fall

BAKED KABOCHA SQUASH CHIPS /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

since there’s so many thanksgiving recipes already out there, i thought i’d come in here with something festive, yet a little lighter. personally, with 2 little ones and not much time to cook, we’re planning to order our holiday sides from a local shop (frank and i are making a turkey - it’s become our yearly thing). so i thought i’d share this super easy recipe for homemade winter squash chips!

not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they taste so good. they definitely bring me back to my Terra chip days - a bit heartier than a potato chip, and a smidge on the sweet side. because they can be a bit time consuming (and by time consuming, i mean you’re mostly just babysitting while they bake in the oven), i like to serve them with other dippers - potato chips, crackers, cut veg, etc. they bring a super festive vibe to the appetizer table, too, which i especially love this time of year :)

baked kabocha squash chips | gf & v

print the recipe!

notes:

  • if you don’t have/can’t find kabocha squash, acorn squash is a great alternative.

  • i like to serve these chips alongside other favorite dippers - potato chips, crackers, cut veg, etc.

  • go wild with seasonings. i went plain, but you could use anything here - get creative!

  • serve this with your favorite dip - hummus (my favorite), vegan onion dip, whipped tahini, or vegan labneh.

  • these are best eaten the day they are made, but will stay fresh in a sealed bag for up to 2 days.

ingredients

  • 1/2 kabocha squash, cut in half and seeds scooped

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

  • fresh ground pepper, to taste

  • flaky salt, to finish

method

  1. preheat oven to 250°F, line 2 baking sheet with parchment or a silpat, and set aside.

  2. use a mandolin to slice the squash super thin - about 1/16-inch. with your hands, toss squash slices with the olive oil, fine salt, and pepper to taste, until all slices are nicely coated (add more oil as needed, but be careful not to add too much). arrange the squash slices in a single layer on the baking sheets.

  3. bake the squash for 1 hour, rotating the sheets top to bottom, halfway through. after 1 hour flip the chips over and continue to bake them until they’re browned and crunchy, about 30-40 minutes.

  4. remove the chips as they bake and become crispy (some chips may take longer to crisp up), transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

  5. once all chips are baked and crunchy, serve with a good sprinkle of flaky salt, and a good dip (like hummus!).

similar recipes:

(bean-less) kabocha squash hummus

(bean-less) kabocha squash hummus

beet techina

beet techina

za’atar spiced chickpea crackers

za’atar spiced chickpea crackers

SHAVED BRUSSELS SPROUT VEGAN CAESAR SALAD /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

since i think we’re collectively stress-eating at this point before the election, i thought we could use something a bit wholesome? maybe?

cold-weather salads have the tendency to be a tiny controversial. but if you make them hearty enough, and use a generous amount of creamy dressing, you just might make yourself a cold-weather-salad-convert. this is how it happened for me at least.

today, we’re taking a classic caesar and making it a bit more cold-weather-friendly. instead of using traditional romaine lettuce, we’re using shaved brussels sprouts. it’s an extra step because we’re trimming, then shaving the sprouts, but trust when i tell you that it’s way worth it. they provide a lot of crunch (but not too much) and texture, but the shaved sprouts also stand up to being prepped ahead of time, and/or also being stored in the fridge for a few days. (this even packs up well if you need something to take in line while you wait to vote!) all big pluses in my book. from there, we add chunks of bright chunky apple bits, and some wispy red onions slices; then a generous drizzle of our homemade vegan caesar dressing. toss in some toasted walnuts, and then shave some over top for some faux parm, and you’re all set!

either way, wishing those in the states a successful day at the ballots, whether that’s voting early, or on election day!

shaved brussels sprout caesar salad | gf & v

print the recipe!

notes:

  • the brussels sprouts can be prepped up to 2 days before making the salad. simply shave them and store them raw in airtight container in the fridge.

| serves 4 |

ingredients

  • 1 lb. brussels sprouts, shredded on a mandolin (or with a sharp knife)

  • 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

  • juice from 1/2 small lemon

  • fine sea salt

  • 1 honeycrisp apple, cored and cut into small chunks

  • half small red onion, sliced thin

  • freshly ground pepper, to taste

  • 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped, plus more for garnish

method

  1. make your caesar dressing, and set aside.

  2. add the shredded brussels sprouts to a large bowl. drizzle over the olive oil; add the lemon juice, and a couple pinches of salt. toss everything together. add in the apple chunks, red onion, and a few cracks of pepper. drizzle about half the dressing over the salad, and toss to combine until everything is generously coated. give the salad a taste, add more salt and/or dressing if necessary, then toss in the chopped walnuts.

  3. transfer salad to a serving bowl. shave about 4-5 walnuts over a microplane to garnish (this is totally optional), and serve.

  4. leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days.

similar recipes:

vegan caesar pasta salad

vegan caesar pasta salad

brussels sprout, honeycrisp & cabbage slaw w/ spicy almond butter sauce

brussels sprout, honeycrisp & cabbage slaw w/ spicy almond butter sauce

PUMPKIN SPICE TAHINI (MUMMY) BALLS /  by Lindsey | 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

  1. line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. freeze dough for at least 30 minutes.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.