raw buckwheat green smoothie jars / February 17, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

raw buckwheat green smoothie jars | dolly and oatmeal

so, i've given up caffeine and any alcohol for the time being. you know when you get into patterns and rhythms that you're not at all present in? like the couple glasses of wine that make me feel crappy in the morning, and my morning coffee ritual that leaves my heart racing and generally dizzy. that's basically what i had been feeling for the past few months, and so i resolved to make a change this year and hopefully gain a new perspective. i'm very much a creature of habit and routine, so replacing some of my go-to libations has taken some navigating. making drinks fun, exciting, vibrant, and perhaps healthy has been my ultimate goal. you may have noticed the amount of sipping-inspired recipes i've shared lately: there was this probiotic fresca, last week's hot chocolate with all the high vibes; and this week's recipe: a hearty, raw buckwheat green smoothie jar that's packed and convenient enough for a portable breakfast, or post-workout meal.

but before i get into all the awesome stuff loaded into this jar, i'm super excited to tell you about the year-long partnership with naked juice! i'm really delighted to bring you all the vitamins-in-liquid-form recipes throughout the coming year!

kale blazer is one of their new juices, and it's been the lazy side of my brain's best friend. on days when i don't have fresh greens in my fridge, or the days i'm way too lazy to even wash greens (#reallifetalk), i add kale blazer to make up for the liquid and greens portion of my smoothie/juice, and it's fantastic since it mostly contains kale and spinach. between breakfast and lunch i always, always have to munch on a snack - it's what makes the difference between chill me, and hangry me. but on days that i do an intense workout or (for some inexplicable reason) am hungrier than i normally am, i add in some soaked, raw buckwheat, or if i'm in a pinch raw oats, just to fill the smoothie out a bit and add a smooth, creamy texture. the banana and almond butter here add more creamy texture, some sweetness, and a bit of healthy fat. while the chia and hemp seeds offer mega plant-y protein ;)

hugs + green love, xo!

this post was created in partnership with Naked Juice. all opinions are my own. thank you for supporting the businesses that help keep dolly and oatmeal going!

raw buckwheat green smoothie jars

feel free to swap the almond butter for another nut butter (however, i'm not sure peanut butter would be the best here), and like i mentioned raw oats or soaked oats can be subbed for the raw buckwheat groats. chlorella just adds a vibrant color and good amount of nutrients: chlorophyll, amino acids, iron, calcium, etc., but isn't totally essential to the flavor of the smoothie if you don't have it on hand.

| serves 1-2 |

1/2 cup buckwheat groats, soaked overnight
1 cup Naked Kale Blazer
1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
2 teaspoons chia seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons chlorella
1 teaspoon maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
ice (optional)

toppings:

sliced mango (shown)
passion fruit (shown)
bee pollen (shown)
toasted buckwheat groats
toasted coconut chips
extra chia and/or hemp seeds

method

soak the buckwheat overnight, the next morning drain and rinse thoroughly. to a high speed blender, add the soaked groats, kale blazer, banana, almond butter, hemp seeds, chia seeds, chlorella, maple syrup, and a couple pieces of ice (if using). blend on high for 1 minute, until buckwheat is broken down and smoothie is light green, creamy, and frothy.
divide between 1-2 jars (depending on size) or 2 glasses/bowls. top with mango, passion fruit seeds, and bee pollen.

enjoy!

similar beverages

vibrant valentine's part II: almond chia seed hot chocolate / February 11, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

vibrant valentine's part II: almond chia seed hot chocolate | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

while i love a good reason to eat the not-so-good things for you, i generally prefer to keep things clean. i can confidently say, however, that if certain foods didn't affect me in such negative ways, i would totally find it a lot harder from staying away from them. but in the spirit of health/well being/taking care, i decided to change the pace a bit for a ordinarily over-indulgent valentine's holiday. last year i started the tradition with this dish, and so this year i'm continuing the notion of a vibrant and wholesome valentine's day with a souped-up hot chocolate!

i've been adding additional nutrients into my diet: flax oil, chia seeds, chlorella, spirulina, hemp seeds, basically all those fundamental super foods. i try sneaking a higher ratio of leafy greens and chlorella into daily smoothies, and green juices. more flax oil and hemp seeds into salad dressings, and sometimes sauces. so a while back when laura mentioned that adding coconut oil to warm vegan beverages delivers some major froth (!), i started adding a good dose of flax oil to coffee blends, tea lattes, and hot chocolates. but to make this hot chocolate more lush, and deserving of a valentine's goody, i added just enough ground chia seeds to give it a dense, velvety texture without that thick gloppy consistency that adding too many chia seeds could definitely offer. adding almond butter and almond extract just give it another flavor element that i really enjoy, and makes mathematical sense in my mind - almonds + chocolate = bliss.

wishing you all love in whatever form and scope that comes in, xo <3

vibrant valentine's part II: almond chia seed hot chocolate

almond chia seed hot chocolate | vegan

i love using almond butter here, but you can certainly substitute it for any nut or seed butter - hazelnut butter, peanut butter, or tahini (sesame butter). there are so many different flavor profiles to go with. the portion below serves two, but if you're wanting a single serve just halve the ingredient list below.

| serves 2 |

4 teaspoons chia seeds
3 tablespoons raw cacao powder
1 cup water
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons almond butter
2 teaspoons flax oil
pinch of salt

method

using a spice grinder (or coffee grinder) set on a fine powder, grind the chia seeds and set aside.
in small pot whisk together the cacao powder, water, and milk; once it's mixed, whisk in the maple syrup and almond extract. turn heat to medium and continue whisking until the mixture is steaming and hot, then add the powdered chia seeds. whisk occasionally until the mixture has thickened up a bit, about 5 minutes.
carefully add the hot chocolate mixture to a blender along with the almond butter, and flax oil, blend on high for 30-45 seconds, until frothy.
divide the almond hot chocolate between 2 large mugs and dust with extra cacao powder.

enjoy!

more festive recipes:

valentine cakes w/ blood orange cream filling

pink quinoa salad w/ beets, blood orange + chimichurri

black beluga lentil hummus w/ roasted fennel + garlic / February 4, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Black beluga lentil hummus w/ roasted fennel + garlic | dolly and oatmeal

me and frank generally wake up super early - he likes to get the gym before it turns into a madhouse, and i basically like to get up with the stars, the earlier the better, most times. i'm not a big gym person, something about the fluorescent lights, music blaring, metal machines, and various personalities makes me want to scratch my eyes out first thing in the morning. but this also could have to do with the fact that i'm also very much a me person; i like alone time, personal space, and proper chill time all by my lonesome. so, my early mornings are centered around my yoga mat, our bedroom window, the morning stars, and the first bits of light that appear on the horizon.

because frank is the most easy going, go-with-the-flow dude i've ever known, we tend to do things that i want to do or that i like. the only things he gets super opinionated about are the movies we go see and in what format, and technology in general. almost everything else is up for grabs. so usually the conversations surrounding most weekends are: me: whatcha wanna to do this weekend? frank: whatever you want to do, babe. and mostly it's me mentioning some restaurant, or park i want to check out, or driving upstate to see trees. so when he told me, somewhat adamantly, that his home state's football team, the panthers, made it to the super bowl this year, and that he wanted to watch it, i was like, YESSS! yes, i would love watch it with you because you're the best, most patient soul there ever was! and i'm going to make you some hummus, too!

where do i even start with hummus? it's basically a food group in our house. i usually cook up some chickpeas, mung beans, etc., freeze half the portion and make hummus with the remaining bit so that i have easy access to preparing it later on. while i love chickpea hummus, it hasn't been loving me back lately - no matter how much i soak them for or how much baking soda i add. so, heidi's mung bean hummus is my go-to since they're a lot more digestible. but a few weeks ago i had some leftover black lentils, a hankering for hummus, and an empty freezer with zero frozen beans/legumes! in went the lentils. i was surprised by how tasty and creamy they became when blended up with usual hummus suspects. it made me want to try it with some other flavors to jazz it up. i love fennel, especially when it's roasted - that caramelization is just so good. and even better when providing some elemental flavor to this solid hummus. :)

winter xo's and.... go panthers!!!

black beluga lentil hummus w/ roasted fennel + garlic | v + gf

if you don't have black lentils on hand, i imagine that any lentil would prove to work just as well here (red lentils might have a thicker and creamier outcome), or feel free to use chickpeas, or another bean of choice.

| serves 4-6 |

1/2 cup black beluga lentils, soaked and rinsed
1 large fennel bulb, fronds reserved
4 cloves garlic, skins on
1 tablespoon olive oil, more for serving
salt + fresh pepper
1/2 cup tahini paste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2-3/4 cup water

toppings:

crispy lentils
fennel fronds
chopped parsley
olive oil
flaky sea salt

method

preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
place the drained lentils in a small saucepan, and cover them with about 2 inches of water. place over high heat, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer; cook for 15-20 minutes, until tender. remove the lentils from the stovetop and drain off any remaining water, set aside and allow to cool.
cut the fennel in half, then in fourths; cut core through the bottom and discard. slice the 4 pieces in half. place the fennel pieces and garlic cloves on the parchment, drizzle the oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper; use the paper to toss it all together. roast until edges of the fennel are sufficiently caramelized and garlic is tender, about 25-3o minutes. once cool, peel the skins from the garlic, discard, and set aside.
in an upright blender or food processor, add the lentils (reserve a handful for serving), fennel, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few cracks pepper. blend a bit, then add the water and blend on high until for about 1 minute, until the hummus is smooth and creamy. refrigerate for at least 2 hours, then serve with crackers, bread, vegetable spears, or whatever you prefer.

enjoy!