Summer Fridays!: Macadamia Ricotta & Black Currant Jam On Toast | V / August 12, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Summer Fridays!: Macadamia Ricotta & Black Currant Jam On Toast | V | dolly and oatmeal

we're embarking on our first "baby class' tonight, although it's more of a partner yoga class for labor and birth. i would lying if i didn't confess that i'm a tad apprehensive. opening up oneself in a vulnerable state is not something that comes easy to me. instead, i prefer to fall apart in safe spaces with the humans that know me best. so, the thought of being in a group, albeit small, and discussing things that are sure to scare the crap out of me is not my idea of a good night. however, i'm super eager to hear a different approach to what i've been reading up on and told by my obgyn. i've found that throughout my pregnancy not one source has been truly correct about one thing or another, but rather, frank and i have really took on this experience and tried to go with the flow and figure things out along the way.

my first trimester was nothing that any book or professional could have prepared us for, it was a scary and lonely time that i'm not sure i'm ready to talk about yet, but nonetheless we got through it and we're better for it. throughout that time we definitely came to appreciate the notion that life happens and you can prepare for things as much as possible, but there are unexpected ups and downs that no one can plan for (just as in non-preganancy life!). as we close in on 5 weeks until this little guy arrives i find myself bopping back and forth between what our post-natal world will look like, how much joy it will bring me seeing frank hold our son, and looking into the face of a teeny human brought to us with every ounce of light and love there is. i'm not sure there's a way to prepare for those feelings, they seem too intense to embrace right now, but we're trying to imagine how it could feel.

one thing i've been coveting the past few months is anything on toast. a few weeks ago i posted this salad on toast. so i wasn't sure this site, or you all, needed another toast "recipe". nevertheless, i came to the conclusion that this cheesy jammy snack was too good not to share! last summer, before babies and other things, frank and i went out to LA to see my brother and his (then girlfriend) fíance. we stopped at one of our favorite spots one morning, sqirl. i had the porridge, frank had their "famed ricotta toast" on brioche with seasonal jam. when i took a bitty bite my tastebuds were so in love. the thick, mushy bread, the creamy and slightly salty ricotta, and that sweet jam. in a matter of seconds all those flavors and textures made so much sense. since then, i've been dreaming of making my own version using the macadamia ricotta from my book. i made the ricotta a bit more friendly to a sweeter dish, taking out the miso and garlic. i used my favorite gluten-free focaccia and made a quick, small-batch black currant jam to go along with it. whether you use a fresh-made jam or your favorite store-bought one, it's sure to be a good day ;)

xoxo!

black currant jam & vegan ricotta on toast

recipe inspired by Sqirl

you can use any jam here. although my favorites are a blackberry, raspberry, or this currant jam. and if you're not sensitive to gluten, use a good brioche or challah bread here.

jam

1 cup black currants
1/4 cup filtered water
2 tablespoons - 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
pinch of salt

ricotta

1 cup raw macadamia nuts, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
8-10 tablespoons filtered water
fine sea salt, to taste
1 loaf gluten-free focaccia (or any , cut into 1-inch slices and toasted

method

make the ricotta. in a high-speed blender, blend the nuts, nutritonal yeast, vinegar, lemon juice, and 8 tablespoons of water on high, scraping down the sides and adding more water until you get a smooth, but fluffy consistency. taste and adjust the salt and/or vinegar and lemon juice. place in the fridge until ready to use. macadamia ricotta can be made in advance and will stay fresh in a lidded container in the refrigerator for 1 week.
make the jam. over medium heat, combine the berries and water in a small heavy-bottomed pot. bring the mixture to a subtle boil and stir for about 5 minutes, until the berries break down, and water reduces a bit. turn heat down to a simmer, then add 2 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt, taste and adjust sweetness, adding more sugar if desired. stir every few seconds until the jam has thickened and water has reduced by half, about 7-8 minutes.
spread toast halves with a good amount of ricotta and jam, and enjoy!

similar recipes:

tomato toast w/ macadamia ricotta & shiso

cilantro & hemp salad on tahini-yogurt toast

miso-tahini avocado toast w/ black sesame gomasio

Golden Sunflower Gazpacho | V / August 10, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Golden Sunflower Gazpacho | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

i try to balance the recipes out on this blog. so when i go to my recipe index and see there's a void, where in other categories there's not, i try to remedy it. the soup category, despite me loving and making it year round, inevitably gets neglected. most times when i make a soup i'm just throwing together what i have leftover in the fridge, or something i have too much of. generally, it's not a full baked concept, but more an off-the-cuff idea. i also tend to keep the ingredients to a minimum. so, depending on the season, some sort of allium is sautéed with garlic, then there's the star veg, some herbs and/or spices; and lastly, a creamy element: tahini paste, coconut yogurt, soaked seeds/nuts, or a good full-fat coconut milk. there are usually less than 10 ingredients involved and not much work, mostly just standing around a pot stirring, and then the final blend. i think this is where my brain comes in and says, this recipe is too basic to post!

but today i'm not listening to my brain because my mouth is way happy with this gazpacho not to share it! it's full of the golden-hued beauty that makes up late summer: sweet corn, yellow & sungold tomatoes. i've combined these two before, but to make it all a bit thicker and creamier, i added some soaked sunflower seeds which transformed a generally thin, runny gazpacho into a more full-bodied and substantial gazpacho, which clearly, i'm all about today! it makes all the difference between a gazpacho that can sometimes taste like a purified salad, and a cool, creamy summer soup.

wishing you all a bright summer week! xo

golden sunflower gazpacho | v

| makes 4 servings |

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked for at least 4 hours
1 1/2 pounds yellow or sungold tomatoes (or a combination of both)
3 ears fresh corn (about 2 cups)
1 small onion (about 3/4 cup), diced
1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt & fresh pepper, to taste

toppings:

unsweetened coconut yogurt
fresh cilantro leaves
toasted sunflower seeds
nasturtium flowers
fresh pepper

method

drain and rinse the sunflower seeds and set them aside.
core the tomatoes and place in the container of a high-speed blender (if you're using sungolds there is no need to core them). cut the kernels away from each corn cob, and place in the blender as well. to the blender add, the onion, garlic, vinegar, oil, sunflower seeds, and salt and pepper to taste. blend on high for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides as you go until you get a silky smooth consistency. taste and adjust the salt and/or vinegar.
refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
serve chilled with a dollop of yogurt, toasted sunflower seeds, cilantro, and a nasturtium bloom (optional).

enjoy!

similar recipes:

creamy broccoli rabe soup w/ yogurt & crispy quinoa

Summer Fridays!: Breakfast-y Blueberry Chocolate Chip Cookies / August 5, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Summer Fridays!: Breakfast-y Blueberry Chocolate Chip Cookies | dolly and oatmeal #glutenfree

we just got back from dog/house-sitting for my parents. and even though we weren't technically on a vacation it was good to be away from the city and breath fresh air! but now that we're home, i feel like i'm in full-on baby mode. i've been cleaning out stacks of magazines, sifting through the kitchen cabinets of baking pans, odd spices, and glassware trying to make space for all things baby - bottles and whatever other storage we will likely need. we're getting ready to put together the rocking chair and crib my in-laws so graciously gifted us. so i think that will set the motions that all this is really happening! and like most stressful situations - pregnant or not - the next couple of weeks will likely call for cookies.

i don't know about you, but against all my good judgement, i love a good cookie/sweet in the morning. i usually pick up one gluten-free/vegan cookie at the supermarket every so often, but naturally the sugar goes right to my head. so, my goal here was to make a balanced cookie, one that is all the things i love in a good chocolate chip cookie, but with enough good-for-you ingredients to make a respectable breakfast-y cookie. after a few attempts, i found the right balance of healthy fat to leave you feeling good after a breakfast nibble. so you'll find a mix of pecans and almonds ground into a meal, and mixed together with oat flour. there's also a good amount of coconut oil that's creamed together with coconut sugar which sweetens these cookies while also keeping the glycemic index down. and lastly, the dark chocolate and blueberries are a favorite combo of mine, and i think you'll love them together here jumbled up in a delicious cookie!

*also, there's still time to enter into this cookbook and chicago cutlery giveaway if you haven't done so already ;)

love & cookies!

breakfast-y blueberry chocolate chip cookies | gf & df

feel free to substitute your favorite berry here, raspberries would be super, as well as currants - i'm thinking the tartness would play off the chocolate in an awesome way. you could just as easily forgo any fruit and have yourself a really good chocolate chip cookie - however, it might take away from the cookie's breakfast-y vibe ;)

| makes 26 cookies |

1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw pecans
1 cup (gluten-free) oat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon unrefined extra-virgin coconut oil, soft
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

method

preheat the oven to 350° and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
in a blender or food processor, pulse the almonds and pecans into a "meal". in a large bowl whisk together the nut meal, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.
in another large bowl, use a wooden spoon to cream the sugar and coconut oil together, then mix in the egg and vanilla,
in about 3 applications, add the dry mix to the wet and mix to combine. fold in the chocolate, then gently fold in the blueberries.
drop dough by the tablespoon, about 2-inches apart, onto the prepared cookie sheets. then place in the freezer or refrigerator for 10 minutes.
bake 10-13 minutes, until edges are light brown. place on a rack and let cookies cool before serving.

enjoy!