i don't know about you, but the holidays, and more specifically christmas, has always meant a good amount holiday hors d'oeuvres. my family's christmas eve tradition was to basically snack on a whole spread of cheeses, fruit, bread, crackers, nuts, etc. throughout the night. it was my favorite! it was a special night where we gather around the coffee table in our living room that my mom would set up with all the snack-y items along with special little hors d'oeuvres forks, fancy paper napkins, and sparkling apple cider in our nice glassware. my dad would make a fire, and we would sit and snack and chat and have the best time.

our christmas eve tradition was something that always stuck with me, not the gifts, or which year's christmas tree was the best. the moments i spent with my family, in that living room, munching on finger food was. i yearn for traditions like that to continue with amesy. we're still in the everyday hustle of having a little one running around that it's difficult to see how or where those traditions will be molded and made, but i have great hopes that they will naturally take place.

this year i wanted to keep that snack-like tradition going, but make a change to be more friendly to how we generally eat nowadays. so i made a cozy, winter mezze. there's a take on a dish that was my favorite from a restaurant in brooklyn called, tanoreen. it was a fried cauliflower dish with tahini sauce and pomegranate molasses that i would scarf alongside a big helping of mujadra. the spiced cauliflower i made here is my iteration of it. we season it with 7 warm spices, then roast on a high heat so it gets a bit of carmalization on its edges. from there it's served warm with a creamy tahini sauce, and a few drizzles of the punchy pomegranate molasses. there's also a beet techina (tahini dip) that's perfectly smooth and creamy, and seasoned with a bit of cumin, a good amount of lemon juice, some earthiness from the beet, and little flecks of crunch from the poppy seeds. it's all served with falafel, warm flatbread, hummus, fresh cut veg, some briny olives, and some sweet fruit.

i'm so grateful to simply organic for their, cook for a change initiative that's highlighting ways we can change the way we're cooking, connecting with others through food, transforming classic dishes into ones that fit your lifestyle, or trying different cooking techniques. and you can get involved for such a wonderful cause. simply organic and the Ceres Community Meals Healing Project are teaming up to deliver organic meals to critically ill people during this holiday season. if you would like to participate: take a photo of how your cooking change tagging it with, #cookforachange. tag a friend and challenge them to #cookforachange as well. 1 tag + 1 hashtag = 1 meal delivered. i love the idea that no matter what you're cooking, or how you're cooking it, that you can relate and connect through the nourishment of food. whether that's in the physical act of eating it, or sharing moments with those you love.

wishing you all cozy times ❤️ xo

this post was created in partnership with simply organic. all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own. thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal going!

beet techina (tahini dip) | v

| serves 4-6 |

1 small red beet, root and top trimmed
1 cup tahini
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Simply Organic ground cumin
filtered water
fine salt & fresh pepper
2 teaspoons Simply Organic poppy seeds
fresh dill, to garnish

7-spice roasted cauliflower

| serves 4-6 |

1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons 7-spice mix (ingredients below)
kosher salt
tahini sauce (recipe below)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
pomegranate molasses, for serving
chopped parsley, to garnish

7-spice mix:

1 teaspoon Simply Organic allspice
1/2 teaspoon Simply Organic ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Simply Organic ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon Simply Organic ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon Simply Organic ground cardamo m
1/8 teaspoon Simply Organic ground ginger

tahini sauce:

1/4 cup tahini
1 small clove garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
fine salt & fresh pepper
filtered water

method

preheat oven to 400°F. prick the beet all over with a fork, drizzle with olive oil and wrap in foil. bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until fork tender. let cool completely.
beet techina. add the cooled beet, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and 1/2 cup water to a high-speed blender or food processor. blend until combined, stopping to scrape down the sides, and adding more water for desired consistency. season with salt and pepper. scrape the dip into a lidded container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use (dip can be made a couple of days in advance).
spiced cauliflower. preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. add the cauliflower florets to a large bowl and drizzle well with olive oil. mix in the spice mix, and season with salt. spread the cauliflower out onto the baking sheet. cook for 30 minutes, tossing the cauliflower halfway through, until edges are golden.
while the cauliflower is cooking, make the tahini sauce. whisk together the tahini, garlic, and lemon juice, add water a couple tablespoons at a time until the sauce is runny. season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
place warm cauliflower in a serving bowl, drizzle with tahini sauce. top with pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, pomegranate molasses, and chopped parsley. serve warm.