basil

AVOCADO-KALE PESTO PASTA (VEGAN) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i used to love making dinner on a whim. looking inside my refrigerator for something that inspired me to make meal. i wish that were the case these days, sadly it’s not. if i’m honest, sometimes i mourn the simpler days where life wasn’t constantly feeling like a hustle, but i know that things will inevitably shift, and that perhaps i may look back on this period in some nostalgic way. i have a feeling a lot of you can relate. whether that’s because you have a family, a demanding job, or just don’t find cooking all that fun.

this is why this dinner recipe comes in clutch! i’ve made it countless times now, and i love its heartiness, you may be asking: what’s the difference between this pesto pasta versus any other pesto pasta. my resounding answer is: AVOCADO! i don’t know about you, but every time i eat pasta for dinner, i end up grabbing a snack about an hour later. i’ve been adding more healthy fats, protein, and fiber to my meals to help keep my blood sugar in check, and ever since doing so, i’m less likely to be likely to noshing on something i’m not even hungry for.

so let’s talk avocado-pesto. there’s an entire avocado mushed up in this recipe which adds richness, and also a good amount of healthy fat. you may be curious if this is just mushed up avocado flavored with basil, or if it even resembles pesto. in the traditional sense, no, this is not your grandmother’s pesto (but we’re rolling with the times, and building off classics to make new classics - amiright!?). we add a cup each of basil and kale, they’re blended up with toasted pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. we reserve some pasta water to thin it out a bit, which dilutes it a bit, but not too much that it doesn’t perfectly cover every strand of fettuccine. true love in the form of green pesto pasta sauce! i really hope you get the chance to make this one :)

big love! xo

avocado-kale pesto pasta | v & gf

there are so many ways to go about making pesto. if kale isn’t your thing or don’t have it on hand, add spinach, arugula, or more basil. you could even swap the toasted pine nuts for walnuts. there are a variety of ways you could go about making this pesto - just don’t skip the avo!

print the recipe!

| serves 2-4 |

pesto

  • 1 ripe avocado

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed

  • 1 cup torn kale (from about 3 big leaves), packed

  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • salt & pepper

pesto pasta

  • 1/2 cup avocado-kale pesto

  • 1/4 cup pasta cooking water

  • 1 package gluten-free pasta of choice (i personally love capello’s fettuccine)

  • 1/4 cup baby arugula

  • handful toasted pine nuts

method

  1. in a food processor fitted with a metal “s'“ blade, combine the avocado, basil, kale, pine nuts, lemon juice, and 2 garlic cloves. cover with the fitted lid, and blend; with the processor on, drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated. stop the machine and scrape down the sides, add salt and pepper to taste and blend again until smooth and creamy. taste and add more salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice if necessary.

  2. cook pasta according to the instructions on the box until al dente (don’t forget to skim 1/4 cup of pasta water from the pot before you drain the pasta). drain the pasta and run it under cool water. while the pasta is draining, whisk together the 1/2 cup of pesto with the 1/4 cup of pasta water in a serving bowl until combined. add the pasta and toss until completely covered in the pesto.

  3. taste and add more salt if necessary, top with arugula, and pine nuts, then serve while hot. (store leftover pesto in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 4 days.)

more pasta recipes:

vegan caesar pasta salad

vegan caesar pasta salad

crusty baked .vegan alfredo w/ caramelized shallots & kale

crusty baked .vegan alfredo w/ caramelized shallots & kale

creamy garlicky pasta w/ charred broccoli & figs

creamy garlicky pasta w/ charred broccoli & figs

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges w/ Green Yogurt Sauce /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

the holidays are taking on such a different vibe in our lives this year.  there's a different feeling in everything frank and i are doing and planning as we're wanting to share in it all with amesy.  at 2 months old he certainly won't remember any of it, but celebrating his first holiday season has been becoming a big deal around here.  we've been playing christmas tunes for him since the end of november, and we got his first christmas tree last week!  decorating, cooking - it's all bringing out a joy and excitement that i knew we would feel, but didn't anticipate how intense it would be.  even though he doesn't really "watch" the tv, having holiday classics play on the television have touched on that bond of sharing in these small cozy moments as a family, and have even gotten us excited beyond the holiday classics with the idea of sharing movies and music with him that have been special to us.   hopefully these will be some traditions we can establish that amesy will be able to reflect on one day and only have good memories.

so it only seemed natural to team up with Disney for this recipe, and to highlight the release of "The BFG" on Blu-ray, Digital HD & Disney Movies Anywhere (get it here).  The BFG is one of those stories that i look forward to sharing with amesy one day, and i know lots of parents would love to share with their kids as well. the special relationship between sophie and the bfg i feel says a lot about the power of sometimes unlikely relationships between dissimilar people and what can come from those.  i also can't help but feel that their relationship is similar to the experience of having a baby, in that (at least for me) i didn't know i could feel this kind of bond until he came into my life. and now that amesy is here i couldn't imagine my life without that unbreakable connection.

talking about connections, i've also got a loyal bond with carbs.  in this potato wedge situation, these sweet potatoes take on a slightly more wholesome version of the typical fried wedge.  in this recipe they're roasted in a bit of olive oil and italian spices in the oven and served with a dairy-free yogurt dip that's been broken down with some bright herbs, tahini, and lemon juice.  it's the perfect snack to sit and watch a movie with, as a holiday snack, or appetizer :)

holiday cheers, babes! xoxo 

*this post was created in produced in association with disney.  all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.  thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that help to keep dolly and oatmeal going!

roasted sweet potato wedges w/ green yogurt sauce | v

| serves 4 |

  • 2 large sweet potatoes, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch wedges
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, or arrowroot powder
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • fresh ground pepper, to taste

green yogurt sauce

  • 1 cup unsweetened cultured coconut yogurt (or greek yogurt if you don't need to be dairy-free)
  • 2 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons parsley leaves
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • fresh pepper, to taste

method

  1. preheat oven to 425°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. place wedges and cornstarch (or arrowroot) in a large plastic bag and toss to coat evenly. transfer the wedges to a large bowl and add the olive oil, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. spread the wedges into a single layer on your prepared baking sheet. bake for 30-35 minutes, stopping halfway through to flip them over, until the edges are browned.
  3. while the potatoes are baking, make the sauce. combine all the sauce ingredients in an upright blender or food processor until well chopped and sauce is green in color.
  4. serve the potatoes warm with the sauce on the side.

zucchini-basil chickpea waffles w/ tomato + shaved fennel salad /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i'm having a hard time coming to terms with the end of summer; just that lazy, easy-breeziness of it all seems to move in a direction of rigidity and schedules as fall approaches.  but on the up side, the humidity has faded and the weather has been significantly cooler the past few days, allowing for the consumption of hot beverages and baking with the air conditioner off!  it's also reawakened an eagerness to get outside, and breath in some fresh air.  i've never been a runner/jogger - more of a yoga/pilates enthusiast -  and i suppose i blame my elementary school gym teacher who made us do laps around the track; and long story short, i wound up in the nurses office sick, lightheaded, and on the verge of passing out.  that memory alone was traumatic enough for me stay away from running as a sport.  but i've had this vision in my head of a long distance run, where my body feels strong and capable; that's it's able to endure any bad mental inhibitions, and just go for it!  i've been a few days in using a training app on my phone (thank you Sarah for putting me on to this!), that provides some much needed structure and guidance for getting started.  besides my legs being absolutely sore/jelly, i'm feeling super strong and steady taking on this personal endeavor!  

since burning up more calories each day than i'm used to, i now feel a lot more hungry!  this is where these waffles come in!  since seeing this recipe, all i've had on my brain was savory waffles; and since i also love utilizing garbanzo bean flour in just about everything, i thought that it would make be an awesome base for the waffles i had in mind.  i really love using chickpea flour mainly for its unique flavor, but also because it's an awesome source of protein, carbs, vitamins, and fiber - something i don't generally think of when i eat waffles, so i wanted that to change!  here, i added zucchini to the batter, because i still have a bunch leftover from last weekend, along with some fresh basil, leftover fennel fronds, and a healthy amount of garlic.  i topped them with a simple tomato and shaved fennel salad just to lighten it up and add some crunch.  these waffles can certainly be adapted to your liking and can be served with just about anything : ) 

zucchini-basil chickpea waffles w/ tomato + shaved fennel salad (gluten + dairy free)

| makes 8 waffles |

ingredients

  • 2 cups garbanzo bean flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 free range eggs
  • 1 zucchini, grated using the course holes on a box grater
  • 1 cup + 1-2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds 
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced

tomato + shaved fennel salad

  • 2-3 heirloom tomatoes, sliced 
  • 1 small fennel bulb, shaved on a mandolin or sliced thin
  • dozen whole small basil leaves 
  • a couple sprigs fennel fronds, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • salt + pepper

instructions

tomato + fennel salad

  • place tomato, fennel, basil, and fronds in a medium bowl and season with salt + pepper.  in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and oil until fully incorporated.  a little at a time, add lemon and oil mix over the salad, taste and adjust seasonings.  set aside

chickpea waffles

  • in a large bowl, combine garbanzo bean flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.  in another large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, zucchini, almond milk, olive oil, garlic, basil, and chopped fronds
  • at this point, heat your waffle maker on medium-high (my waffle maker has a heat setting from 1-5 - 1 being the lowest - so i turn mine to about a 4 1/2)
  • prepare a baking sheet with parchment and preheat oven to warm or 200°.  mix the wet ingredients into the dry, and combine until fully mixed.  once your waffle iron reaches desired heat, spoon about 3 tablespoons worth of batter onto your iron and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes.  transfer waffle to baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm.  repeat with remaining batter
  • remove waffles from oven and top with tomato + fennel salad, garnish with extra fennel fronds or leftover basil

enjoy!