olive oil + dark chocolate chunk loaf w/ pears (gf + df) / October 28, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

olive oil + dark chocolate chunk loaf w/ pears | dolly and oatmeal

so i'm back from a quick trip to oakland, ca to visit the california olive ranch! it was a day and a half worth of meals, events, talking to some amazing chefs and people, and visiting the ranch and mill where my favorite olive oil is made! i feel like i need another whole other post to recap what an awesome experience it was to learn about the olive oil process from so many passionate and dedicated workers. it's such a beautiful thing to not only see, but feel the love and pride that people take in their job and for those they work beside each day. plus, i got to hang with this lovely lady the entire trip, and to meet the beautiful people behind some of my favorite blogs: michelle, nik, phi, phyllis, and todd!

while i'm sure we all love cooking with olive oil - using it dressings, and for drizzling - i love using it in all sorts of desserts - cookies, cakes, breads, and muffins. i'm a sucker for anything cake-y but what i'm sometimes put off by is that hit-you-over-the-head sweetness that some can have. but when i bake with olive oil it offers just the perfect amount of earthiness while also providing the fat content which gives baked goods that moist and delicious texture we know and love. the ranchers at the olive oil ranch explained to us that because olives are a fruit, their oil is essentially fruit juice, and because there is no chemical processing, nor any high temperatures involved in the oil developing process, it retains much of its natural nutrients even when in oil form. after seeing the how california olive ranch's oil was made that notion of olive juice still stands out as one of the most interesting things i learned those couple of days.

hope you all are having wonderful weeks! xo

*this post was sponsored by california olive ranch, all opinions are totally my own.

olive oil + dark chocolate chunk bread w/ pears (gf + df)

this is a dense, but not overly rich quick bread. i often have a slice as a treat after breakfast, or an afternoon snack. it could also be great as a dessert with maybe some coconut cream, or a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

| makes 1 loaf |

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1/4 cup arrowroot flour/powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup california olive ranch extra virgin olive oil (for baking i like using their everyday oil)
2/3 cup coconut sugar
2 large pasture raised eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pear, diced small
1/2 cup chocolate chunks, extra for topping
handful of chopped walnuts

method

preheat oven to 350°F. oil a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper letting sides of paper hang over like wings; set aside.
in a large bowl, whisk together the flours, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, psyllium husk, spices, and salt until thoroughly combined; set aside. in another large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar until the mixture appears sandy, then add the eggs and whisk until combined. whisk in the applesauce and the vanilla until combined. using a rubber spatula, add the dry ingredients into the wet in 3 applications until mixture is smooth. fold in the diced pears and chocolate chunks.
evenly pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, top with extra chocolate and the chopped walnuts.
bake for 35-40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. remove bread and place on a rack to cool for roughly 30 minutes. then use the parchment wings to lift the bread from the pan; let it cool completely before slicing.

enjoy!

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a warm salad of roasted turmeric-chili chickpeas + pear / November 12, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

after being in europe for 10 days it feels so good to be home. i have to admit i'm not the best traveller, and by day 8 or 9 i was ready to be back in our little apartment. i was also super antsy to get back to my equally little kitchen and make some home cooked meals. the food in europe was delicious and wonderful! but i'm person who prepares lunch each day to take to work, so after 10 days of relying on others to nourish my bod i was pretty close to cooked - like, stick a fork in me. the past few days i've been consumed with eating all the veggies i can get my hands on. i was all over laura's recent raw salad, as well as a variation of this salad, only i seasoned and roasted the veggies and cut out the dressing. i loved that both salads/meals were large enough that i was able to enjoy them for a few days. veggies for the win! i also can't wait to make molly's spatzle, and this beautiful harvest salad!

whenever i think of fall and winter rarely do i dream up of salad or get excited by them, more often than not i am dreaming of hot, hearty soups. in my stubborn mind salads are reserved for spring and summer when certain vegetables are at their height, and a cool, refreshing salad is what is needed to replenish a hungry soul. i guess this salad seeks to bridge the gap between warm weather salad and cold weather soup. the warm, spiced chickpeas lend a cozy feeling to the salad, one that reminds me of a hot cozy soup; just what i needed after a long day of travel accompanied by some major jet lag! i've made this salad with canned beans and with dried, both work well, but the dried, soaked, and cooked method always does the beans more justice. here's to cozy salads on a chilled day :)

a warm salad of roasted turmeric-chili chickpeas + pear | gluten free + vegan

ingredients

1 1/2 cups chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained (or 1 can organic chickpeas drained)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
about 2 cups lettuce of choice, i used some pretty mesclun that i picked up at the farmers' market
1 cup kale, de-ribbed and torn into pieces
2 ripe pears, sliced thin
1 ripe avocado, sliced thin
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, sunflower seeds etc.

shallot dressing - adapted from 101 Cookbooks

| makes 2/3 cup |

1/4 cup finely minced shallots
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

instructions

preheat oven to 400°. line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
in a medium sized bowl, combine the soaked chickpeas with the oil, turmeric, chili powder and salt; stir to combine. place chickpeas in oven and roast for 30-40 minutes - until they're crisp and slightly browned. remove from oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes

make the dressing

on a cutting board, sprinkle the minced shallots with the salt and smash through the pile until you have a shallot-y paste. transfer to a bowl and add cider vinegar and honey. mix and set aside for about 10 minutes. slowly add the olive oil to mixture, whisking into an emulsion. taste and adjust to your liking. refrigerate until using (the longer you let the dressing sit, the better the flavor will become.)

assemble the salad

*assemble the salad while the chickpeas are roasting so you can toss them into the salad while they're still hot!
in a large serving bowl, combine the lettuce and kale; add about 2-3 tablespoons of the shallot dressing (or more depending on what you prefer). toss to coat
serve lettuce/kale mixture in individual bowl, and top with sliced pear, avocado, roasted chickpeas and seeds. drizzle with more dressing and serve. (i like to serve it individually because when tossed in a large bowl most everything falls to the bottom)

enjoy!