maple blue-barb jam w/ lemon verbena /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

it's a short, spontaneous post today but it involves about 5 ingredients and 30 minutes of your time - it's blueberry-rhubarb jam y'all!  my mom still has a massive amount of rhubarb in her garden and each time i visit my parents i have a hard time not coming home with some garden goods.  this time, it was rhubarb and lemon verbena because her garden is growing copious amounts of both!  i was inspired by yossy's combination of berries with her beautiful raspberry rhubarb pie (did you see the beautiful video that goes along with it!?), but thought that blueberries, rhubarb and lemon verbena would be be better suited for each other.  all-in-all, it's a tart, sweet, maple-y mouthful! and i'm super jazzed to share a few recipes that highlight this little batch o' jam next week!

from my rain-filled, moody day to yours, have a beautiful weekend! xo

maple blue-barb jam

| makes approx. 1 1/2 cups or 12 ounces |

ingredients

  • 6 ounces rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into 1/4" pieces (2-3 stalks, depending on size)
  • 6 ounces organic blueberries
  • 1/2 cup grade A maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 6-7 sprigs lemon verbena (optional, you could also use lemon thyme or perhaps lemon basil if you can't find/don't have the verbena)

directions

  • combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  as the syrup and fruit begin to warm up, use a wooden spoon to mash them a bit.  bring to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until liquid reduces and the jam starts to thicken.  remove from heat and let cool
  • carefully pour jam into a 12-ounce  lidded jar, allow to cool completely before storing in the fridge
  • jam can be kept in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks 

enjoy!

raw cauliflower couscous w/ cherries + a sumac-lemon vinaigrette /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

the month of june always brings about the anticipation of summer, and undoubtably the nostalgia of the summer months.  i see the anticipation of summer on children's faces, adults too, but there's something about the significance and care-free quality that summer holds for the kid in us.  for me, it was going to the pool, taking vacations with my family up to martha's vineyard, building sand castles, staying up late with my brother and the neighborhood kids to play hide-and-seek.  adventure and excitement were everyday occurrences, for you didn't know if a thundershower would envelope you with its downpour, or if your friend would get their hands on a bunch of water guns and balloons and there would be a spur-of-the-moment water fight.  bbq's, hamburger and hotdogs, watermelon, and ICE CREAM - hello carvel and ben and jerry's! while i still dream about super-soakers, sandcastles and sweet, cold food items that melt in your mouth, i also dream about tending to my garden, sowing seeds and watching them grow, and seeing how happy the warm weather makes our pup!  

another thing i loved as a kid was couscous - near east brand was my jam, especially the garlic and olive oil flavor!  it was always an easy dish to make on the stovetop for the times i would prepare dinner for myself. but, this time around it's  a raw, cauliflower version with sweet (first-of-the-season!) cherries, a ton of herbs and a super tangy vinaigrette to counter the sweet and earthy flavors going on here.  i see this dish being in heavy rotation in the coming months - there's seriously nothing like NOT turning on the oven to make our apartment even warmer than it already can get in the summer!  happy june, ya'll! xo

raw cauliflower couscous w/ cherries + a sumac-lemon vinaigrette

| serves 4 as a side |

ingredients

  • 3 cups cauliflower (about half of a large head)
  • 1/2 cup cherries, stoned and cut in quarters
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely minced
  • a big handful fresh peas, shelled and blanched (frozen peas work just as well, but cook according to package directions)
  • 2 tablespoons capers, roughly chopped
  • 4 small leeks, sliced thin

sumac-lemon vinaigrette

  • juice from 1 large lemon (about 1/4 cup)
  • 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sumac
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • salt + pepper

instructions

make the vinaigrette

  • to a small bowl, add lemon juice, salt, fresh ground pepper, sumac and garlic; stir to dissolve the salt, taste and adjust if needed.  vigorously whisk in, a little at a time the olive oil and taste as you go
  • refrigerate until ready to use

assemble the couscous

  • cut the cauliflower head in half, then cut florets into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until you are left with a fine crumble.  place the crumbled cauliflower in a large serving bowl and season with salt and pepper 
  • add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.  add dressing as desired and adjust seasoning if need be

enjoy!

strawberry-oat cacao muffins (gluten + dairy free) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

as warmer weather makes its way to us, so do the hordes of people seeking a place to eat weekend brunch.  weekends in the city were always a respite for me growing up - all the cool kids left to go out east to the hamptons, and the city and i were left alone to play, explore and inevitably get lost.   the opposite is true now - weekends are reserved for road trips outside the city's perimeters, to explore other places - for finding peace by the shore, and for spending the kind of time with people that isn't rushed by life's chores. i've been enjoying my time in the car, a place of respite from all the noise that's out there; a space i don't have to share with anyone and something that's able to take me where i want to go - whether it's the next neighborhood over or across the country. frank and i have been discussing, with some trepidation, whether we want to live here versus some sort of suburb.  we're both pretty confident that staying in the city - more specifically our brooklyn neighborhood by the water - is something we want for the long-term.  the question of money always comes into play, a common theme when you talk about new york real estate (or purchasing any real estate i suppose).  almost automatically shit gets real when you're faced with how much money has been spent on rent, or how much will be spent in the future (down payments, mortgages...oy!). and then, instantaneously *POOF* you become a grown-up about the whole situation, being all practical and responsible.  but, in the meantime, we're content in our 2nd floor apartment that gets natural light only in the spring and summer, that has old squeaky floors and a fire escape large enough for growing a wee garden; that we wake up to the sound of buoys in new york harbor on quiet mornings, and hear ship horns blowing in the fog.  

speaking of warm weather, i'm getting a tad stoked about all the summer fruit that's going to be available soon!  there's little more that i like doing than cramming as much fresh, fruity goodness into a baked good. so today we're stuffing these chocolatey muffins with as much strawberries as they can handle.  therefore, we're calling them "healthy" because they've got strawberries and raw cacao powder in them - two powerhouse antioxidants!  speaking of antioxidants and baked goods, melissa, from the faux martha, had me dying the other day when she referred to her cacao nib scones as protein antioxidant scones - a title reserved for days when she's feeling guilty about them - i'm totally with this smart lady!  speaking of "healthy" my girl edlyn, over at egeedee, posted this drool-worthy spring-y socca with a walnut pesto! and this rye bread frittata by phi, from princess tofu, is super stunning!  also! you can't post a muffin recipe without including a classic dusty muffin skit!  cheers, all!

strawberry-oat cacao muffins (gluten + dairy free)

| makes 12 muffins |

ingredients

  • 3/4 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/2 cup oat flour
  • 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup raw cacao powder 
  • 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 large free-range eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil or olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 pound fresh strawberries, cut into small chunks

instructions

  • preheat oven to 350° and line a muffin tin with 10 liners
  • in a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients with a whisk.  in another large bowl, combine the coconut milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla; add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined
  • using a tablespoon measure, fill the muffin liners up about half way; distribute strawberry chunks and cover with remaining batter (batter should reach 3/4 of the way up the muffin liner).  top each muffin with leftover strawberry chunks
  • transfer muffins to oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean
  • transfer muffin tin to a rack; allow to cool 20 minutes, then remove muffins and allow them to cool completely 
  • muffins can be stored at room temp. in an airtight container for 3-4 days 

enjoy!