A Dinosaur Cake For Amesy's 1st Birthday! / October 5, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

baby-friendly dinosaur "smash" cake | dolly and oatmeal

we celebrated amesy's 1st with confetti balloons, a little taco and guac spread, our dear family, a couple of birthday portraits, and some dinosaur cake! i had planned his birthday a bit more elaborately in my head months back. but it turns out all he needed was some balloons, tickles and love from his fam, and some smash-friendly cake. i know i mentioned that i was going to try and make his cake in the shape of an actual dinosaur. clearly that didn't happen. because as it turns out, i'm not a magician, nor am i that talented in the cake decorating/intricate icing department. i'm reaaaaally good at complicating situations so i took a step back from the endless cake scenarios playing out in my mind and thought about ames, and what he might like. he's a pretty easy going babe, so a simple, easy-peasy mini cake, some cookie "dirt", and a plastic dinosaur on top was going to be perfect for him. i'm not sure whether he enjoyed the happy birthday song, the smashing part, or the actual eating of the cake more, but he definitely had fun at his little party :)

at one point when frank and i were setting up amesy's party, i was kind of struck with this profound parent-y feeling. i've been at parties, helped set them up, thrown shindigs for friends, etc. but it was different and so, so special making a little party for him that it kind of surprised me a bit by how much it struck me. i didn't think being a mom would change in any way. and to a certain degree i'm exactly who i was, but being a mama to ames is the very best feeling i've ever felt and could ever feel. it's similar to how i would feel every christmas morning when i was a kid, i'm just so excited to spend the day with him and see how he takes in his young world.

anywho, let's talk cake. this baby cake is grain free and a made with almond and cassava flour. it's sweetened with banana puree, some coconut sugar (which is completely refined sugar free), and a few drops of stevia. the frosting/whip is just straight up coconut fat from a can of refrigerated coconut milk with a few drops of stevia (not that i think he would have noticed if it weren't sweetened). i chose the ingredients carefully here because i wanted it to be cakey and enjoyable as a sweet treat for ames, but i also didn't want his blood sugar sky-rocketing out of control. and judging by amesy's reaction, i think i found a really great balance of both with this cake. yay! and it's even good for adults too! my dad and brother ate their fair share ;)

peace & love. xo!

baby-friendly dinosaur "smash" cake | gf/df/grain free/refined sugar free

i know cassava flour is hard to come by in some areas, and quite expensive. while i haven't tried it, arrowroot powder would probably make a great substitute.

| makes one 3-tiered, 3-inch layer cake |

1 1/4 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cassava flour
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup banana puree (roughly 2 bananas)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, room temp
1/2 cup liquid coconut oil
2 pasture raised eggs, room temp
4-6 drops liquid stevia
1 cup ground chocolate cookies (i like these or a homemade version), for "dirt"
dinosaur figurines

frosting

1 can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated for at least 24 hours
4 drops liquid stevia

adult-friendly chocolate dinosaur cake

this recipe, substituting the olive oil for coconut oil

frosting

1 cup non-hydrogenated palm shortening
1 cup powdered coconut sugar (i followed ashlae's recipe here, and used 1 cup coconut sugar, and 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder)
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

method

preheat oven to 350°F, and grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with at least 2-inch sides.
in a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cassava flour, coconut sugar, cacao, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
in another large bowl, whisk together the banana puree, milk, oil, eggs, and stevia.
mix the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until combined. pour the batter into the cake pan tilting it to get the batter evenly dispersed. bake in the center of your oven for 30-35 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick come out clean.
place the cake on a rack to cool. once the cake is completely cool invert it onto a piece of cling wrap. refrigerate the cake for at least 5 hours, or overnight.
use a 3-inch round biscuit cutter to cut three layers out of the cake. (there will be quite a bit of cake remnants. i used small cookie cutters to make bite-size cakes for amesy's cousin and other guests.)
make the coconut whip. turn the coconut milk can upside down and open it from the bottom. pour out the coconut water (you can reserve it for smoothies, etc.) and scoop the coconut fat from the can into a bowl. using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix the whip until it's fluffy. add the stevia and mix again. cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.
use an offset spatula to frost the top of one cake layer, add the other top and add the same amount of coconut whip, add the last layer and frost the top and sides with a thin layer of whip. refrigerate for roughly 30 minutes, and then frost with another layer (a second layer isn't totally essential, but because the cake is chocolate, the coconut whip will turn slightly brown with one layer if it's sitting long enough.) add cookie crumbs to the bottom of the cake and little on top. plop a dinosaur on top, and let the smashing begin.
large chocolate dinosaur cake
follow the method here, but instead of using a bundt pan, grease and line two. 6-inch round cake pans, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
bake the layers until the a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, about 35-38 minutes. let the layers cool completely. wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.
make the frosting. add the shortening to a large bowl. sift in the powdered coconut sugar and cacao; add the vanilla and milk. mix together using an electric mixer on medium low until the frosting is fluffy and creamy.
frost the top of one layer, then place the other layer on top. frost the tops and sides with a thin layer to coat it. refrigerate for 30 minutes, then frost the top and sides again in a final, thicker layer. add the cookie crumbs to the bottom of the cake, and make little mounds on top of the cake. decorate with dinosaurs, and slice and serve the cake.

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A Simple Plum & Hazelnut Torte / September 20, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

A Simple Plum & Hazelnut Torte | dolly and oatmeal

it's a funny thing when your seemingly teeny baby can walk all of a sudden. when you hear the gentle (or sometimes not so gentle) thud of his little feel behind you. it's one of those moments that's quite ordinary, but unbelievably marvelous. amesy's first birthday is next week, and while we're just having a small family gathering, i'm trying to make sure every moment counts and every detail is thought through. i know he won't remember, so maybe this is more of my own stuff, but i want every minute of that day to be special.

frank and i have found ourselves reminiscing a lot about where we were at last year. how crazy it is to think of life before ames. how our days looked. and what we thought being a parent would even look like. i've been annoyingly poking frank to look at my iphone pictures each day to show him photos of last year - before baby, before a move to LA, before a lot of things. it's a sweet reminder that life happens fast, and to be gratful each day - even the difficult ones ;)

this little torte is a quick end-of-summer, beginning-of-fall dessert, and perfect for celebrating a sweet new year. we're hosting our first rosh hashanah on saturday, so i'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and underprepared. i'm planning on roasting a chicken or two, roasting all the veggies, making a slaw-ish apple salad, this challah (for my family to nibble on), these macaroons, and the plum torte here :) let's see if i can pull it off...

this torte is loosely based on marian burros's acclaimed plum torte from the new york times and bon appetit's italian plum and almond cake. it's delicate and simple, and has really great nutty fragrance from the ground hazelnuts, which i love. plus, it all comes together in less than an hour - an ideal dessert situation :)

shana tova to all who celebrate! xo

a simple plum & hazelnut torte | gf & df

this torte can also be made in a 9-inch pan, just make sure to adjust the baking time. also, i call for a springform pan, but you can use a regular cake pan. just make sure to line the bottom with parchment and to grease it well.

| makes one 8-inch round torte |

3/4 cup fine brown rice flour
1/2 cup hazelnut meal/flour*
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup liquid unrefined coconut oil
3/4 cup coconut sugar
2 large pasture raised eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
7-8 opal plums, sliced in half

*to make your own hazelnut meal/flour, simply blend 1-2 cups raw hazelnuts in a blender or food processor until they have meal-like consistency.

method

preheat oven to 350°F. grease and line an 8-inch round springform pan with 2-inch sides. (you can also use a regular round pan if you don't own a springform.)
in a large bowl, whisk together the flours, arrowroot, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (you can add a whole teaspoon of cinnamon if want a stronger cinnamon flavor) . in another large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil and sugar. one at a time whisk in each egg, then add the vanilla.
a little at a time, add the dry ingredient into the wet, mixing with a rubber spatula until everything is combined.
pour the batter into the pan and arrange the plums on top.
bake in the center of your oven for 32-40, until the edges are lightly browned and a toothpick or cake tester come out clean.
let the torte cool completely before removing and serving. slice and serve with coconut whip and chopped hazelnuts.
*the torte can be made a day ahead. once it's completely cool, remove the edges of the springform pan and cover tightly with parchment paper, storing at room temperature.

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Avocado, Kale & Arugula Chop W/ Roasted Poblano & Lime Dressing / September 13, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

summertime is the season i can't be bothered to cook. every main dinner dish is essentially served with a side of a big green salad. i also haven't been into variety. i've learned in these new busier than usual moments, that variety isn't my friend. rather, the basics are what i can handle at the moment. that means my grocery list is somewhat a repeat of the week before. maybe there are some different herbs rotated in for a quick chimichurri sauce, or some cilantro to be thrown in guacamole or a salad dressing. same goes with the greens i buy. a big box of spinach for morning smoothies, baby arugula for lunch and dinner salads, and sometimes kale to shred and make a leafy meal more hearty. same goes with what goes in the salad. this time of year it's always peaches, avocado, and cucumber - always! sometimes there's time for a dressing that goes beyond lime/lemon juice, olive oil, and salt & pep, sometimes not.

poblano peppers are my favorite to cook with. they have just enough spice that doesn't completely hit you over the head, and their mild chili flavor is always the perfect amount. i had some time to play around in the kitchen the other week while amesy napped, and tried out a version of a charred poblano dressing (maybe you saw it on my Instagram stories?), which has become a weekly staple now. it's a really hearty dressing, so it stands up nicely to dark leafy greens like kale or collard greens, which is always a great choice for leftovers ;)

while i'm in a land that i hear is "forever summer" (i.e. LA), i know most of you are seeing the last of summer's stone fruits and peppers. so this salad bids adieu to summer and uses up the last bits of the season before we start talking about soups, and pumpkins, and chilly weather. it's a bright and punchy salad that can really go with any protein you choose. frank and i eat it with socca, or occasionally with shredded chicken in the mix. i imagine you could add some cooked lentils, black beans, or chickpeas in there and have it be just as tasty :)

sending big hugs in these last summer days, friends. XO!

avocado, kale & arugula chop w/ roasted poblano & lime dressing

since the dressing makes extra (probably enough for 2-3 salads) you could easily double the salad if you're serving a larger crowd/want extras for the week. however, if you're making extra for a weeklong salad, add the avocado and peach as you go, they won't last tossed in the salad at the beginning of the week.

| salad serves 4 as a side, 2 as a main |

roasted poblano & lime dressing (makes extra)

1 poblano pepper
juice from 1 small lime
1/4 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
2 teaspoons coconut nectar (or sweetener of choice)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt, to taste

salad

1/2 of one bunch curly kale, roughly chopped
2 packed cups chopped arugula
1 ripe avocado, sliced into chunks
1 ripe peach, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons toasted pepitas
sea salt

method

make the dressing. place the poblano pepper over a medium-low flame on a gas stovetop, turning it every 10-20 seconds until it's evenly charred and tender, about 5 minutes total. (alternatively, you can place the pepper under a broiler, turning the pepper as each side browns, about 15-20 minutes.) let the pepper cool completely, then peel the skin and discard it. rinse the pepper, then slice and de-rib it, and reserve the seeds* (optional).
place the pepper and seeds (if using) in a blender, or a food processor fitted with a metal "s" blade. add the lime juice, cilantro, coconut nectar, garlic clove, oil, and salt to taste. blend on high for 30-45 seconds, until everything is broken down and blended. store the dressing in a lidded container in the refrigerator.
make the salad. combine the greens, avocado, peach, pepitas, and a good sprinkle of salt with about 3-4 tablespoons of dressing and serve.