March 8, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Spicy Broccoli Bowl w/ Creamy Ginger Lentils | Dolly and Oatmeal

i had originally planned to tell you all about cauliflower pizza and how amazing and easy it is to make at home. but clearly by the title and the photo thus far, that isn't happening! i really never knew how difficult it was to make a cauli-based crust until i tried, and tried, and tried again - and miserably failed at it each time! the internet would have you believe that it's easy. it's not, guys. my pal ashley said that my failures could have something to do with attempting to make it vegan-friendly - no parmesan or eggs to bind could have been my problem, i suppose. but when something is so delicate and difficult to make, i ask myself: why make something that's not moving us to our collective goal: getting a meal on the table! i'm all about taking challenges in the kitchen, but there's a time and place for everything. so whether you have babies, or you're putting in long hours at work, what i think we collectively need is composed, but easy-to-put-together food, something that nourishes each part of us.

that's where this bowl comes in. it's definitely a nod in a few directions: it's meal-prep easy, it provides leftovers for the week, and it's a bright little bowl that definitely has spring in its sights! there's 3 major components of the dish, (all of which can made ahead of time for easy execution) the spicy broccoli, cooking the lentils, and whisking together the sauce.

the broccoli stays super bright here because all you're doing is a quick steam; it's then tossed with chili oil, lemon, and some salt -- so good! the lentils are cooked easy-peasy, and the tahini-based sauce is simply whisked together. you can make the components the day/night of, or make them on your designated food prep day (if you have one. don't feel bad if you don't, i'm all over the place with prepping food these days!) and refrigerate them until you're ready to make the bowl. the only component that requires your time the day/night of is a super quick saute of onion, ginger, and garlic 👍🏼so while the ingredient list may look like a beast, it's really not when it's broken down - promise!

big love to you all, and happy almost spring equinox! 🙌🏼

**and be sure to tag @dollyandoatmeal when you're making any recipes from the site or my book! i love regramming you all on instagram stories! xo!

spicy broccoli bowl w/ creamy ginger lentils | v & gf

you could easily double this recipe for more leftovers (especially if you're making this recipe for 2) throughout the week. while i love lentils as a protein, if you're not strictly plant-based, shredded chicken could be a great substitute. the sauce makes a bit extra, i used it up as a dressing for salads, or a dip for an afternoon snack.

| makes 4 servings |

sauce

1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon coconut aminos (or gluten-free tamari)
1 teaspoon sweetener, such as coconut nectar or maple syrup
water to thin
salt & pepper

lentils

1 cup green french lentils, rinsed and picked over for any shriveled lentils
3 cups water
1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil
3 spring onions (or 2 bunches green onions), light and white green parts sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

broccoli

1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon spicy sesame oil (i like this one)*
pinch of salt

*if you don't have spicy sesame oil, or don't want to purchase it. simply use 1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.

method

for the sauce. whisk together the tahini, coconut aminos (or tamari), lime juice, and sweetener. drizzle in water, a little at a time, until you get a runny consistency that coats the back of a spoon. season with salt and pepper. set aside.
for the lentils. place lentils in a lidded pot with the water. bring to a boil, and cover, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cook the lentils until they're tender, about 15-20 minutes, drain the lentils, and set aside.
wipe the pot out with a clean dish towel and set it back on your stovetop over medium heat. once the pan is hot, add the coconut oil. then add the onions and stir, cook until tender, about 1-2 minutes. then add the garlic and ginger, stir, and cook for about 1 minute. then add the lentils and cook for another minute. remove the pot from the stove and add half the sauce and stir everything together, add more sauce, and salt, if desired. then fold in the cilantro.
for the broccoli. place broccoli florets into the basket of a steamer. bring about 1-inch of water to a boil and set the steamer inside, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, until broccoli is tender. (you want to try and time the broccoli to cook in the last few minutes of the lentils cooking. that way everything is nice and warm when you serve it.)
place the broccoli to a mixing bowl, toss with the oils, lemon juice, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt.
serve the lentils and broccoli hot, garnish with sliced radish sticks, toasted peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and extra lime juice, if desired.

similar recipes:

asparagus, pea & broccoli rabe saute over a chive-chickpea mash

spring rainbow bowl w/ honey-mustard tahini

chickpea bean bowl w/ toasted breadcrumbs & dill tahini

Everyday Roasted Veggies / March 1, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Everyday Roasted Veggies | Dolly and Oatmeal

happy march! i'm not sure about you, but i'm glad to see february go, and that we're starting fresh with a new month! back in new york i would count excitedly for the weeks of march to pass so we could finally get to the spring equinox. then, in just a couple of short weeks the buds on the crab apple tree in our backyard would begin to bud, and the chives in my planter would start to sprout. those are glorious memories, and ones i hold dear because here in LA it seems as though most plant life is alive and grooving, no matter time of year it is. (which is awesome, just also totally strange to me!) i knew i would miss the ebb and flow of what i knew seasons to be, but spring being my favorite is making me super nostalgic for those days.

i always find that my meals mimic my mood which still honors winter, but is so very ready for the shift that the new season always brings with it. so around this time of year i find myself eating somewhere between heavy winter meals, sprinkled with some lighter spring fare. think: this creamy pasta situation, with this hearty seasonal salad. but once a week, no matter what season it is (expect the height of summer, maybe) i roast a huge tray of veggies for frank and i. in the fall months it's root veg with all the squash, and in the spring it's usually a lighter medley where i throw asparagus in in the last 10 minutes of roasting. but in the winter i roast this tray of veggies here.

it's a simple combination of brussels sprouts, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms. they're doused in my forever favorite spice mixture: garlic powder, onion, powder, and smoked paprika. it coats the vegetables perfectly making them so, so tasty. but the mushrooms are my favorite, and hold all the flavor, in my opinion. the shiitakes absorb a lot of liquid, so naturally you use a bit more oil here. and when they're roasted with the spices they take on a beautiful umami flavor, with an almost meaty (but not in a gross way, i promise!) texture. so while i'm calling these everyday roasted veggies, they're actually: everyday veggies taken up a notch.

wishing you a wonderful start to a new month, loves! xo!

everyday roasted veggies

you could swap out a veggie here or there with the same results. you could use sweet potato, cubed winter squash, parsnips, white potatoes, etc. i would urge you not to swap out the mushrooms though, they're really the tastemaker here ;)

print the recipe!

| serves 4 |

| prep time: 10 minutes | | cook time: 35-40 minutes|

1 pound brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and outer leaves removed, and sliced in half
1 bunch carrots, washed, peeled, and sliced into 1-inch pieces on a diagonal
12 large shiitake mushroom caps (roughly 8 ounces), sliced into 1/2-inch thickness
2-3 tablespoons avocado oil
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt & fresh pepper, to taste
chopped parsley, for garnish

method

preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
in a large bowl, toss together the brussels sprouts, carrots, and mushrooms with the oil. add the spices, and salt & pepper to taste, and toss everything together until the veggies are evenly coated. spread the veggies evenly onto your baking sheet. roast for 35-40 minutes, stirring them halfway through, until the veggies are cooked through, and lightly browned and crisp.
transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped parsley and a couple more pinches of salt. serve immediately :)

similar recipes:

herb-roasted veggie bowl w/ kale-tahini sauce

fennel-roasted carrots & shallot salad w/ shaved apples

sprouted rice pilaf w/ roasted grapes & fennel

Chipotle Black Bean Tortilla Soup from Pretty Simple Cooking / February 22, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Chipotle Tortilla Soup from Pretty Simple Cooking | Dolly and Oatmeal

it's finally been chilly enough throughout the entire day that i can comfortably wear a couple of the sweaters i bought for "winter". most people i talk to say this warm, sunny winter isn't normal for this time of year, so consider me very grateful. but you know that feeling at the end of summer when you want the heat to dissipate, and all you want to do is hunker down, make a pot of soup, and wear your biggest comfiest sweater? well i feel i've been having one of those moments for months, and finally the cool weather has come! and i celebrated by choosing the coziest dish i could find among the beautiful pages of my friends sonja and alex's new book, pretty simple cooking! if you don't already know sonja and alex, they are the lovely duo behind the blog, a couple cooks; and their podcast, a couple cooks podcast. their blog focusses on whole food, vegetarian recipes. they're the kind of recipes we all want to reach for: delicious, fun, accessible, and not intimidating!

their book is a reflection of that philosophy, too! admittedly, i get into dinner ruts all the time, so i always flip to the mains section of the cookbooks i own for ideas and inspiration. and now with amesy, i really only choose recipes with accessible, easy-to-prep ingredients, and easy-to-execute recipes. and as soon as i opened the pages of pretty simple cooking i was met with a flurry of recipes that i cannot wait to make! on the list is: darn good vegan chili, their burrito bowl with lime crema(!), falafel burgers, and their rainbow soba noodle bowls. i've already made this delightful tortilla soup which has been so satisfying to eat on these chilly nights, along with their bliss bites (basically an inside out peanut butter cup, but with good-for-you ingredients!) which are the easiest to make, and hit the spot every time i'm craving something chocolatey.

this soup though! it's super satisfying and so, so tasty. i'm not the biggest chipotle person, i usually use chipotle powder (because i'm a wuss and usually add a teeny pinch), but i love the flavor here. it brings a depth to this soup it wouldn't have had without it. i ended up having to skip the corn because i was shopping with amesy and forgot to get it at the store. but i could see adding some cooked sweet potato or carrots could be great here too if you're like me and forget ingredients all the time! but the best part are the tortilla strips - they're the perfect little nod to a traditional tortilla soup and make everything taste 100 times more amazing, plus they're baked, and taste just as good as the fried version!

wishing you all a cozy week ❤️

chipotle black bean tortilla soup | gf & v

Reprinted from Pretty Simple Cooking by Sonja and Alex Overhiser with permission from the publisher.

print the recipe!

| serves 4 to 6 |

6 6-inch corn tortillas
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 yellow onion
1 green bell pepper
4 medium garlic cloves
2 15-ounce cans black beans
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups frozen corn (fire roasted, if possible)
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)*
1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 radishes, for garnigh
1 lime, for garnish
1 handful cilantro, for garnish
hot sauce (optional)

method

preheat the oven to 375°F.
make the tortilla strips: brush the tortillas lightly with olive oil on each side. using a pizza cutter, slice them in half, then into thin strips. place the strips on a baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt. bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crispy and lightly browned.
make the soup: peel and dice the onion. dice the green pepper. peel and mince the garlic. drain and rinse the beans.
in a large pot of dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and saute the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. add the green pepper and the garlic and saute for 2 minutes. stir in the oregano and the cumin for 1 minute. add the tomatoes, beans, corn, adobo sauce, broth, and kosher salt. bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. taste and add additional adobo sauce or kosher salt if desired.
prepare the garnishes: slice the radishes. slice the lime into wedges.
to serve, ladle the soup into bowls and allow to cool to warm. garnish with tortilla strips, radishes, torn cilantro leaves, hot sauce, and plenty of lime juice.

alex and sonja's notes:

*use 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can, the peppers and remaining sauce can be reserved (or frozen) for future use.

GF* for gluten-free, use gluten-free adobo sauce (check packaging prior to purchase).