(Baby-Friendly) Pumpkin Spice Banana Bread Pancakes by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


it's fall and i think i can finally say we've somewhat settled here in our new LA home.  frank and i have increasingly found our groove a bit more, navigating work schedules, the baby's schedule/non-schedule, and trying to take the time for ourselves to just be. i think part of feeling at home, and cozy in your space, is what you surround yourself with.  before making the move out here, we lived in a literal shoebox apartment in brooklyn.  the living room (if you could even call it that) and kitchen area was narrow and dark, and kind of depressing.  i know it's small change compared to a lot of other problems out in the world, but i yearned for more natural light, and real space to dress. 

when we moved, one of the first things i said to frank was that i wanted an actual dining space.  one that we could gather around as a family, share meals, and memories.  we took our old table with us during the move, and intended to use for a much longer time than we did.  but our once, too-big-for-our-former-space table was lost in our much larger dining area.  not to mention that all of our chars didn't make the move either.  and with amesy only growing bigger, and get more messy, i knew we needed something baby-friendly, and practical, so i settled on plastic shell chairs which are light weight and easy to clean.  we find ourselves having so many more meals than we did previously, which is such a welcome change.  

and now that amesy is eating actual food, we really get to share in a meal together.  breakfast is the one meal we all eat around the same time, so when the weekend rolls around we try to make it more of a point to eat together.  ames generally eats yogurt with almond butter (his favorite!), and some sliced berries for breakfast.  but for his mid-morning snack he usually munches on a couple of these pancakes.  i load them up with healthy fats, and protein (and the only sweetener used is the banana), so that way they keep amesy full for hours.  i usually make a batch on the weekends and make 2-pancake pouches for amesy's snacks during the week.  and bonus! they're totally good for adults too ;)

xo!

*chairs provided by rove concepts



pumpkin spice banana bread pancakes | gluten-free, sugar-free, grain-free

these pancakes are a bit delicate, i would advise to make silver dollar pancakes as opposed to big ones, as they can easily fall apart.  

| makes 14 silver dollar pancakes |

  • 1 ripe banana
  • 3 large pasture raised eggs
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 3 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened full-fat yogurt (preferably grass-fed), or plant-based yogurt
  • 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • coconut oil, for cooking

toppings:

  • yogurt
  • almond butter
  • chia seeds
  • banana slices


method

  1. place all the ingredients, except the coconut oil, into your blender (if you don't have a blender, a food processor will work as well) and lend for 45 seconds - 1 minute, scraping down the sides as needed, until the batter is smooth. let the pancake batter thicken for about 10 minutes.
  2. heat a skillet over medium heat, once the pan is hot, add a knob of coconut oil.  spoon about  1 1/2-2 tablespoons worth of batter into the pan (i usually only cook 2 at a time since the pancakes are quite delicate) and cook for about 1-2 minutes on each side.  repeat with the remaining batter.
  3. eat right away and top with yogurt, almond butter, chia seeds, and banana slices.  or, make 2-pancake packets and store in the refrigerator and/or freezer.

more breakfast recipes:


overnight oat waffles w/ lemon zest & poppy seeds

overnight oat waffles w/ lemon zest & poppy seeds

superfood granola w/ almond-macadamia milk

superfood granola w/ almond-macadamia milk

super seed power pancakes

super seed power pancakes

Apple Cider Donuts (grain-dairy-refined sugar-free) by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


fall in LA is almost unrecognizable.  if it weren't for grocery stores carrying more pumpkins and winter squash than tomatoes, you would never know that it was autumn, and that thanksgiving is right around the corner.  while i'm certainly not complaining about 75 degree weather, and plentiful sunshine, it is a bit disorienting.  i've been trying to get into the groove of the holiday season sans chilly temps, and leaves changing color, and these donuts were just the thing to get it all going ;)

where i grew up in the hudson valley, new york, little family-run farms could be found in just a short drive.  my family would drive to to schultz's farm in the next town over.  there, they sold farm-grown apples, pumpkins, fruit, and vegetables.  as soon as fall hit they also opened up their small kitchen where they would make fresh, hot apple cider donuts right in front of you, to-order.  i remember munching on them piping hot, with a cup of warm apple cider in hand.

so when i came across melissa's baked apple cider donuts on her instagram feed, i was overcome with nostalgia and longing for a seasonal donut.  i adapted her recipe to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free (they also happen to grain-free as well - sorry that's a lot of free's), while also maintaining the integrity of a baked donut.  and that they sooo do, guys! they're the perfect amount of light cake-y-ness, with a good balance of spice and sweetness.  but the best part (if you don't eat refined sugar - or even if you do because i think you would be surprised) is the sugar coating.  i used monk fruit sweetener (this one), 1:1 for sugar giving it that vital sweet crunch when you bite your way through an apple cider donut. definitely nudging you guys to make these 😉

hope you're staying cozy out there, xo!



baked apple cider donuts | gf & df

i'm going to anticipate any questions about substitutions, and just tell you not to.  i know it's a lot if you don't have coconut flour in your pantry to go buy a package of it for 1 tablespoon, but it does make a difference in the way these donuts turn out.  while i urge you to try monk fruit sweetener, you can certainly use granulated sugar as well.

adapted from the fauxmartha

| makes 6 donuts |

  • 3/4 cup blanched almond flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or ground nutmeg)
  • 1/3 cup apple cider, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 3 tablespoons liquid coconut oil
  • 2 large pasture-raised eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

topping:

  • 1/3 cup monk fruit sweetner
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

(3.4.18) **a note on how to make these into chocolate donuts:

  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cacao powder
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk, at room temp
  • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
  • 3 tablespoons liquid coconut oil
  • 2 large pasture-raised eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract


method

  1. preheat oven to 350°F and grease your donut pan.
  2. in a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, arrowroot powder, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.  in a separate bowl, whisk together the apple cider, sugar, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla.  add the dry ingredients into the wet a little at a time until everything is combined.  
  3. add the batter to a piping bag (or a large ziploc with a bottom corner snipped) and fill the donut cavities 3/4 full.
  4. bake for 12-15 minutes, checking at 12 minutes for doneness, until a cake tester or toothpick come out clean and donuts are golden.
  5. in a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the monk fruit sweetener and cinnamon.
  6. once the donuts are completely cool, dunk them in the topping, gently turning them to cover sides, and tops.
  7. donuts are best when eaten the day of, but can be stored at room temperature under a piece of parchment paper for up to 2 days. 

similar recipes:


douple coffee pumpkin cake

douple coffee pumpkin cake

olive oil & dark chocolate chunk loaf w/ pears

olive oil & dark chocolate chunk loaf w/ pears

hemp-buckwheat blender waffles w/ spiced apples

hemp-buckwheat blender waffles w/ spiced apples

Brussels Sprouts, Honeycrisp & Cabbage Slaw w/ Spicy Almond Butter Sauce (& A Giveaway) by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal


going to the grocery store has long been one of my favorite things to do.  when i visit a foreign country, or another state i'm always wanting to check out what's stocked in the aisles, and what kind of produce they're offering.  when i was a kid, going to the grocery store with my dad was a weekly thing.  every sunday we would go to grand union or a & p and get our groceries for the week. in the produce section, he would meticulously check whatever fruit or vegetable he was picking up for any bruises or spoilage.  and in the dairy section he would tell me to look for the most recent date so we wouldn't get last week's delivery. each and every egg in the carton was checked for cracks or missing eggs. when we got to the check out, he preferred packing our bags, carefully distributing the weight so we wouldn't have any bags that were too heavy.  at a young age i kind of thought that all of this was a bit of a chore, but now i find myself doing the exact same thing.

with amesy now, my trips to grocery store involve me hurriedly running through the aisles while entertaining him, or jaunts while he's with a sitter.  the luxury of taking my time in the store will return one day, i'm sure, but for now i do the best i can with the time allotted.  so buying what i can in the little spurts of time means a lot more especially when it comes to fresh produce.  i'm always super bummed when the carton of strawberries i've bought for amesy turns rotten mid-week, or when our cilantro for thursday night guacamole salad get super wilted.  no matter if it was my janky brooklyn refrigerator, or my brand new one here in LA, produce mid-week isn't always looking so hot.  

so i was super intrigued when rubbermaid approached me to try out their line extension of FreshWorks produce saver containers which keep produce fresh up to 80% longer than traditional store packaging and fit a variety of produce needs (*based on strawberries in FreshWorks containers vs. store packaging. results may vary depending up on product use). to test them out, i stored some sturdier produce like brussels sprouts, and apples; and some tender produce like strawberries, raspberries, and herbs to test the containers out.  all i did was remove the vegetables and fruit from their packaging (without washing or cutting) and delivered them right into their respective FreshWorks container. the hearty brussels and apple stayed fresh for over a week, and the delicate herbs and fruit lasted the entirety of the week as well before spoiling, which was so gratifying.  the design of the containers is quite smart.  the tops have what they call, FreshVent technology which allows the air to properly ventilate. while CrispTray at the bottom also helps ventilation, and keeps the veg or fruit elevated, keeping any moisture away. and i'm so excited about these containers, that i'm giving away a set of them to one reader! check out the details:

*giveaway is now closed*  one reader will be chosen at random to win one FreshWorks 3-peice set.  to enter: leave a comment (with a working email address, please!) sharing anything related to a supermarket haul (it could a memory, something funny, how your baby/child embarrass you - anything! full disclosure, mine is that i secretly love to see what other people have in their grocery carts! ).  giveaway is open to US residents only (sorry overseas friends!), and will close november 9, 2017 at 5pm PST. good luck, everyone! xo

this post was created in partnership with rubbermaid.  all thoughts and opinion, as always, are my own.  thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal going!



Brussels Sprouts, Honeycrisp & Cabbage Slaw w/ Spicy Almond Butter Sauce | v & gf

this slaw is a great base to add a protein to.  in my house we like to add some shredded chicken. but you can certainly add your plant-based protein of choice too.  

| serves 4 as a side, 2 as a meal |

spicy almond butter sauce

  • 1/4 cup unsweetened, unsalted almond butter
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • 2 teaspoons coconut nectar
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1 clove garlic, smashed
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • fine sea salt, to taste
  • water to thin, if necessary

slaw

  • 1 pound brussels sprouts, tough ends trimmed
  • 1/2 head of purple cabbage
  • 1/2 apple (preferably honeycrisp or another crisp apple)
  • 4 green onions, ends trimmed, and white and light green parts sliced thin
  • 1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped fine
  • 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons toasted black sesame seeds
  • pinch of fine sea salt


method

  1. in a mini food processor, blend together the spicy almond sauce ingredients, except the water,  until completely smooth.  add the water a couple tablespoons at a time until you have your desired consistency. pour the sauce into a lidded jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.  remove the sauce about 1 hour prior to using.  add more water to thin, if necessary.
  2. place your mandolin over a large mixing bowl (if you don't have a mandolin, you can use a sharp knife), shred the brussels sprouts and cabbage into wispy pieces.  use the julienne attachment on your mandolin to slice the apples into thin pieces (you can also do this with a knife if need be).  to the mixing bowl, add the sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, toasted hazelnuts and sesame seeds.  add a sizable pinch of salt and give it all a toss.
  3. drizzle the spice almond butter sauce onto the slaw and mix (since the slaw it a bit delicate, i like using my hands for this).  taste for seasoning, and adjust is necessary.
  4. leftover slaw can be refrigerated in a lidded container for up to 3 days.

similar recipes:


mole black bean tacos w/ cabbage & cilantro slaw

mole black bean tacos w/ cabbage & cilantro slaw

thai slaw

thai slaw

strawberry coconut kale slaw

strawberry coconut kale slaw