Mostly Veggie Chocolate Smoothie / April 5, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Mostly Veggie Chocolate Smoothie | dolly and oatmeal

hey guys. sorry it's been a couple weeks since checking in here. life has been busy with my little 27-inch baby who just turned 6 months old, and has two. tiny. teeth!!! amesy/all of us went through a little rough patch back a couple weeks ago. he began waking up for the day around 3:30am, was wasn't taking his regular naps, and was just generally unhappy. poor bb. during one of his sweet crying fits i noticed a teeny tiny tooth bud! so, extreme sleep deprivation aside, we were happy to know what the cause of his discomfort was, and that hopefully it would pass quickly for him. i'm happy to report, that he's in much better spirits the past few days and we're all getting steady sleep. so here's hoping i can be a bit more present in this space.

on another note, let's talk smoothies. some people call it a trend, but replacing fruit in your smoothies with veggies is definitely worth the hype in my book. while on my cleanse a few weeks ago, i had to give up bananas as they maintain that they're high in sugar and starch. but pre-cleanse i would add a banana into my daily smoothie. and while i never felt terrible from them, i did notice during the cleanse process that my banana-less smoothies didn't give me that heavy, glut feeling which was super enlightening. i first experimented with replacing the bananas with concoctions of cauliflower, avocado, sometimes zucchini, sweet potatoes, and small portions of berries.

about a half week into cleansing i desperately needed something chocolatey. i experimented for a day or two and came up with this version of a (almost fruitless) chocolate smoothie. it completely sated that chocolate craving, while also being super nourishing, and i was completely hooked on it. i generally make this in the morning, as the carbs in the sweet potato and dates provide a great baseline to get your day started with the energy that your body demands. dates actually have more potassium than bananas and are known to be easier to digest. getting extra veggies in is something i am always striving for especially when you have zero time to prepare food. it's rounded out with some creamy, healthy fats making it the perfect velvety smoothie. this is a pretty loaded smoothie and therefore i would say it's definitely a meal. it has way too many calories and carbs to be a snack-y smoothie ;)

xo!

mostly veggie chocolate smoothie | v

i love this smoothie as is, but for more of a chocolate chocolate chip vibe, add up to 1/2 tablespoon of cacao nibs during the last 10 seconds of blending. for better digestion, i suggest steaming your cauliflower and sweet potato, then freezing it. but i have also just blended them up frozen (not steamed) as well. generally add 1/8 of an avocado to my smoothies for a creamy quality, but for an even creamier vibe you can add 1/4 of one. lastly, feel free to add whatever herbs or oils you choose. personally, i'm an ashwaghanda, reishi, mct oil kind of girl, but add what makes you feel good :)

| makes 1 serving |

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup filtered water
1/2 heaping cup frozen cauliflower
1/2 heaping cup frozen sweet potato
1/8-1/4 avocado
1 scoop vanilla or chocolate protein powder
handful baby spinach
3 soft pitted dates
3 tablespoons raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons cashew butter

method

add all the ingredients to a high speed blender (preferably a vitamix) and blend starting on low and working your way up to high, using tamper as needed.
pour into a large glass or bowl and top with extra cacao powder and shredded coconut.

Almond-Cashew & Chia Balance Balls / March 22, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Almond-Cashew & Chia Balance Balls | dolly and oatmeal

happy spring, friends! i've been looking forward to saying that since basically november, and it's finally here (even though the temperature outside and sloooowly melting snow may tell a different story)! spring has a way of having seemingly endless boundaries. the days seem a bit more easy-breezy and free, since there aren't the confines of it getting dark at 5pm. and the notion of a revived sense of being. we have had little suggestions of green buds appearing on the raspberry and elderflower bushes that i planted last year which i'm sure are thoroughly confused since we had an 8-inch dump of snow last week. i have little garlic and chive shoots popping up as well and it's giving me all the hope that the warmth is coming!

i'm not sure if this winter hit me as hard as it did because we had a baby and i essentially felt stuck inside most days. and even though i made it a mission to take walks when it was freezing, those feelings felt quite suffocating at times. so the impending spring weather is feeling like a release more than anything at this point, which i'm so grateful for.

it seems as though spring growth has cast its spell on our amesy as well. at times he seems like is a completely different baby from just 2 months ago. his curious streak is continuing with trying to grab our breakfast, put his hands in my lunch bowls, and swing, swat, and snatch anything that comes into his purview. he's a totally wild soul and i cannot get enough of him exploring his environment and taking in his little world.

a couple weeks ago when i was still mid-cleanse, i needed something chocolatey, also something cookie-like. while these balls are completely "grain-free" and made from primarily nuts and seeds, they taste like cookie dough! they're slightly sweetened with a few dates and vanilla, but they have that little bite of salt at the end like a good cookie. i love that there's no sugar high or low, nor is there any nonsense, just straight up nourishing, good-for-your-body/soul healthy fats! there are some powdery potions in the mix as well if you're wanting that extra self-love care, if not, no worries, they'll be just as yummy :)

cheers to spring!!! xo

almond-cashew & chia balance balls | v & gf

| makes about 16 balls |

1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw cashews
1 1/2 teaspoons chia seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons maca powder
1/2 teaspoon ashwagandha (optional)
1/2 teaspoon reishi (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 soft pitted dates
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
cacao powder, for dusting
crushed dried flowers, for garnish

chocolate shell

1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 tablespoon coconut nectar (or maple syrup)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

method

in a food processor fitted with a metal "s" blade, pulse the almonds, cashews, chia seeds, maca, ashwagandha (if using), reishi (if using), and salt until the nuts are finely ground into what looks sand-like. then add the dates and pulse until they are broken down and incorporated. next, add the vanilla and coconut oil and pulse until the mixture comes together in a loose ball. transfer the mix to shallow bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture is stiff, about 20-30 minutes.
line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. use a 1/2 tablespoon measure to form about 16 balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. freeze for 15 minutes.
while the balls are freezing, make the chocolate shell. in a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients together until smooth and set aside.
dip the tops of the balls into the chocolate then place them back onto the baking sheet and freeze for another 30 minutes, until balls are frozen through.
store the balance balls in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

similar recipes:

no-bake peanut butter & cacao nib cereal bars

Plant-Powered Protein Pancakes / March 15, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Plant-Powered Protein Pancakes w/ Passion Fruit | dolly and oatmeal

hey, hey! i just completed my 3-week cleanse/elimination diet this past sunday, and i couldn't be more thrilled about how i'm feeling, but also that it's now over! it was somewhat of rollercoaster being that our little one went through/is still going through some sort of sleep regression (??) - again! (gosh, i hope it passes soon!) but overall i came out of these 21 days with a bit more clarity, which, whatever you're doing in life, i think is always a good thing. overall, it informed me that our bodies are capable. period. that given the capacity, our bodies are ready and able to adapt - to let you know what's working, and what's not.

seriously though, the only hard thing about being on somewhat of a strict diet for the past few weeks was not making and eating everything in laura's new, amazing cookbook! i'm sure i'm preaching to the choir, but her book is nothing short of totally lovely. i've been such a fan of the first mess blog for quite a while. it was one of the first blogs i reached for when i had changed my diet and was hunting for answers/inspiration/help. much like the best things in life, her blog has a way of luring you in, sweeping you up, gently encouraging you to try something new.

her book is only an extention of that - deeply nourishing both visually and substantively. laura's flavor combinations, kitchen techniques, her wildly ingenious recipes, and her stunning photography all ooze with inspiration. even when it's something as simple as a tea latte, laura has this way of making it special, and making it something you want to share in with others. there's also something to be said about a good recipe title, and laura's are enticing, yet cheeky, like: thai-ish cabbage salad, go-to kale salad with "master cleanse" dressing, lazy steel cut oatmeal, a casually specific green smoothie, and homemade popcorn with magic dust. maybe it's just me, but recipes with "casually specific" titles speak to me ;)

i made these plant-powered pancakes a few times, and (not surprisingly) they're aces. i'm not going to lie, i'm always on the lookout for an easy, lady-with-a-baby-recipe (i.e. anything involving little cleanup and a short cook time). and these pancakes are a one-bowl (blender container) situation, and are quick to make, which checks all the boxes. plus, the recipe calls to make 2 huge pancakes, instead of a few little ones, and i'm not sure why i never thought to do that! the pancakes are squidgy and earthy, and hearty, but light. i topped them with almond milk yogurt, some tart passion fruit, and drizzled it all with coconut nectar. you can really do no wrong with one of laura's recipes, so i would nudge you to go out and buy this book!

congrats, laura. this book is a gem.

here's to longer days, and the eventual pops of spring! xo

plant-powered protein pancakes | v & gf

| serves 2 |

1/4 cup certified gluten-free rolled oats (not quick-cooking oats)
1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons hulled hemp seeds
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, or to taste
virgin coconut oil, for cooking

for serving

chopped fresh fruit
nut or seed butter
pure maple syrup

method

place the rolled oats, buckwheat groats, chia seeds, and hemp seeds in a high-speed blender. cover with the boiling water. place the lid on the blender and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
set a medium pan over medium-low heat.
after 5 minutes, add the applesauce, baking powder, vanilla, sea salt, and maple syrup to the blender. whiz the blender on high until you have a relatively smooth, pancake-like batter. you'll still see little flecks of chia and this is okay.
lightly oil the saute pan and pour in half of the pancake batter. spread the batter with a spatula. let the pancake cook for a good 2 minutes on one side, or until the edges of the pancakes dry and the underside is quite browned. carefully flip the pancake over and cook for another full minute. repeat this process with the remaining half of the batter.
serve the pancakes with fresh fruit, nut or seed butter, and maple syrup if you like.