices. pour in the chocolate mixture, and use a rubber spatula to combine until everything is evenly coated.
spread the granola evenly into your prepared baking sheet. bake in the center of your oven for 30-35 minutes, stirring halfway through for even baking, until fragrant and nuts are toasted. remove from oven and let cool.
while the granola is cooling, heat a pan over medium-low heat. once hot, add the coconut and toast, shaking the pan every now and then for even toasting. add the toasted coconut to the granola, and toss together.
once cool, store in a lidded jar for up to 7-9 days at room temperature.

similar recipes:

HARISSA HUMMUS / August 28, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

closing out august with one of my very favorite things: hummus. this time around we’re adding a healthy dose of fiery harissa paste. harissa varies widely, but it’s a spicy-smoky aromatic chile paste. typically harissa is made from a blend of fresh or dried chiles, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice; and spices such as: caraway, cumin, and coriander. it’s bright and a bit fiery, and just a little adds so much to such an array of meals.

this harissa hummus was inspired by one of mine and frank’s favorite spots we would frequent often in brooklyn: sahadi’s. we would go there almost every weekend to pick up their spicy hummus, mujedara, and some grocery items. but that hummus, guys. it was the highlight to the weekend. we would bring it to our local park, louis valentino on a breezy summer night and watch the sun set behind the statue of liberty. so while i can’t replicate that park or the view we once had, but i can make a hummus that comes pretty close to sahadi’s spicy hummus.

we essentially start by making a batch of my sunflower seed hummus (you can use a typical chickpea-based hummus recipe if that’s what you prefer). from there, we simply add a few teaspoons of harissa paste (this is my favorite), and blend it all up. it gives the hummus a beautiful muted orange color that i like to jazz up with toppings. i usually go with chopped herbs, toasted sesame seeds, harissa oil, and a good couple pinches of flaky salt. serve it up with some gluten-free pita bread and you’ll be one happy camper. ❤️

big end-of-summer hugs!

harissa hummus | gf & v

print the recipe

| makes roughly 1 1/2 cups |

this hummus recipe uses sunflower seeds. however, if you can tolerate beans/legumes you can use this classic recipe, or this mung bean recipe and add the amount of harissa pasta indicated below.
i like serving this with warm gluten-free pita bread, but cool crisp veggies are just as good, too :)
as for harissa paste, you can certainly make your own. but if you want to purchase it, i highly suggest ny shuk, it’s the best. you can also find a good one on the east side of LA at cookbook in echo park.

ingredients

1 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked for at least 3 hours, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup tahini
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2-3 teaspoons harissa paste
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
freshly cracked pepper
1/3 -1/2 cup water, to thin

toppings (optional):

chopped dill
toasted sesame seeds
harissa oil*
flaky sea salt

method

add the sunflower seeds, tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons harissa, garlic, salt, a few cracks of pepper, and 1/3 cup water to the container of a high-speed blender (preferably a vitamix). whiz everything together on high, scraping down the sides of the blender as you go. add more water as needed to get everything blended and smooth, making sure the hummus is uniform in color.
once it's blended to your desired consistency (i tend to like it a bit on the fluffy, silkier side), taste and adjust the lemon juice, harissa, and salt if needed.
spoon the hummus into a bowl. top with a few sprigs of dill, toasted sesame seeds, harissa oil, and flaky salt, if you’re not eating it right away, scrape the hummus into an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. take out of the refrigerator 1 hour before serving so it’s not too cold.

*harissa oil: