CREAMY BROCCOLI CHOP / October 18, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

CREAMY BROCCOLI CHOP | Dolly and Oatmeal

before we get deep into winter squash and pumpkins, i have to share this autumn side/chop salad. the main star is broccoli. it’s one of my all-time favorite vegetables to eat , even since i was a kid. and right now, at the markets, it's at its peak! i think the best part about broccoli is its versatility. roasted, grilled, sautéed, or steamed. and whether it’s topped with sauce, a bit of lemon juice, or just some oil and salt & pepper, if it’s fresh, it has the possibility to be a great compliment to whatever main you’re serving.

in this case, the broccoli is lightly steamed, until just tender. it’s chopped, along with some purple cabbage for crunch and some pop of color (it also helps to fill the dish out a bit). we add chunked asian pear and thinly sliced red onion which offers the most perfect tart bite when you get one on your fork. the sauce/dressing is yogurt-based (i use a plant-based greek-style yogurt - linked below), with lots of tangy lemon juice and vinegar, giving it such a great creamy punch. if you can’t tell, this is by far one of my favorite recipes on the site, and i just hope you all love it as much as i do! xo!

creamy broccoli chop | gf

if you’re planning to prepare the salad ahead of time, great! add the dressing just before you serve it, as the once the salad gets thoroughly mixed, the cabbage turns the pears and sauce a (beautiful) shade of purple ;)

| serves 4 as a side |

creamy yogurt sauce

1/4 cup greek-style (plain/unsweetened) plant-based yogurt (i use this one)
2 tablespoons avocado oil mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon good maple syrup (or honey)
salt & pepper, to taste

broccoli chop

1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 cup cabbage sliced thin (preferably on a mandolin), and roughly chopped
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1 asian pear, cut into small chunks
salt & pepper
1/4 cup chopped and toasted blanched almonds

method

make the sauce. whisk together all the sauce ingredients, taste and adjust vinegar, salt, and/or pepper. set aside for later.
place broccoli florets into the basket of a steamer. bring about 1-inch of water to a boil and set the steamer inside, cover and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. set aside and let cool.
roughly chop the broccoli and add to a large serving bowl. add the cabbage, onion, and pear. season with a few pinches of salt, and cracks of pepper.
pour over roughly 3/4 of the sauce and toss until everything is evenly mixed together. top with the almonds and serve.

more broccoli recipes:

spicy broccoli bowl w/ creamy ginger lentils

creamy garlicky pasta w/ charred broccoli & figs

charred broccoli & red on ion salad w/ shaved apples & arugula

crunchy crusted sweet potato lunch bowl w/ golden dressing / March 2, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

crunchy crusted sweet potato lunch bowl w/ golden dressing | dolly and oatmeal

lunch is the one meal that always stumps me. before i started freelancing full-time i would religiously prepare my meals the night before, and sometimes, if i was thinking clear enough, i would do the sunday prep thing. when i was teaching and attending grad school, i had zero time to contemplate what i wanted, or what i was in the mood for. i didn't consider food as anything less than brain fuel. but now, given that i generally work from my home, i have more options, a fridge that's usually stocked, and a flexible lunch "hour" that allows me to have more options. so naturally, one would think that my lunch habit would benefit from a more fluid schedule. but it's actually the opposite. i find that preparing myself anything more than a piece of toast piled with green stuff, a bowl of leftover soup, or an apple with peanut butter a bit too overwhelming. i long for those beautiful lunches i see on instagram, or the perfectly constructed salads i'll have when i'm eating out. so with the weather inching towards warmer days, and the afternoon light shining a bit longer i'm fully invested in making some changes.

i've been breading everything i can with pulverized oats. i usually season them with some garlic and onion powder, dried parsley and oregano; and salt and pepper. to my surprise they crisp up really well without charring or burning too quickly, and they stay super crunchy - mega plus! this lunch bowl came together like most lunch bowls come together - with some assistance from leftovers. rice and/or grains, leftover veg from a dish i had prepared (this time carrots and half a cabbage), salad greens, and some jazzed up, crunchy-coated sweet potatoes. plus, a golden, sunshine-y turmeric dressing. and always, always a good dose of california olive ranch olive oil for the roasting, topping, coating; and for all the sauces and dressings! before anything in my kitchen gets roasted or cooked, california olive ranch olive oil is liberally applied. not only does the flavor stand up and shine through, but it's the people behind the product (that i was fortunate enough to meet) that honor the process and work that goes into producing a responsive and conscious product for us all to enjoy.

eat that rainbow, xo!

*this post was created in partnership with california olive ranch. thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep dolly and oatmeal going!

crunchy crusted sweet potato lunch bowl w/ golden dressing | v + gf

this lunch bowl can be prepared with whatever vegetables you have on hand , really. i would love to see how some breaded cauliflower tastes here, or in the summer, maybe eggplant. i'm finding that the options are quite endless. the golden dressing makes extra for the week, and the leftovers. if left in the refrigerator, you may need to add a few teaspoons of water to get the consistency more fluid.

| makes 2-4 servings depending on appetite |

golden dressing

1/4 cup California Olive Ranch olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sunflower butter (almond butter or tahini can be used as well)
2 tablespoons water, more to thin
1 tablespoon white mellow miso
2 teaspoons fresh turmeric (or 1/2 teaspoon dried ground)
1 teaspoon maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
1 clove garlic
fresh pepper

lunch bowl

2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed, dried, and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons California Olive Ranch olive oil
2/3 cup pulverized rolled oats (or gluten free bread crumbs)
salt + fresh pepper
2 cups cooked wild rice
3-4 cups fresh arugula
2 carrots, grated on a cheese grater
half a small head of cabbage, grated on a cheese grater
sprouts or microgreens, to serve

method

for the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor, scraping down the sides every so often. thin with more water until dressing is smooth and fluid. taste and adjust, adding more miso if need be. set the dressing aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
for the lunch bowl. preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
in a large bowl, toss together the potatoes with the oil, season with salt and pepper. add the pulverized oats (or bread crumbs) to a large plastic bag. a few at a time, add the potatoes, shake the bag to cover and bread the potatoes, then place them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. repeat with remaining potatoes. bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring and rotating halfway through until the edges of the potatoes are crisp and browned.
portion the potatoes, rice, arugula, and the carrot and cabbage in a bowl. drizzle with the golden dressing and top with sprouts or microgreens.

enjoy!

similar recipes:

black lentil, sweet potato + kale chili w/ kabocha biscuits

warm squash, parsnip + kale salad w/ pomegranate dressing

mole black bean tacos w/ cabbage + cilantro slaw | v + gf / January 27, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

mole black bean tacos w/ cabbage + cilantro slaw | dolly and oatmeal #vegan #glutenfree

our backyard is currently under about 5 feet of snow in some places. the blizzard this past weekend tossed around a fare bit of snow, not to mention our little 9-pound pup, quint. while this winter hasn't been much of a winter so far, it seems as though it's just lingering; the thought that there are basically 2 more months of these winter-ish days are enough for me crawl under the covers until spring. but then i remind myself of warm spring and summer days and try to summon some of those vibes in ways that i eat. over the summer me and frank made sara's grilled halibut sandwiches with jalepeno slaw, and it was somewhat of a transformative experience, as far as slaw goes. the slaw was cool, and crunchy, fresh, and spicy; and tossed with a good amount of a slightly creamy dressing. i had been discouraged by previous slaw experiences where there was a big globby mess of mayo with some hint of veg hiding in it.

aside from this slaw, mole sauce is another thing that makes heart pitter-patter. me and frank both have a deep love for it and its slow, intentional method. after making mole for new year's eve 2 years in row, it's become our tradition of sorts. this year, we made alex stupak's mole poblano from his new book, tacos, and it was super! it had a really interesting spice blend of anise seeds, coriander, cloves, peppercorns, and more; it also had a thick, chile base, without being too spicy, and a mix of nuts adding to its deep flavor. i tweaked the recipe a bit, omitting the lard, and replacing it with vegetable oil (which no doubt changes the flavor a bit), subbing in gluten-free bread, as well as vegetable stock. so if you have a hankering for loooong, slow cookin' this is a must-try sauce. there are some really good ones, like this one that we tried last year, if you're looking for a good online version. if not, my go-to brand (for all things non-homemade sauce) is sky valley.

wishing you all the cozies! xo

mole black bean tacos w/ cabbage + cilantro slaw | v + gf

for a slaw with less spice, substitute the jalapeño with half of a poblano pepper. also, this makes more slaw then you will likely use for the serving size below; leftover slaw can be stored in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

slaw adapted slightly from sara's jalapeño slaw

| serves 2-3 as a meal |

1/2 head red cabbage, thinly shredded (on a mandolin or with a knife)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro,, plus more for serving
1 small red onion, sliced paper thin
1 jalapeño pepper, some seeds removed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dairy-free cultured coconut yogurt (i use this one)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons maple syrup
salt + fresh pepper
1 15 oz. can black beans (preferably with a BPA free lined can and no salt added), drained and rinsed
1/4 - 1/3 cup mole sauce (homemade or this one)
6 small corn tortillas, toasted
toasted sesame seeds, for serving
lime wedges, for serving

method

to make the slaw. place the cabbage, cilantro, red onion, and jalapeño in a large bowl and give it a good toss. to the bowl, add the vinegar, yogurt, oil, syrup, and salt and pepper to taste. toss again to dress, and set aside for at least 15 minutes. (slaw can be made up to 1 day in advance.)
in a medium pot over medium-low heat, combine the beans and 1/4 - 1/3 cup of mole sauce, depending on how much sauce you want. stir until heated through and steaming. turn heat to low, and toast your tortillas.
portion the mole beans among the tortillas and top with a good amount of slaw, toasted sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and a few squeezes of lime juice.

enjoy!