ALMOND-VANILLA CASHEW CREAMER | V / April 2, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

ALMOND-VANILLA CASHEW CREAMER | dolly and oatmeal

in the grand scheme of things, do we really need a creamer recipe? probably not. but i’m going to argue it’s good for the mind and soul in the days where unthinkable news is relayed minute after minute. whether you go to starbucks, a local coffee shop, or you make your caffeinated (or non-caffeinated) bevs at home, you know that a good glug of creamy milk is essential to really enjoy said beverage. and, since many of our favorite coffee shops are closed, i thought a homemade creamer would be a great little back pocket recipe to have in your kitchen to make easing into your morning and facing the day a bit more bearable. it’s one of those little recipes that make me really happy, and i just hope it make you happy too.

what i love about this creamer is: 1. you can really use whatever nuts/seeds you have on hand (i personally love using at least 1/2 cup cashews because it adds an inherent creaminess that you just don’t get with a lot of nuts or seeds). 2. you can make this 2 ways - a sweet version that can be added to to your morning drink, or an unsweetened version that is fantastic in your morning beverage as well, but can be repurposed for savory uses as well (i outline some below in the recipe notes). whichever way you go you’re a winner though. 3. it uses pantry staples, like almonds, cashews, a bit of oats, and some liquid sweetener. i hope you love this creamer as much as i do, and i hope it brings as much happiness into your home as it does mine - it’s all about the small things :)

sending big virtual squeezes to you all.

xo.

almond-vanilla cashew creamer | v

| makes about 2 cups |

print the recipe

notes: for an unsweetened creamer, simply remove the monkfruit or maple syrup, and vanilla extract. unsweetened creamer can be used for all sorts of things besides pouring it into your morning beverages. use it in soup to make it creamier, mix it into tomato sauce or pesto for a creamier take on that as well. mix into scrambles eggs or a frittata, etc., etc.!

method

place the rinsed almonds and cashews in the container of an upright blender (preferably high-speed). add the oats and water, and blend on high for about 90 seconds, until everything is broken down and frothy.
place a nut milk bag over a large bowl, and strain the creamer, squeezing all the liquid out. rinse the blender container, pour the creamer back in. add the monkfruit (or maple syrup), and the vanilla, blend once again to combine.
pour creamer into an airtight jar and place in the refrigerator. creamer will stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days.

ingredients

1/2 cup raw almonds, soaked 4 hours, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked 4 hours, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons gluten-free rolled oats
2 cups filtered water
6-8 drops liquid monkfruit (or 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

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A (Vegan) Spring Onion Dip! / April 12, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

is there an appetizer than defines your childhood? one that you remember gathering around with family, immediate and/or distant, and noshing on, and catching up, and just having a good time? well, i do, and it was a salad dressing brand's leek soup packet that my mom mixed with sour cream and cream cheese to make an onion-y dip. she served it alongside cape cod potato chips, and it is one of my favorite food memories. my aunt would serve a similar dip at thanksgiving and christmas, so there's all sorts of nostalgic memories of my cousins and me sitting around eating chips 'n dip. i've wanted to recreate a new, vegan/dairy-free version of a traditional onion dip for a long time. whenever i did though the flavor was never right, and i couldn't really do the original recipe any justice.

but with the uptick of really good, tasty, vegan cream cheese brands on the market, i though i'd give it another go. here, there's some vegan cream cheese blended together with soaked cashews, and then mixed with sautéed, melty spring onions. it sets in the fridge and chills for few hours (or overnight), and while it's doing that, the onion flavor is developing a bit deeper as well. you can then serve it with anything you love to dip: chips, crackers, etc. i served with some lightly steamed broccoli rabe and green beans, sliced cucumber spears, and of course, potato chips. it's a pretty straightforward, and definitely a reliable little dish to fall back on when you're heading to a potluck, or having a get-together.

i shared this recipe, along with 2 others (a cashew cream of fennel & pea soup, and falafel-spiced cauliflower wraps - photos below), with my email list, in my first ever "seasonal recipe bundle". my idea behind it is to send out 3 recipes at the beginning of each season to inspire some seasonal cooking. transitions are always a tricky thing, and moving from winter to spring is especially different depending on what part of the country you live in (or world!). so, i created 3 recipes that could easily have a place at the table anywhere, and in any climate. so, if you want to sign up there's still time. you will be sent this (spring) recipe bundle as well as future recipe bundles, my photo guides, and other relevant news :) you can sign up here if you like :) and if you are on my email list, and haven't made this dip yet, then consider this the most subtle nudge to do so ;) if there's a savory spring recipe to make on my site, this one's it!

big, big love to you all!

**and be sure to tag me @dollyandoatmeal when you're making any recipes from the site or my book! i love regramming you all on instagram stories! xo!

spring onion dip | v & gf

this dip is best served cold, right out of the refrigerator. i prefer making this at least 1-2 days prior to serving it, only to maximize the flavor.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped spring onions
1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight or at least 2 hours
fine sea salt
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (such as kite hill)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon gluten-free tamari
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup filtered water, plus more if necessary
chives, for garnish

method

heat a large skillet over medium heat. add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the onion, and a few pinches of salt, stir. cook the onions for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes until they are very soft and melty. transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool.
meanwhile, add the cashews, cream cheese, lemon juice, vinegar, tamari, garlic powder, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the container of an upright blender (preferably high-speed). whiz everything together on high, scraping down the sides until the dip and smooth and creamy. taste and adjust the salt and/or lemon juice, as needed.
pour the dip into a bowl, and fold in the onions.
transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight to really develop the onion flavor.
serve with sliced veggies, chips, crackers, etc.! store the dip in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 4 days.

Cashew Cream of Fennel & Pea Soup | Dolly and Oatmeal

Falafel-Spiced Cauliflower Wraps | Dolly and Oatmeal

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mung bean + cilantro falafel tacos / March 17, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

mung bean falafel tacos | dolly and oatmeal

spring is right here, it's close enough you can literally taste it in the air. the bits of dirty snow have but all melted away leaving behind pieces of litter from months prior. we're all happy for longer days, and grateful once again our favorite star is here to give us more light. my senses are alive once again it seems, breathing in fresh cool air, seeing tiny buds outside on the forsythia bush, and the scent of salty sea air has returned since its thaw.

things around here are a bit in flux at the moment; new exciting projects on the horizon, a move to a new apartment that's been in the works, and the new 'do i gave to my blog :)

i've been working on the redesign sporadically for a few months now, with frank's help of course. it seems that each year i'm redefining this space - what it is to me, but also how others come to it and why. in the spirit of trying to make things easier for people, i redesigned the recipe index in a way that's easy to navigate both alphabetically, and also categorically. there's a nifty side bar too that i'm excited about, hopefully you find it interactive and fun; i know i love clicking around on other blogs, so i thought i'd bring a little bit of that here! the search bar is pretty sweet, as well as the blog archives that is categorized by months of the year. so here's to hoping you all like the new look!

okay, these falafels! falafels are the kind of thing i love to eat, love to make, love to freeze and then reheat. lately i've been experiencing pretty bad digestive thangs (we won't go into that though...), i've been following a steady diet full of things that are easy on the digestive system. among them are split mung beans, or moong dal. i've been making my fair share of soups and such that incorporate these mighty beans, but thought they would be super in a baked falafel situation. they, along with the quinoa add a subtle flavor, that when mixed with tons of warming spices comes out to one of the best tasting falafels i've had. i tend to go without the tortilla, but frank insists they're the best when rolled all up in a taco; hence, this falafel taco! i added a very humble avocado and radish salad, plus tonnnns of cilantro, all with a healthy dose of tahini sauce!

sending warm springy vibes to you all! xo

mung bean + cilantro falafel tacos (v + gf)

soaking the beans and quinoa as directed below is to make them easier to digest. if you skip the soaking step, i recommend rinsing and draining both the beans and quinoa before cooking.

| makes 32 falafels |

1 cup moong dal (aka split mung beans), soaked overnight and drained
1 cup quinoa, soaked overnight and drained
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, more for serving
2 leeks, trimmed and sliced
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
juice from 1 lemon
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons sea salt
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon mild paprika
olive oil, for brushing
course sea salt, for topping
brown rice tortillas/corn tortillas/etc., toasted

tahini drizzle

1/4 cup tahini paste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons sumac
1/4 cup cold water

radish + avo salad

1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced into chunks
4 radishes, thinly sliced or shaved on a mandolin
splash of oil and vinegar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

instructions

make the falafels

place the mung beans in a saucepan and cover with at least 3-inches of water. bring to boil, stir, and turn heat down to a simmer. cook for 7-9 minutes, until tender. drain beans if need be and set aside.
cook quinoa according to instructions on package. set aside.
warm a skillet over medium heat and add chickpea flour, toast for 1-2 minutes, swirling around to prevent burning, until golden and fragrant. remove from heat and place in a bowl, set aside.
place drained mung beans and quinoa in a food processor fitted with a metal S blade; add cilantro, leeks, garlic, lemon juice, salt and spices. blend mixture until combined; taste and adjust salt and/or lemon juice, or other spices. add toasted chickpea flour and blend once more until combined. transfer falafel mix to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
preheat oven to 400° and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. scoop out golf ball sized pieces of mixture and shape into balls with the palm of your hands. place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining mixture. using a pastry brush, brush tops and bottoms of falafel patties and sprinkle both sides with course sea salt. bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, rotating halfway through until golden brown.
place 4-5 falafel patties in each tortilla, top with avocado and radish salad. drizzle with tahini sauce, cilantro, and extra sumac (optional), and serve warm.

sauce

in a medium bowl, whisk together tahini sauce ingredients. taste and adjust salt and lemon juice if need be. cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

salad