asparagus, pea + broccoli rabe sauté over a chickpea + chive mash /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

it feels like it wasn't even that long ago we were still bundling up just walk outside, but these past few weeks there's been a break in the cold.  i've planted some sprouts on my fire escape, and frank's allergies have returned with a vengeance.  this new season all seems so fresh, yet we're already looking at summer and realizing we need to make plans before it gets away from us.  last year around this time frank and i were in a bit of a wedding prep daze; where our mornings, nights, and weekends were filled with runs here or there, creating invites, and even bagging coffee.  this year we're looking forward to a change, to get away, and enjoy our summer and see some family.  we're making plans to take a road trip down to frank's family in north carolina, and introduce our little pup to his family; as well as realizing a long awaited trip to LA to see my bro and sis-in-law, and meet their 2 furry, four-legged children.  we're also stoked to have the time this summer to just chill out and do what comes our way - sometimes the best things in life happen when they're not planned at all!   

much like chilling out and taking things as they come, this dish is a lot like that.  on most sunday evenings you can find me cooking up a big heap of veggies, be it leftover ramp greens with spring onions and chard or kale, asparagus or green beans - it all goes in the skillet with olive oil, lemon, salt + pepper, for a light sauté.  it's usually coupled with black rice or quinoa, all topped off with a bog dollop of hummus.  i stir it altogether and make a big mess of it.  here, i chose to restrain the messiness, and also highlight the chickpeas, but in a mashed form as opposed to the ubiquitous hummus purée.  the veggies were chosen according to what was at the market that day - but can certainly be swapped for what's available to you. this dish is totally light and springy, but has the depth and heartiness for a substantial meal.  

asparagus, pea + broccoli rabe sauté over a chickpea + chive mash (gf + v)

chickpea + chive mash inspired by Food & Wine Magazine, May 2014

| serves 4 as a side, 2 for a meal |

ingredients

  • 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed and cut into 1-2" pieces
  • 1/2 cup fresh peas, (frozen are good too!)
  • 1 bunch broccoli rabe, stems trimmed
  • half of a serrano pepper, minced (i kept the seeds in for more heat) (you could also use a jalepeno or habanero pepper)
  • 4-5 green onions, trimmed and sliced thin
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • salt + pepper to taste
  • extra virgin olive oil, for cooking

chive-chickpea mash

  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas
  • 1/4 cup fresh chives
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3-4 tablespoons water
  • salt + pepper to taste

instructions

chickpea + chive mash

  • place half of the cooked chickpeas, chives, garlic, lemon juice, oil and salt + pepper in a food processor.  while running, drizzle water until you get a thick puree. taste, and adjust seasoning if needed.  add the remaining chickpeas and pulse to break them up a bit
  • transfer the mash to a saucepan over medium heat, let it warm up for about 5 minutes

sauté

  • heat a large skillet over medium heat, coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil (about 1 1/2 teaspoons).  add onions and minced chili pepper, cook while stirring every few seconds for about 30 seconds - until fragrant. add asparagus and peas, cook for about 2 minutes (i cooked them long enough so they weren't raw, but not too long that they lost their bite.  (if not using super fresh produce you may need to cook a little longer - just taste along the way), then add broccoli rabe and lemon juice, cook until wilted and liquid has reduced a bit - about 2 minutes.  remove from heat
  • serve the chive-chickpea mash individually; using tongs, top with a big heap of the sautéed vegetables 

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!

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!