rolled oats

summer squash + banana-oat loaf w/ almond streusel (+ a giveaway!!!) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

this spring i made a vow to my fire escape that not only would i plant a garden on it, but that i would also tend to its needs and give it the kind of tlc i had deprived it of in years past.  first, i got to researching what kinds of veggie plants do well with only a few hours of direct sunlight; what i found was that most herbs, beets, kale, bok choy and many others leafy greens do really well with the kind of light i knew my fire escape would get.  so, this past may was the jump-off.  i sowed my seeds indoors to ensure that they wouldn't get zapped by a frost, placed them on a windowsill that got direct sunlight in the mornings, watched their little sprouts grow, and when the end of may rolled around, transplanted them into outside containers.  so far, we've had the pleasure of opening up our window to cut fresh basil, cilantro, parsley, and chives.  we've just pulled the first of our beets and cut the first round of squash blossoms; and in a few days/weeks we'll (hopefully) have 2 varieties of squash, as well as jalepeno and cayenne peppers :)))  

while i'm still waiting for the first squash to grow big enough to harvest, i've been buying them up at the market and using them for all sorts of things: eggie scrambles w/ black beans and tomatoes, spicy squash tacos, ratatouille, and this squash and banana-oat loaf.  a few weeks back i received a copy of smitten with squash, by amanda paa of hearbeet kitchen, and was so relieved to find so much helpful information about how to tend to squash plants (both summer + winter!).  not only was i educated, but also super inspired to use squash in so many different ways: spicy refrigerator pickles, chimichurri chicken & vegetable kabobs,  garam masala–dusted pattypans and chickpeas with tahini sauce.   it's been a while since i baked something, and was getting an itch to do so.  when flipping threw amanda's book, my eye was immediately caught by her banana oat streusel summer squash muffins. but as i was preparing to take a trip, i wanted something that would travel better and decided to adapt her recipe into a loaf.  the loaf turned out to be so incredibly delicious, with its flecks of squash, pockets of chopped nuts, a hint of spice, and a sweet + light streusel to top it all off.   totally snack and travel-worthy!

and now for the giveaway! amanda's publishers were awesome enough to give me a second copy for a lucky reader!  so, to enter, please leave a comment saying what your favorite kind of squash is, and how you like to prepare it.   the contest ends monday, july 28th at 6pm and will only be open to US and Canadian residents.  good luck everyone! xo

a summer squash + banana-oat loaf w/ almond streusel (gluten +dairy free)

adapted from Smitten with Squash 

if you don't have to be gluten free you can substitute the flours below for you flour/s of choice save for the 1/2 cup of rolled oats.  

| makes 1 loaf |

  • 3/4 brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup (GF) old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup oat flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 4 tablespoons almond oil (or another light oil)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup grated squash, grated using the course holes on a box grater
  • 1 cup mashed, very ripe bananas (about 2-3 bananas depending on size) 
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (i used a combo of almonds + pecans)

streusel

  • 3 tablespoons (GF) old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 1 tablespoon brown rice flour (or flour of choice)
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped almonds
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
  • pinch of fine grain sea salt

instructions

  • preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan.  cut a piece of parchment to line the pan with an overhang on each side
  • prepare streusel first.  in a small bowl, combine streusel ingredients and set aside
  • in a large bow, whisk flours, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  set aside. in another large bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar until incorporated.  whisk in oil and vanilla; then stir in squash and banana.  gradually add dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until just combined and no lumps remain
  • evenly distribute batter throughout the loaf pan and sprinkle streusel on top
  • bake in the center of your oven for 45-50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.  remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.  using the parchment overhangs, remove loaf from pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack.  let the loaf cool completely before slicing (the loaf can be stored at room temp. covered with a piece of parchment for 3-4 days) 

enjoy!

a quick almond, oat + strawberry-rhubarb crumble /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

yesterday we celebrated mother's day, like we have been each year, at my parents' house, gardening, eating and talking, followed by more eating.  in the spirit of dessert, i had grand ideas of making more rhubarb meringue tarts, but instead i came prepared with some ingredients from home to put my mom's monstrous rhubarb bush to use in a different way than curd.

i've always been a fan of the humble, crumble dessert; of its many different flavors and fruit combinations.  i know we're all accustomed to the strawberry and rhubarb combo, but it's one of my favorites!  and it's only so many times each year that i get to enjoy their company together.  so for me, the rest of the crumble pairings were a no-brainer: rolled oats for nutty flavor and some added texture, slivered almonds for their toasty-ness and crunch, and ground ginger for some added spice.  and my favorite thing about crumbles? they can totally be prepared and baked waaaay ahead of time and then simply reheated when dessert-time rolls around!  dare i say it is the perfect dessert to whip up when all you want to do is spend time with loved ones without slaving in the kitchen for hours..?  

and thanks to my husband for taking the first and last shot in this post, and hand-credit goes to my mom in the rhubarb shot below ;)

a quick almond, oat + strawberry-rhubarb crumble (gluten-free + vegan)

| serves 4 |

ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups rhubarb (about 2 large rhubarb stalks), sliced into 1/2" pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups strawberries, cut into quarters
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
  • 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour
  • 1/4 cup almond flour 
  • 1/4 gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened or melted, plus more for oiling pan
  • pinch of fine grain sea salt

instructions

  • preheat oven to 350° and set aside an oiled 9" baking dish
  • in a large bowl, combine strawberries, rhubarb, 1 tablespoon of sugar, arrowroot powder and lemon juice.  set aside
  • in another large bowl, combine the oat flour, almond flour, rolled oats, slivered almonds, ginger, the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, and salt.  once combined add the coconut oil a little bit at a time until you get a crumbly consistency
  • transfer fruit mixture to your baking dish; using your fingers, crumble the oat and almond mixture over the fruit.  cover with foil and bake in the center of your oven for 20 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes - until fruit is bubbling and the topping is lightly browned and toasted

enjoy!

ginger + lemon zest granola w/ puffed quinoa /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

part of my morning routine includes drinking a mug full of warm lemon-ginger water each day.  years ago i had been told that drinking lemon water in the morning helps aid the digestive process for the day, helps to boost the immune system, and aids in the cleansing of the liver to boot.  for me, starting my day off like this has been a way to balance and maintain a healthy and more cleansed system.  after all that birthday celebrating last month, and eating foods with more sugar than i'm used to, i began incorporating grated ginger into my lemon water for its anti-inflammatory properties.  i began thinking of ways to incorporate these two flavor powerhouses into things i eat regularly and with autumn here, granola seemed like a good candidate.  

store-bought granola isn't usually my jam, but when i make it at home you can be sure that i down it by the handful.  for years i've made heidi's granola from her cookbook, Super Natural Everyday, and i have to say that it is my favorite by far!  granola is one of those things that lends itself to so many flavor varieties that it's hard to nail down which are your favorite.  i'm usually a fan of granola that's low on the dried fruit, high on nuts and seeds, and sweetened slightly with a touch of salt.  ideally, the texture is always crunchy, but here i decided to add more crunch, and dare i say pop (!), to this granola with the inclusion of puffed quinoa. while i never found the puffed version of quinoa in any health stores or grocery stores in brooklyn or the city, i did manage to find them online here .  i highly recommend this puffed version, as it has been making its way into just about anything and everything i can think of.   in any event, the ginger and lemon combination was pretty spot on and is a new staple in our household.

ginger + lemon zest granola w/ puffed quinoa - GF + V

  if you do not have puffed quinoa on hand, substitute puffed brown rice or 1 cup rolled oats.  if using ground ginger, reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon and taste to adjust to your liking.  

| makes about 5 cups | 

 

ingredients

  • 3 cups gluten free rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 cups puffed quinoa
  • 1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • zest of one large lemon
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup raw honey

instructions 

 

  • preheat oven to 300° and line two rimmed baking trays with parchment
  • in a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, puffed quinoa, almonds, cinnamon, cardamom and salt.  once mixed, add the lemon zest and fresh grated ginger, mix until combined - about a minute
  • in a microwave-safe bowl, heat the honey until warm and runny - 20-30 seconds.  add the coconut oil and let it rest until melted
  • add the honey mixture to the oat mix and stir thoroughly until combined - about 1 minute
  • divide the granola between the two baking trays and spread in a thin layer. bake, for 35-45 minutes.  stir the granola a couple of times until toasted and golden.  (you may want to rotate pans top to bottom to make sure the granola is cooking evenly.)
  • remove from oven.  let the granola cool completely (this allows the granola to get all clumpy!)  once cooled break up the granola into chunks and store in an airtight container at room temp  

sprinkle on yogurt or fresh fruit, eat as cereal with some almond milk.  it can also be used to top fruit crumbles, or eaten dry as a snack.  enjoy!