two minute chocolate cake / February 9, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

so i was wanting to make a dessert for tonight but i wasn't wanting to do much work or cleanup. i'm sure many of you can relate to having days like this. i was trying to think of something simple, that would still be yummy, but not make me hate the idea making it. i remembered this easy little cake recipe that i surprised frank with one weeknight after he came home from work. it's a fun dessert you can get away with making anytime because you don't need any fancy ingredients or baking pans, you just need a coffee mug. one of frank's favorite drinks is a cafe mocha, so this was perfect for him because it delivers chocolate in a mug. if you can believe it, you just mix the cake mix in a mug, microwave it, and you can pop it right out and onto a plate or eat it out of the mug. this is a great single serving and fast cooking dessert if you're ever in a mood or a pinch that won't leave you with any hassle of leftovers (and by "hassle of leftovers," i mean no temptation to eat more than a healthy portion) or a bunch of bowls to clean.

i ended up adding some unsweetened coconut and walnuts. but you can add whatever you like, whether it's various nuts, espresso grounds, chocolate chips, or cinnamon. this cake will taste awesome with whatever you choose, even if you choose to keep it plain.

adapted from Delighted Momma

:: makes 1 small cake ::

3 tablespoons almond meal (or flour of your choice)

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons raw honey (or sugar)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 egg

1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut

a handful of walnuts

a few pinches of fine grain sea salt

:: directions (or lack thereof) ::

mix all the ingredients in a large coffee mug until combined. (i would use a small spatula or a spoon.)

place in the center of your microwave oven. cook for 2 minutes.

cool for a minute or 2.

:: enjoy ::

mango poppy seed muffins / February 6, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

when frank lived in the city he would often take me to his neighborhood coffee shop, third rail coffee. we would go in early on a saturday morning and have a coffee and a muffin before the nyu students descended upon us. each time we got a muffin they were different, with various fruits, nuts, and added flavors. sometimes they would have: cranberry-peach, raspberry-chocolate, pumpkin-pecan-apple, and bran with mango and raspberries. each time we ate one of those yummy muffins they were spot on - despite the fact that some of the concoctions were a little "out there." we found out they were made at blue sky bakery, in brooklyn. now that we live in brooklyn, you would think we would go there everyday. we don't. haven't been there once. one day we will...something to look forward to. in any event, the muffins before you are inspired by the muffins at blue sky bakery. i tried to combine 2 ingredients that are uncommon but complimentary at the same time. i found that the end product was super satisfying in my quest for weird. hopefully you will agree.

this recipe calls for almond flour. i used honeyville, because it is a finer grind of almond flour than bob's red mill, and therefore bakes with better results. you can use bob's red mill but may find that your muffin will be more dense. alternatively, you can use the mango and poppy seed combination in a muffin recipe of your own. i use it here, with almond flour, because it is what my body tolerates. lastly, i used honey as a sweetener, but feel free to substitute that with agave nectar.

adapted from Elana's Pantry

:: makes 4 muffins ::

1 cup almond flour

2 eggs

1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons raw honey

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 quarter mango cut into pieces

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

a pinch of fine grain sea salt

:: directions ::

preheat the oven to 350°

•line a muffin tin with paper holders

•cut one side of the mango. slice and cut into cubes or slices - set aside

•combine the almond flour, baking soda, and salt - combine with a whisk

•mix the eggs with the honey and then add the apple cider vinegar

•next, add the flour mix to the wet mix and combine

•using a spatula, fill tins a quarter of the way up with batter

•arrange the cubes or slices of mango, then divide the rest of the batter to fill the muffin tin

bake for 16-20 minutes, depending on your oven

let cool for 30 minutes before devouring

:: enjoy ::

apple salad with tahini dressing / February 4, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

its new york, in winter, and it's a high of 30°. i should not be eating salad. i should be reaching for hot soup, or something warm out of the oven. but for whatever reason i made this salad. i had been wanting to try out some variation of a tahini dressing but never had the tahini! but since making this yummy dip, i had a decent amount of sesame tahini left over. i don't know why i went with apple in the salad (probably because i had it in the kitchen), but the flavor of the crisp apple (honeycrisp apples are more tart than sweet) and the nutty tahini married perfectly! tahini has never been an ingredient i have ever craved, but i now am eager to experiment with it in other dishes. there is not one way of making this dressing. you can basically add whatever ingredient you like (within reason). i have seen people use garlic instead of shallot, or use white miso. however, my only piece of advise is to make sure you thin it out with enough water, especially if you use it for salad dressing - no one wants a salad with dry lettuce.

:: serves 4 or serves 2 with big appetites ::

1 1/2 ounces mixed greens

1/2 cup chopped honeycrisp apple

1/4 cup grated carrot

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon toasted pignoli nuts

:: tahini dressing ::

1/2 cup tahini

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup water

salt and pepper to taste

blend all the dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender. depending on your preferred consistency you may want to add more or less water. season with salt and pepper.

combine salad greens, chopped apple, grated carrots, minced shallot, and toasted pignoli nuts in a large bowl. toss the salad with the desired amount of dressing. i had enough left over for another salad.

:: enjoy ::