vegan

SPINACH & ZESTY ALMOND RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS / February 25, 2021 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

SPINACH ALMOND RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS | dolly and oatmeal

we’ve made it in one piece to our new home here in the valley. settling in one day at a time, and so grateful for this opportunity to start a new chapter. ames and joey love the “new house” as ames has dubbed it, and it seems as though they’re really enjoying living in a house and having a backyard for the first time. i can already see them being a lot more independent, which is both terrifying and such a welcome.

on to our recipe, though! i made these stuffed shells for a special christmas dinner a few months back and we all loved them. so, for our last night in our apartment i made them again. they’re simple and straight to point - cheesy, pasta-y carbs that provide all the nostalgic, cozy/home-y feelings.

it’s really a simple meal with just a few components that get assembled to put everything together. we begin by sautéing spinach in some olive oil, we throw some salt and pepper in to season it a bit. then we make our filling with almond ricotta (i call for store bought, but i also linked to a recipe in the notes if you want/prefer to make your own). we add a few pantry ingredients, some plant-based mozzarella shreds, and our lemon zest! i love how the zest completely brightens these shells and takes the flavor to a new, yet familiar place. in goes the sautéed spinach and we now have our filling! we cook the shells until al dente, and run them under cold water. then we pipe the filling into the shells, smother them in your favorite marinara sauce, and toss them in the oven for about 30 minutes until everything is nice and hot. plus, these are really good for leftovers, they actually gave us about 2 nights worth of leftovers which was amazing after the move!

i just want to note - these shells are what i call a “special meal”, for many, this recipe might not be ideal as a weekly rotation, simply because many of the ingredients i call for are on the pricey side and/or have to be purchased online. however, if you can swing those kinds of purchases, then go for it!

spinach & zesty almond ricotta stuffed shells | gf & v

| serves 4-6 |

print the recipe

notes:

although i call for store bought almond ricotta, it is pretty pricey (unfortunately). if you’re not wanting to spend money on it, but still want to make this recipe, i suggest using laura’s recipe for her almond ricotta.
similarly, the plant-based mozzarella shreds i call for are also on the pricier side. if you have a preferred brand that’s less expensive, by all means use it. you could also leave the mozzarella out altogether and just add a bit more nutritional yeast and salt to the filling.
the only gluten-free jumbo pasta shells that i’m aware of are made by tinkyada. however, they are not readily found at many grocery stores, so you may have to purchase them online.

ingredients

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 ounces fresh spinach, roughly chopped
fine salt & freshly ground pepper
1 8-ounce box tinkyada jumbo pasta shells
16 ounces kite hill almond ricotta (or see notes above)
1 1/2 cups parmela creamery mozzarella shreds
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 small cloves garlic, grated over a microplane
zest from 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
24 ounces marinara sauce
1/4 cup chopped parsley

method

preheat oven to 350°F.
in a saute pan, heat the olive over medium heat. once hot add the spinach, and season with salt and pepper. cook until spinach is bright green and wilted, about 1 minute. use tongs and remove spinach; place in a bowl and set aside.
make the filling. in a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella shreds, basil, nutritional yeast, grated garlic, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. give it a taste and adjust any seasonings - adding more nutritional yeast, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt and/or pepper. stir in the spinach and mix until evenly distributed. set aside.
cook the shells in a large pot of boiling salted water. stir occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes. drain the shells, and run under cold water to stop them from cooking. set aside.
cover the bottom of a 13x9” baking pan with about 1 cup of sauce.
spoon the filling into a piping bag, or a resealable bag with the corner snipped. pipe the filling into each shell and arrange in a single layer in your sauce covered pan. cover the tops and sides of the shells with more marinara sauce.
cover the pan tightly with foil and cook for 20 minutes, remove foil, and cook for another 10 minutes.
serve warm with chopped parsley.

similar recipes:

crusty baked vegan alfredo w/ caramelized shallots & kale

broken lasagna w/ vegan white pesto & broccoli rabe

“cheesy” butternut & spinach baked shells

SPICY PESTO & BROCCOLI QUINOA BOWL W/ GARLIC BREAD CROUTONS (GF & V) / January 21, 2021 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

SPICY PESTO & BROCCOLI QUINOA BOWL W/ GARLIC BREAD CROUTONS (GF & V) | dolly and oatmeal

happy 2021, friends :) it feels like a new day. lots of unknowns, and i’m sure future struggles, but today i breath a sigh of relief, and hopefully you do as well.

there’s not much of a good segue way here, so were just going to talk about how good this bowl is!

i know quinoa and broccoli is nothing to really get excited about. that is until you make a super punchy pesto vinaigrette and then mix in a good amount of hot sauce to spice things up a bit. then there’s homemade garlic bread croutons - they’re crunchy and buttery (thank you miyoko’s vegan cultured butter) and garlicky and salty, and really the all-star in this dish. we add some toasted pine nuts which are never a bad idea, and wispy shreds of red onion to add some crunch and flavor.

i really love making component bowls like this because each thing can be made ahead and can stay in the fridge for a couple days, and then assembled the day of. another thing i lean on here is prepared vegan pesto. it’s something i always keep in my fridge ready to throw on pasta, in bowls, pizza, etc., and it just makes preparing this one step easier.

and the last thing i love about this bowl is the leftovers. i especially love making something that can be at the ready for lunch during the week, and this one does just that (you could even double the recipe if you want more). here’s to bowl food, and one’s that leave us with leftovers!

big love, xo

spicy pesto & broccoli quinoa bowl w/ garlic bread croutons | gf & v

| serves 4 as a side |

print the recipe

notes:

to speed things up a bit, i call for prepared pesto for the vinaigrette (gotham greens and gigi’s are both great options), but of course you could make your own ( here’s a favorite recipe from a few years ago).
white quinoa is called for but feel free to use what you have on hand.
lastly, everything can be prepared/made ahead of time and assembled when. needed. simply store each component seperately in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the bowl.

ingredients

spicy pesto vinaigrette

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons dairy-free pesto
1-2 tablespoons gluten-free & vegan hot sauce (i like using this one)
salt and pepper, to taste

salad

1/2 cup white quinoa, rinsed
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1/4 small red onion
1/4 cup pine nuts

garlic bread croutons

1 cup stale gluten-free & vegan bread pieces
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 small clove garlic, shaved over a microplane or minced
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

method

make the vinaigrette. whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice until combined. add 2 tablespoons of the prepared pesto, and 1 tablespoon hot sauce. season with salt. and pepper. whisk and taste, adding more pesto, hot sauce, or salt, if needed. set aside.
make the salad. cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. once cooked, set aside and let cool.
while the quinoa is cooking, cook your broccoli. steam broccoli until tender, about 3 minutes. set aside and let cool.
using a mandolin (or a sharp knife), shave the red onion into very thin half moons, and set aside.
heat a pan over medium. once hot, toast pine nuts, shaking the pan every few seconds to toast evenly. remove the nuts from the pan and let them cool completely.
make the croutons. preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. place the torn bread onto your prepared baking sheet. melt the butter with the garlic over medium-low heat until the butter is melted. remove and pour over the bread pieces. season with salt and pepper, and toss everything together. place in the oven and cook until the bread is toasted, about 10-12 minutes. remove from oven and toss together with the parsley. let cool.
assemble the salad. in a large serving bowl, combine the quinoa, broccoli, and red onion. drizzle over half the dressing and toss. taste and add more dressing as needed. top with toasted pine nuts and garlic bread croutons, and serve

similar recipes:

creamy broccoli chop w/ asian pears & toasted almonds

pantry-friendly: creamy white bean, broccoli & tahini soup

spicy broccoli bowl w/ creamy ginger lentils

CHOCOLATE SESAME THUMBPRINTS W/ MAPLE-TAHINI CARAMEL / December 10, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

CHOCOLATE SESAME THUMBPRINTS W/ MAPLE-TAHINI CARAMEL | dolly and oatmeal

no doubt this holiday season will look and feel quite different. we’re all making sacrifices in order to keep our loved ones and even complete strangers healthy. but that doesn’t mean we are forgoing cookie season. as strange as this season will likely feel, i’m determined to make the most of it with my kids. the other week we made sufganiyot for this upcoming weekend’s hanukkah celebration. but i’m already thinking ahead to christmas cookies, because even as much as ames loves a doughnut, he loves a cookie even more.

last year he was still a bit too young to really bake with. but this year i’m putting him to work, starting with these chocolate sesame thumbprints with maple-tahini caramel 😊. they’re quite an easy cookie to make, and only call for a handful of ingredients. they also happen to be gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, and refined sugar free. basically a cookie free of lots of things - but one that doesn’t lack one bit in over-the-top, christmas cookie decadence!

we start by making the maple-tahini caramel, our 4-ingredient (and oh so easy) star of the show. we cook the maple syrup down slightly, remove it from the heat; whisk in the tahini, vanilla, and salt. we let it cool, and then move on to the cookies!

we sift together our dry ingredients, and then separately our wet ones. everything gets folded together to make our dough. like with any thumbprint cookie, we pinch off small pieces of dough, roll them between our palms, and roll them in our toasted sesame seeds (we toast them ahead of time for optimal flavor). we flatten them slightly, make indentations with our thumb, and then bake them off for roughly 12 minutes. they cool, get filled with our maple-tahini caramel, and then topped with a healthy pinch of flaky salt.

while they may not be the typical jammy thumbprint, you will be quite the happy camper with these. they’re full of chocolatey, toasted sesame flavor, with even more sweet, toasty notes from our caramel. truly delicious, i can’t wait for you to make them!

chocolate sesame thumbprint cookies w/ maple-tahini caramel | gf & v

PRINT THE RECIPE!

| makes 18 cookies |

cookie ingredients

2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
maple-tahini caramel sauce
flaky salt, for topping

maple-tahini caramel (makes extra)

1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

method

preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
in a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cacao, and salt - break up any bit of almond flour with your fingers.
in another large bowl whisk together the maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. add the wet ingredients to the dry until combined.
place your toasted sesame seeds in a large shallow bowl. pinch off a tablespoon amount of dough and roll between your palms to form a smooth ball. roll the cookie in the sesame seeds until its covered in seeds. place on your cookie sheet, and repeat with remaining dough, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
use the bottom of a jar or glass, and gently press the cookies down to form little disks (don’t press down too much, you’re looking to have roughly 1/2-inch thickness). gently make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until fragrant, and edges are toasted. remove and let cool completely.
once cookies are cool, plop roughly 1/4 teaspoon of the tahini caramel into your indentations. top with flaky salt, and eat!
cookies can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

tahini caramel:

in a small heavy bottomed pot, heat the maple syrup over medium heat until it starts boiling. adjust the heat to maintain a steady boil, but not so much that the maple syrup boils over, medium-low should be sufficient. continue to cook the maple syrup until it’s reduced by about half, roughly 4-5 minutes.
remove from heat and whisk in the tahini, vanilla, and salt. pour the caramel into a jar and let cool. once cool, fasten the lid on and store at room temp for up to 3 days.