Maca Almond Butter & Sweet Potato Toast | dolly and oatmeal

i'm a bit sleep deprived here so i'm going to keep it short for today. amesy has been going through what our doctor and the internet have called the "4-month sleep regression" and before this past week i would have told you that there's way too much info out there, and that babies will be babies. but something has woken in him, LITERALLY! motherhood is definitely challenging me these days, and sometimes i feel completely inadequate at it while also trying to work full time. (and don't get me started on the whole hormone thing, that's been a beast.) being pulled to be present in two places at once has it's challenges, and the end result has me feeling like i'm not doing well in either category. so i'm making some changes around here to take some of the pressure off.

when i first started this space i drew so much inspiration from vegetables, fruits, food in general (and i still do). i love taking photos of the process of each recipe. i loved (and still love) styling food and props in beautiful ways, testing my skills behind the camera, and getting the shot that i foresaw in my head. the creative process behind recipe development, styling, executing, editing, and then putting the finished product here - i couldn't love my job any more! i knew having a baby, and wanting to raise him myself, would shift that process a little, but i've found that it completely changes the process. and so, for now, i don't foresee a lot of heavy styling, or a lot of process shots in my posts. i hope you all won't think they're too bland or boring, or be looking for something that i'm not able to give at this time. i keep hope that this new way of doing things will give way to another form of creating, one that i haven't yet explored. but in the meantime here's my go-to, hormone-aiding maca almond butter and a piece of toast. whenever i make homemade nut butter i like playing with the flavor a bit, whether it's a dash of cinnamon or some other spice, but i've been adding maca to everything for extra balance and energy boost. plus, the flavor of maca is really great. think somewhere in the realm of burnt, earthy caramel, but in powder form. i can't get enough.

so this toast. i made it the other week since seeing a version of it here. it's basically a piece of your favorite bread (or bagel), toasted, slathered with this all-star cream cheese, topped with cinnamon-roasted sweet potato chunks, drizzled with maca almond butter and honey, and topped with crunchy cacao nibs. it's the perfect crunchy/squishy, sweet/tangy, balance for a humble piece of toast. xo's

and if you haven't checked out these beautiful posts from across the web yesterday. it's a series of blog posts called, #immigrantfoodstories put together by kimberly hasselbrink . i couldn't get my stuff in order in time to participate, but please give these a read and check out the lovely recipes posted :)

Maca Almond Butter & Sweet Potato Toast

i used sprouted almonds here just because they're easier for me to digest, but un-sprouted will work here just fine. you could also experiment with another nut like walnuts or cashews.

| makes about 1 cup of maca almond butter |

3 cups raw almonds
1 tablespoon maca powder
a few pinches pink sea salt (or regular sea salt)

toast (makes extra sweet potatoes)

2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tablespoon unrefined extra-virgin coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 slice gluten free bread
dairy-free cream cheese (i use this one)
maca almond butter
runny honey or maple syrup, to taste
cacao nibs, to garnish

method

in a food processor fitted with a metal "s" blade, blend the almonds until smooth, about 7-8 minutes. add the maca and a few pinches of salt and blend once more until fully incorporated. store in a lidded jar in the refrigerator.
preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
in a medium sized bowl, toss together the potatoes, coconut oil, cinnamon, and salt. transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking sheet and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, turning them halfway through, until the edges are crisp and lightly browned. remove from the oven and set aside.
toast a slice of bread, spread a good amount of cream cheese over the bread, add about 1/3 cup sweet potatoes, drizzle on maca almond butter and honey, and top with cacao nibs.