rhubarb meringue tarts w/ lemon-hazelnut crust (gluten + dairy free) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i would probably bore you if i recounted the details of how many different incarnations this dessert had before its current state; but you should know that there were 2 batches of rhubarb curd (which is now my favorite thing to spoon into my mouth - move over peanut butter!), mini layer cakes, one large layer cake, 4 cans worth of coconut cream, not to mention flour, nut meal, and other ingredients.  i shudder to even write down how much was squandered here in the name of a singe dessert, but i have some trusty peeps (namely my husband and dad, thanks guys!) on my side willing to eat the leftover disasters.   the lesson learned out of all this you ask?...curd is THE word, and lemon + hazelnut is a new favorite combo!  if you do nothing else, i urge you to make rhubarb curd, people! 

when choosing to make a meringue pie/tart, the decision was easy.  i was making this post with mother's day in mind, as well as with what's in season.  my mom would make my brother his favorite dessert each year for his birthday which was a lemon meringue pie - her pie crust was, and still is, the best i've ever eaten, the lemon filling was always store bought and made on the stovetop (similar to jell-o), and she whipped up the meringue using my nana's recipe.  my favorite part was when she plopped the meringue on top using a spatula to evenly spread it all over the pie, then with an up-and-down motion she would make tiny peaks over the surface that would get all toasty when she broiled it in the oven.  i wish i could say that the rhubarb i used here was from my mom's garden; as she has a huge plant that we've been watching grow (here it was just a month ago; it's now quadrupled in size!).  but alas, this rhubarb was store bought in the name of curd and mother's day!

wishing all the mamas out there a happy day! 

*in case you missed it, i was over at Food 52 the other day where i highlighted fresh spring spinach, and incorporated it into 5 dinner time meals :) you can check it out here

rhubarb meringue tarts w/ lemon-hazelnut crust (gluten + dairy free)

rhubarb curd adapted from here and here

i threw some strawberries in with the rhubarb curd for some added pink color, and for a bit of sweetness. i've also made it using 6 ounces strawberries and 6 ounces rhubarb, with really yummy results - but here i wanted to keep some of rhubarb's tartness intact, so i reduced the amount of strawberries.  either way it's super delightful!  i also reduced the amount of sugar, so if you're looking for a curd on the sweeter side, this is not it.  

| makes 4 small tarts or one 9" tart |

ingredients

(dairy free) rhubarb curd

  • 10 ounces rhubarb (roughly 4-5 stalks), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
  • 2 ounces strawberries, halved 
  • 3 tablespoons organic cane sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 4 large free range egg yolks (save whites for meringue)
  • 1/3 cup organic cane sugar

lemon-hazelnut crust

  • 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed
  • zest of one small lemon (or half of a large lemon)
  • 3 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
  • 3 tablespoons grade a maple syrup
  • pinch of salt

meringue

  • 4 free range egg whites
  • ~1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar

 

instructions

rhubarb curd

  • in a saucepan over medium heat, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, water and 3 tablespoons of sugar. cook for 10-15 minutes - until rhubarb is soft and falling apart.  remove from heat and let cool
  • transfer fruit mixture to a food processor and puree mixture.  over a bowl, put mixture through a fine mesh sieve.  set aside
  • in a large heat proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar, whisk in the fruit mixture.  place bowl over a medium-sized pot with 1-inch of boiling water and stir continually with a rubber spatula until the mixture thickens, about 10-12 minutes.  (the curd should thicken up and coat the back of your spatula when ready) remove from heat and pour curd mix into a lidded jar; place in freezer (without the lid) for about 15 minutes - you want the curd to be cold, not frozen.  once cold, secure lid on the jar and place in the refrigerator until ready to use 

lemon-hazelnut crust

  • preheat oven to 350° and oil 4 small pie pans with coconut oil and set aside
  • grind the hazelnuts in your food processor to make the meal.  once ground, add lemon zest, coconut oil, maple syrup and salt.  blend ingredients until a ball of dough forms.   remove dough, and using your hands divide it evenly between the pie pans.  press mixture evenly into each dish, moving up and around to distribute the dough; place the dishes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly toasted.  remove from oven and let cool completely

meringue

  • once the crusts have cooled, make the meringue.  in a large bowl, combine egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar.  using an electric mixer, whip the whites until stiff white peaks form, about 5-6 minutes.  set aside

assemble tarts

  • preheat your broiler
  • place about 3-4 tablespoons of rhubarb curd in each shell; spoon meringue over the curd and crusts and evenly distribute.  use the back of a spatula to make peaks on top.  place tarts on a baking sheet and broil for a few seconds, rotating to brown evenly, until toasted
  • tarts are best eaten the day of, but can be refrigerated for about 1 day

enjoy!

spring fattoush salad w/ a creamy sumac-pine nut sauce, and wanting something more /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

some of you may know, as i've written before,  i've had a few struggles with food on both ends of the spectrum: from not liking it at all, to over-consuming it at times.  i thought i could solve this food problem on my own.  first i went on a raw diet, then a juice/smoothie/diet/cleanse thing, and lastly, a quasi gluten free diet. not one of these ways of life proved to serve my physical or mental well-being in any significant way.  so my quest for answers continued... a few months had gone by, and by that time i had kind of given up on "curing" myself, by myself. 

i made an appointment with a nutritionist who had been recommended to my mom and off i went.  among many other things (giving up bread included), she and i had a conversation about well-being; about treating our bodies the best we can.  that visit not only changed my life, but it altered my outlook on REAL FOOD accessibility and wanting something more from those whose authority lies in the food industry.  i thought about times i was at a concert, or a movie or a public space, there was no real food; items that had substantive ingredients, not just empty calories that offered stomachaches, a cloudy brain and bad skin.  we, as a community of food-consuming people deserve better.  to have access to wholesome food, to be able to afford it, to want something more for ourselves; not just what big agriculture or food corporations make the most money on, that we are worth of being well-nourished, not profited from.  

i'm teaming up with two lovely ladies, Jody and Ashley for their Feel Something More Campaign - energizing people to feel, choose, be, something more than the status quo.  They have a series of bloggers talking about their want for something more in life as well.  next up is "The JUGs for Something More" by Just Us Gals (meredith, cameron and suzanne). 

now about this salad!  fattoush salads are a favorite of mine, seasonal veggies paired with torn flatbread, drenched in a creamy sauce/dressing kind of a deal - yes! all day. everyday.  however, this fattoush salad has a bit more green - thanks spianch!  you'll  find a recipe for socca below, mainly because i chose to use it in the bread-y portion of the dish  - it lends a similar texture as any other flatbread, plus it's super easy to throw together and bake up.  lastly, the sumac-spiked pine nut sauce.  i know people can be wary of nut-based things, but the nuts, vinegar and sumac all come together in such a considerable way; add that to this herby, crunchy, spring-green fattoush salad and it's all majorly satisfying.  cheers, and all good things, friends!

spring fattoush salad w/ a creamy, sumac-pine nut sauce | gf + v

| serves 4 |

if you're going to skip the nut-based sauce, i would nudge you in the direction of this tahini sauce or even this yogurt-tahini sauce, both for their creaminess and pungent flavor.  

ingredients

  • 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup fresh parsley, minced
  • 2 sprigs mint (roughly 8-10 leaves), minced
  • 1 bunch ramps, cleaned and white parts sliced thin (or spring onions) 
  • 1 small cucumber, quartered into 1/2" chunks
  • 4-5 radishes, sliced thin by hand or mandolin
  • 1/4 cup chives, minced
  • 8" round of socca (recipe below), torn into large pieces (or gluten-free flatbread of choice)

sumac-pine nut sauce

  • 1/3 cup pine nuts, soaked for 2 hours
  • 1 small shallot, roughly chopped 
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2-3 tablespoons filtered water
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground sumac, plus more for garnish

garlicky socca

  • scant 1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour
  • 1/2 cup warm filtered water
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • a couple grinds of fresh pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced 
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

instructions

sumac-pine nut sauce

  • drain the pine nuts and transfer them to a high-speed blender (a food processor will do, but consistency won't be as creamy).  add the shallot, vinegar, olive oil, salt and sumac; with the motor running, pour the water through the spout, 1 tablespoon at a time, to get desired consistency.  scoop into lidded jar and transfer to refrigerator until ready to use

garlicky socca

  • place an 8" cast iron pan inside your oven and preheat to 450° 
  • combine the garbanzo bean flour, salt + pepper with a whisk.  drizzle in water while whisking to incorporate; add the olive oil and minced garlic and whisk again. set aside
  • gently remove preheated pan from oven, pour the remaining tablespoon of olive oil into the pan, give it a swirl to ensure even coverage.  pour socca batter into pan and gently place back into the center of your oven.  cook for 12 minutes, edges should be pulled away from sides and lightly browned; remove from oven and flip the socca over.  return back to the oven and cook for another 3-4 minutes. remove from heat and let cool completely
  • once cooled, tear into large chunks.  leave the flatbread out for about 20 minutes while you prepare the salad

assemble salad

  • remove sauce from refrigerator and allow to come to room temp.  add a teaspoon or two of water to get sauce nice and creamy
  • in a large serving bowl, combine all of the salad items.  pour half the sauce over the salad and combine, depending on your preference, add more sauce.
  • garnish with some added sumac (optional)

enjoy!

a microgreen, mint + mango juice for one /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

these past couple of weekends have been so beautiful.  frank and i have got into a new, spring-y rhythm full of longs walks, afternoon picnics at the park, frequenting farmers' markets, taking our little pup to the dog park and sipping iced coffees!  as we spend more time outdoors we come into contact with all sorts of people - friends, neighbors, acquaintances, doggie friends, and also the random people that are not quite nice or respectful.  i guess i should be happy that more often than not, people in our little neighborhood are generally kind, but this weekend we came across a bunch of people at our local park who were disrespectful and (sorry, but) straight-up a-holes.  we were enjoying some time in the park when our space was rudely disrupted by a rather unprofessional yoga photo shoot.  they neither excused themselves nor apologized when we asked for some space, rather responded with disrespectful comments.  

whatever the case may be, i know these kinds of people are the exception and not the norm, but i would hope they would realize at some point, that no matter how important you feel your job is, people's personal space still matters; that practicing common decency and respect  on a daily basis is still a relevant thing!  

in an effort to rid my mind of these folks, i spent the next afternoon breathing deeply and sipping on this soothing and refreshing green juice.   green juices are a favorite around here.  as the weather warms up i usually purchase too many greens to consume during the week.  by week's end there are surely leftovers which make their way into the blender.  today i used microgreens.  i can't get enough of these beauties; i thought their soft leaves and subtle taste would be a satisfying addition to this juice.  i threw in some mint, lemon juice, mango and ginger, all for their therapeutic properties and a nutrient boost!  cheers to you all, friends! xo

microgreen, mint + mango juice for one 

| serves 1 |

i used microgreens here because i had a boat-load of them leftover.  however, you can use any greens of your choice, be it chard, spinach, or kale.  i give directions using a blender, but feel free to use your juicer, just skip the straining step below.

ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mixed microgreens
  • 1 large sprig mint (approx. 6-8 large leaves)
  • 1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
  • a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped rough
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 5-6 coconut water ice cubes (you can also use water ice cubes)

garnish

  • chia seeds
  • extra mint leaves

instructions

  • place all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend for about 1 minute.  for a juice without pulp, pass the juice mixture through a fine mesh sieve over your glass.  garnish with chia seeds and mint, and drink immediately

to your health! enjoy!