Celebrating Earth: Spring Scenes From My Garden /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i have vivid memories of my elementary school lunches.  i'm not sure if my mom would religiously pack me my meal because she enjoyed the process, or if she didn't like the idea of me eating cafeteria lunch. regardless of how busy my mom would be, she took her packing job seriously.  sometimes there would be a note inside, other times she would buy the reusable, environmentally friendly bags, or she would pack me a brown bag lunch and draw floral designs with my name somewhere in the mix.  it was the early nineties, so the environmental craze was just starting - our school had just begun equipping each classroom with the blue recycle pales, and we were only beginning to understand what pollution was, and what it meant.  so when i would walk into the cafeteria with my vinyl, neon blue (environmentally friendly) lunch bag with an earth patch on it, i would get sometimes get a few stares and teased a bit.   needless to say, i begged my mom to stop sending me to school with that lunch bag, despite the fact that i knew that using it was the right thing to do.

i think early on that notion of doing small things lent itself to the bigger picture which was engrained in me pretty early on.  my dad was (and still is) a super nerd when it came to recycling just about anything and everything.  we kept a compost pile under an enormous pine tree in our yard, that at the time i thought was smelly and gross, but only when i got older was able to understand and appreciate its significance. presently, i do my small part each day (and let's face it, i could always do more), but keeping a garden where i see life thrive, and butterflies rest, and bees pollinate makes my small backyard garden filled with cycles of life.  i try to take care in whatever way i can - big or small.  as part of this year's observance of earth day, i've teamed up my pals at Naked Juice to sow some seeds, plant some baby kale, and enjoy their Kale Blazer juice which is bottled in 100% post-recycled renewable bottles, minimizing waste along the way - something i can always get behind!

all the green hugs!   

*this post was created in partnership with Naked Juice.  all opinions, as always, are my own.  thank you for supporting dolly and oatmeal's sponsors! 

Roasted Strawberry & Vanilla Pepita Yogurt (v) /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i'm usually not the one to jump the gun when it comes to spring fruit.  i can wait long enough to find fresh picked strawberries at the market, on a roadside vendor out east on long island, or pick up some local ones at my neighborhood grocer.  this winter, albeit mild, was a somewhat brutal one, and reaching for non-local, non-seasonal fruit was my go-to.  strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, kiwi, and mango have been comforting and soothing to me, so as the weather has been warming i've been even more eager for the future fruits to come.

i usually throw out-of-season, tart berries into smoothies or juices, but i've also been roasting them in the oven with aromatic, unrefined coconut oil, and a bit of maple syrup for sweetness. they roast up just long enough for their juices to mix with the oil and syrup, and for the strawberries to melt and soften before any caramelizing action happens.  the juices, and warm, melty strawberries are my favorite to pair with yogurt - the flavors together remind me of my childhood strawberry yogurt snack i would have everyday when i'd come home from school.  so this version is perhaps a little more fancy, and in my opinion a bit more luxurious.  for crunch, there's a good helping of Kashi GOLEAN Vanilla Pepita Clusters that make this breakfast/snack/treat come together so nicely.  the cereal includes red beans, millet, yellow peas, and popped sorghum (!) in its ingredients which add flavor, texture, and added nourishment to this bowl.

on another note, the winners of my cookbook giveaway last week have been chosen, and an email was sent to the 2 winners.  thank you all for your comments and support it's made this all so special! xo

this post was created in partnership with Kashi.  all opinions, as always, are my own.  thank you for supporting dolly and oatmeal's sponsors! 

roasted strawberry & vanilla pepita yogurt | v + gf

i use unsweetened cultured coconut yogurt, but a vanilla flavor would also work nicely as well.  the preparation of the strawberries would also lend itself well to any type of berry, just adjust the cook time for more delicate berries.

roasted strawberries

| makes about 6 servings |

  • 1 lb. (16 oz.) strawberries, halved
  • 2 tablespoons unrefined virgin coconut oil, melted
  • 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
  • pinch of salt

yogurt bowls

  • roughly 1/4 cup roasted strawberries
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt
  • 1/2 cup Kashi GOLEAN Vanilla Pepita Clusters, or granola 

method

  1. preheat oven to 350°F.  toss together the strawberries, coconut oil, maple syrup, and pinch of salt in an oven safe baking dish, and arrange the berries in a single layer.  bake in the middle of your oven for 15-18 minutes, until strawberries are soft and tender and edges are slightly browned.  set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
  2. place yogurt in a bowl, top with strawberries and vanilla pepita clusters.

enjoy!

similar recipes:

cardamom toasted millet breakfast bowl w/ summer blackberry compote

cardamom toasted millet breakfast bowl w/ summer blackberry compote

superfood granola w/ homemade almond-macadamia milk

superfood granola w/ homemade almond-macadamia milk

breakfast quinoa flakes w/ stewed blackberries and basil flowers

breakfast quinoa flakes w/ stewed blackberries and basil flowers

Chickpea Flour Does It All Cookbook Release + A Giveaway! /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

when i was in college studying history friends would ask me what i wanted to do with my degree when i graduated.  i envisioned myself getting a higher degree, whether that was a master's or doctorate, teaching at the college level, and maybe locking myself in a quiet room for years to flesh out my senior thesis into a book.  history, particularly early american immigration forever fascinated me - what drove people to leave their home, their family, to come to a foreign place and start anew. the spirit of exploration, of pushing one's self, of getting out of your comfort zone has simultaneously scared the shit out of me, while also leaving me wildly fascinated.  when i left teaching to blog and freelance full-time, i had that similar feeling. i was approached to write a book and knew that i wouldn't have the time to both teach and write.  i made the decision to take a leap and see where it lead me.  so that notion of not really feeling the floor below my feet, although knowing it really was there if i were to fall, was something i had to keep reminding myself of.  it's been such a gratifying journey, and i'm so excited to share that today is the day that Chickpea Flour Does It All is officially released!

you can grab a copy at any of the following outlets: amazon | barnes & noble | indie bound | workman.com

it's been so fun looking at the #ChickpeaFlourDoesItAll hashtag on social media - seeing the arrival of the book, how people are cooking from it, or what recipe you're excited to try first!  so, if you can, i would love it if you could tag your photos if you make a recipe:)  thank you all so much for your continued support and enthusiasm!  

and with that, i'm running a *giveaway*.  2 winners will receive a copy of the book, plus a bag of chickpea flour to get your started :)  please leave a comment below with a working email address.  giveaway closes at 5pm EST on April, 12, and is open to everyone, anywhere!  good luck, y'all! **GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED, thank you for participating!

infinite xo's! 

some recipe and book links:

the washington post wrote a feature about the book here

instyle,com  featured the recipe for my chocolate banana bread.  it's seriously one of my favorites from the book, and favorite renditions of banana bread in general!

i did an interview with epicurious where we chatted about chickpea flour! among many things, we discussed its amazing binding properties, how it's a great cheese and dairy substitute, and why it's gaining notoriety even in the non-gluten-free world :) 

13 healthy cookbooks that MindBodyGreen is looking forward to! 

i shared my chickpea flour and quinoa falafel recipe over on Food52, and also showed how you can repurpose it throughout the week. 

nina, from the gorgeous blog, nourish atelier, made the sautéed pear and sage pancakes from the book, but with bananas and cacao nibs! plus, i chat with nina about life, diet, and chickpea flour does it all!