MAPLE-VANILLA CASHEW CREAM /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

we’re talking sauce this sunday, but one that’s creamy and sweet! weekday mornings have the tendency to be monotonous, and this cashew cream aims to jazz up those sometimes boring breakfasts into something that you look forward to. i can easily fall into the smoothie-every-morning routine, but i find that when i have this cream sitting in my fridge i’m more likely to prepare a breakfast that takes me out of the routine and starts my day in a fun, refreshing way. all we do here is soak the cashews for up to 5 hours (or overnight). then it’s a quick whiz in your blender with maple syrup, a couple teaspoons vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, a splash of vinegar (i know, sounds weird, but a little bit goes a long way in giving this cream a little punch), a pinch of salt, and some water to get everything nice and smooth.

when i make this sweet cashew cream, i find that my weekend prep is a bit breakfast-heavy. sometimes i’ll prep a big batch of steel cut oats to heat up for breakfast, or i’ll either buy or make a big batch of waffles or pancakes to defrost throughout the week. i also find that i tend to purchase more berries and stone fruit both to top said oats and waffles, but also for dipping into this cream! i have a recipe on this site (which has always been a popular recipe here) for my favorite steel cut oats with sauteed peaches, and the addition of the maple-vanilla cashew cream takes that creamy note to the next level! a little bit of prep to make breakfasts more desirable goes a long way (in my opinion). i’ve always found that it’s the little things like making a cream/sauce like this that start your days off a little brighter. i hope that you find this as well!

happy sunday, friends! xo!

maple-vanilla cashew cream | v

| makes roughly 1 1/2 cups |

print the recipe

method

  1. place drained cashews, water, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, vinegar, and salt in the container of an upright high-speed blender. blend o n high, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender, until the cream is completely smooth. taste and add more maple syrup if you want it sweeter, then blend again.

  2. use right away, or transfer the cream to lidded jar and store in your fridge for up to 1 week. the cream will thicken as it’s refrigerated, whisk in a bit of water, a little at a time, until pourable.

ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight (or at least for 5 hours), drained and rinsed

  • 3/4 cup filtered water, plus more if needed

  • 2-3 tablespoons good maple syrup (preferably grade b)

  • 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

  • pinch of fine salt

(CRINKLE TOP!) FUDGY FLOURLESS BROWNIES /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

at first thought you may think a brownie recipe which instructs you to turn your oven on in the dog days of summer is laughable, but i’m here to tell you that indeed this recipe is a must-make! once you’re finished baking these fudgy chocolate-y squares, and the heat emitting from your oven has surrendered, you’re left with a few options: eat these brownies as is, and hope you can control yourself to eat just 1 or 2. or (my preference), plop a couple in a bowl, scoop some vanilla bean ice cream over top, grab yourself a couple spoons (if you’re sharing), and dig in! in all seriousness, making brownies in the summer time is certainly one of my favorite things to make. before having a baby, frank and i would spend our weekends at the beach, and if i had enough forethought, i would make beach brownies for us and our friends. a beach day is good like that. throw all caution to the wind, surrender yourself to the salty sea air, and dig in to a delicious batch of brownies!

these are by far the easiest brownie recipe i’ve made to date. we use a handful of ingredients that (if you’re gluten-free) are pantry staples, an easy-peasy technique to get that notorious crinkly top, and a quick step to melt the coconut oil and chocolate in one bowl. it all comes together in about 10 minutes, then off to the oven for just over 20 minutes. these brownies are chewy with a bit of crispiness along the edges, and fudgy in the center without feeling too rich. you could easily throw some chopped chocolate in the batter (even though i think these are sweet and chocolatey enough), and/or chopped nuts for some texture and nutty tones. but i love these as is with a good sprinkle of flaky salt sprinkled over top 👌🏼

hope you love these! xo!

(crinkle top) fudgy flourless brownies | gf & df

*updated 2/22/22

print the recipe!

| makes 16 square brownies |

  • 1/3 cup almond flour

  • 1/3 cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • 1/4 cup melted extra virgin coconut oil, plus more for the pan

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond butter

  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks, divided (roughly 6 ounces)

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 large pasture raised eggs

method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch square baking pan, and line it with parchment paper making sure there’s enough overhang on each side. Grease the bottom of the parchment paper.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cacao powder, baking soda, and salt.

  3. Over a low heat, melt the oil and 1/2 cup of the chocolate. Once melted remove from heat, and whisk in the almond butter.

  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with an electric mixer in a large bowl), beat together the sugar, maple syrup, and the chocolate mixture until thoroughly incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix on medium for 5 minutes, until the mixture has become slightly thick and gooey.

  5. With a rubber spatula, add the dry ingredients and fold the batter until everything is combined. Then fold in the remaining chocolate chips/chunks.

  6. Pour the batter into your prepared pan, use a rubber spatula to spread the batter evenly into the corners and sides of the pan.

  7. Bake in the center of your oven for about 24-26 minutes, until the center is set but slightly gooey when a toothpick is inserted.

  8. Let the brownies cool for roughly 30 minutes. Use the parchment wings to remove them from the pan. Let them cool completely before cutting.

similar recipes:

hazelnut butter brownies (gluten-and-dairy-free)

hazelnut butter brownies (gluten-and-dairy-free)

inside-out chocolate chunk cookie bars

inside-out chocolate chunk cookie bars

raw “nutella” bars

raw “nutella” bars

WHIPPED TAHINI SAUCE /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i’ve been waiting quite a while to post this recipe. i was most familiar with tahini as an ingredient in hummus. my mom would buy it at the health food store a few times a year when she would whip up hummus. but aside from that, we never used tahini in our house. until i went dairy free years ago. since then, it’s been an all-time favorite ingredient of mine (if you do a quick search on my site, a plethora of recipes will pop up!). it’s that kind of pantry staple that lends depth, flavor, and creaminess in just about any and every dish you could imagine. be it salad dressings, soups, drizzled on your favorite mains and salads, tahini is a rich and satisfying partner to whatever it is you’re preparing regardless of whether you’re whipping it or not.

add that tahini with a few other basic ingredients to a food processor, and you’ve got yourself the smoothest and frothiest sauce to spread, drizzle, and add to all the things. you can serve this dip/sauce immediately after you make it, which will be a bit on the warm side from the motor of your food processor. or, you could store it in your fridge and serve it within 5-7 days. this obviously will result with a colder sauce/dip, and will have seized a bit and have a thicker consistency. this is completely normal and great to serve as a dip. but, if you would like it to be thinner and more on the drizzling side of spectrum, just whisk a bit of water in a little at a time to get your desired consistency - don’t forget to taste it after and season the tahini if need be, the water can dilute it, especially if you add enough.

this is the kind of sauce that elevates any dish really - it turns bland grilled chicken is completely different meal. it magically makes roasted veggies more appealing, or a salad more creamy and exciting. whatever random (or non random) meals or ingredients you have in your fridge, whipped tahini will 100% make them more satisfying - promise!

also! we’ve started a hashtag! if you make any of the sauces from this sunday series, you can hashtag them on instagram with: #prepsaucesunday so we can all share in the fun, and hopefully get even more ideas on how we’re using these sauces throughout the week!

xo!!

whipped tahini sauce

| makes roughly 2 cups |

print the recipe

method

  1. place the tahini, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and salt into the container of a food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade. with the engine running, drizzle in the cold water 1/3 cup at a time until you have reached your desired consistency. for me, this usually takes about 1 cup of water to achieve a frothy, light sauce. if you want it on the thicker side, do not add as much water.

  2. taste and adjust seasonings, adding more garlic, lemon juice, and/or salt. store whipped tahini sauce in an airtight jar or container in your refrigerator for up to 7-10 days.

ingredients

  • 1 cup tahini paste

  • 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

  • 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2/3 cup - 1 cup cold water