oat waffles + roasted rhubarb compote / May 10, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

waffle recipes are a dime a dozen. i know this. but a few weeks back i came across a recipe that highlighted buttermilk soaked rolled oats as its main ingredient. i thought this was a brilliant idea, so i started playing around with flours and ingredients i commonly use to make this recipe. i wasn't sure how i would like the rolled oats in the waffles, i thought that perhaps they would be a textural distraction from what waffles are usually all about. i found that the oats actually provided the waffles with a texture and taste that (in my opinion) brought the waffles to a different level. but i am saying this as a person who doesn't like breakfast items too sweet or buttery. i like waffles and pancakes a bit on the grain(y) side.

the roasted rhubarb was something that i've never made before. i adapted a recipe i saw in bon appetit magazine, using the ingredients i commonly bake and cook with. it first caught my attention when i read that the recipe called for bourbon. a little bourbon in the morning wouldn't hurt, right? exactly. as the short ingredient list went on i realized that it would be easy to adapt to my likes and preferences. as it turned out the combination of the waffles and roasted rhubarb was great: the sourness of the rhubarb (i only added a little agave to it) went well with the delicate sweetness of the waffles. i understand that some people may not like the sourness of the rhubarb, if that's the case just add more agave (or sugar) to your liking.

oat waffles + roasted rhubarb compote

| makes 4 waffles

1/2 cup gluten free old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup vegan buttermilk

2 eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons coconut oil, soft - not melted

2 tablespoons raw agave nectar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup almond flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

| for the compote

adapted from bon appetit

makes ~ 1 cup

1 rhubarb stalk, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 tablespoon bourbon (or water)

1 tablespoon raw agave nectar (plus more to taste)

1 inch piece of vanilla bean scraped

1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

2 tablespoons chopped pistachios (optional)

| directions

start by soaking the 1/2 cup rolled oats with the 1/2 cup of buttermilk. let it soak until the oats are puffy and the milk is absorbed, about 1 hour

while the oats are soaking, prepare the compote

pre heat the oven to 425°

place the cut rhubarb, bourbon, agave, and vanilla bean into a medium sized bowl - combine. then add the arrowroot powder and combine thoroughly. prepare a 12" x 12" piece of tin foil or parchment paper and round the sides to make a cup. transfer your mixture into the foil cup and crimp edges so the liquid doesn't escape. place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes

in a large bowl, whisk the soaked oats, eggs, coconut oil, agave, and vanilla extract

in a small bowl, combine the almond flour, baking soda, and salt - whisk until combined

at this point heat your waffle iron to your desired temperature, i would say at about a medium heat (my waffle iron goes up to 5, so therefore i heated mine to 3) - just remember, almond flour has a higher burning rate than grain flours. i set mine at a lower temperature for the first couple minutes and then kicked up the heat for the last minute to crisp the edges

add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined

using a 1/4 cup measure, pour the batter onto your waffle iron - you may need more or less depending on the size and make of your waffle iron. repeat with the rest of the batter

serve the waffles with a healthy dollop of the roasted rhubarb and top with crushed pistachios. enjoy

ramp + herb frittata / April 16, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

eggs in general are not the most interesting thing to talk about. so instead i'm going to talk about the plethora of amazing produce that was at the farmer's market this weekend. there were all sorts of greens: mugwort, miner's lettuce, mustard greens, tatsoi (which i learned is a variation of mustard spinach), watercress, and ramps. out of all the greens i came across i chose to incorporate ramps into my dish because of their subtle onion flavor, and because their greens (unlike some other onion plants) can be eaten and enjoyed. i decided to use parsley and thyme because that's what i had that was fresh. this was the first time i used yogurt instead of milk. i was pleasantly surprised by the end result: the egg had a soft, creamy texture, and was really light. i used unsweetened soy yogurt, but i could see how greek yogurt would add an even greater flavor. this is one of those recipes you can add to, and play around with ingredients. so please do : )

1 bunch ramps, trimmed, bulbs sliced, and greens chopped (reserve some greens or garnish)

1 small shallot, minced

1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, tarragon, cilantro), chopped

5 eggs

1/2 cup yogurt (i used soy yogurt, but greek yogurt would be delicious as well)

salt and pepper to taste

// directions

pre heat oven to 350°

in a medium bowl, mix eggs with chopped herbs, yogurt, salt and pepper. let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes

in an oven proof skillet, heat olive oil over a medium heat. (i took a pastry brush and coated the sides of the skillet, so that way the eggs wouldn't stick when i added them later on.) add ramp bulbs and shallots. cook for 5 minutes. add ramp greens and cook until wilted - about 2 minutes

add the eggs to the skillet, turn down the heat to medium low. let the eggs set a bit; until the sides are solid and the top is set and maybe a little jiggly

transfer the skillet to the pre heated oven. bake for 7-10 minutes. eggs should be set and fluffy. cut, serve, and enjoy

huevos rancheros + black bean puree / April 11, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

as i've gotten older i have come appreciate different flavors and textures coming together in one dish. that said, for a long time i stuck to eating a limited amount of food because of my dislike for so many things out there. so, if you asked me a few years ago if i would eat eggs with beans and avocado, my answer would be "absolutely not!" this dish is composed of a bunch of ingredients i wasn't too familiar with, mostly black beans. i'm not a bean person. i don't like them cooked, baked. fried, nothing. but i really liked the idea of making a puree out of them, much like making hummus out of chickpeas. but i wanted somewhat of a molé sauce flavor, kind of like the sauce frank and i get at our favorite mexican restaurant. therefore, i added nuts, seeds, some garlic and shallot, and even cinnamon to bring out the molé tastes and tones. the puree has quickly turned into one of my favorite things. it has a distinctly sweet and savory flavor which i look forward to pairing with other dishes.

i chose to make the huevos rancheros with poached eggs. my blogger-friend, edelyn over at egeedee.wordpress.com, posted an amazing looking poached egg recipe. since then i have been honing my poaching skills and i think they've gotten good enough to offer the rest of the world some advice on egg poaching. anyhoo, you can scramble your eggs, fry them, soft boil them, whatever makes you happy. it will all taste good with what's going on here.

·· black bean puree ··

2/3 cup dry black beans, soaked and cooked

1 shallot, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon sliced almonds (if you're using whole almonds you may want to toast them in the oven)

1 tablespoon pepitas

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more or less depending on your preference)

3-4 peppercorns

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup reserved water from the beans (if you're using canned beans lukewarm tap water will work)

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for sautéing

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

fine ground sea salt

·· directions ··

soak your bean overnight (in a bowl, cover the black beans with a couple inches of water. they will expand and soak up some water, so use more water than less.)

drain and rinse the soaked beans. place them in a saucepan with a couple inches of water covering them. bring the water to a boil and simmer the beans until they are cooked through and tender - about 20 - 25 minutes (it might take longer depending what kind of beans you are using.) drain beans and let them cool. *don't forget to reserve 1/4 cup of cooking water

while the beans are cooking, heat a skillet on medium heat. once hot, add a layer of olive oil. add the shallot - cook for 3-4 minutes stirring often. next, add the garlic - cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often. add the almonds, pepitas, and sesame seeds. cook until the nuts and seeds are lightly toasted and fragrant (you may need to adjust the heat on your stove, as you don't want the shallot or garlic to burn) about 7-10 minutes. remove from heat

in a food processor, combine cooled beans, shallot and nut mixture, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices. as the mixture is blending, drizzle the reserved water in a little bit at a time until you have reached desired consistency. add salt to taste

transfer the puree to a bowl and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, more if you can

·· huevos rancheros ··

// serves 2

2 mini tortillas

2 eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup black bean puree

1 ripe avocado, sliced

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

hot sauce to taste

·· directions ··

pre heat oven to 350°

prepare a baking sheet with parchment or tin foil

toast tortillas in the oven for 5 minutes. remove from oven, turn down the temperature to 200°. slather the tortilla with black bean puree. transfer back to baking sheet and keep warm in the oven

bring a pot of water with about a tablespoon of vinegar to a simmer. while the water is heating crack each egg into a small bowl or cup. just before the water starts to boil, use a spatula to make a vortex. (the spinning water helps the egg white to form a "shell" around the yolk.) gently slide the egg into the water, let it simmer for a few minutes. i don't like my eggs too runny, so i poached them for about 4-5 minutes. if you like yours runny, poach for 3-4 minutes. remove the egg with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. repeat with the other egg

remove tortillas from oven and top with poached egg, sliced avocado, cilantro, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. enjoy :)