(VEGAN) HASSELBACK POTATO & SHALLOT GRATIN / November 9, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

(VEGAN) HASSELBACK POTATO & SHALLOT GRATIN | Dolly and Oatmeal

i’m going to keep this short since i think we can all agree that potatoes - especially creamy potatoes - speak for themselves. essentially, this dish is a combination of the thin slices of hasselback potatoes, combined with the creaminess that is a potato au gratin. there’s a sauce that includes almond milk simmered with garlic, and mixed with soaked cashews, some nutritional yeast, and a couple other pantry goods. it smothers said potato slices, and then is topped with vegan cheese shreds. it’s a pretty easy dish to compile, and quite inexpensive as well, if i may add. the most labor intensive part comes when you arrange the potatoes and shallots vertically in your pan, other than that, it’s a pretty smooth ride for something so delicious :)

this pot of potatoes could possibly feed a small army, or some very hungry guests at your thanksgiving or holiday table. i’ve included some recipe notes below that may answer some questions. i truly hope you get the chance to make this one, it’s so good :)

happy days, friends. xo!

HASSELBACK POTATO & SHALLOT GRATIN | v/gf

notes -

using a mandolin is your best bet here. it streamlines the process, and gives you even slices and guarantees even cooking.
vegan cheese tip - if there’s a preferred shredded vegan cheese brand you like, go for it. however, i prefer using miyoko’s vegan mozzarella. the flavor is on point, and it melt, bubbles, and browns like dairy-based cheese. the only down side is that it’s super soft. while you could definitely crumble the cheese, i like throwing it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, then using the large holes on box grater.
this dish is best made the day of. unfortunately it tends to dry out if you make it ahead and try to reheat (i haven’t tried to reheat leftovers in the microwave, however. let me know if you try!).

PRINT THE RECIPE!

cream

3/4 cup cashews, soaked for at least 3 hours or overnight, drained and rinsed
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
5 cloves garlic
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
a few cracks fresh pepper
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

potatoes & shallots

extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
4-5 lbs (about 6-8) russet potatoes, peeled
5 shallots
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
4 ounces shredded vegan cheese

method

preheat oven to 325°F.
make the cream. combine the almond milk, garlic, salt and pepper in a small saucepan. bring to a simmer, and whisk frequently, until the garlic cloves are tender, about 12-15 minutes. let cool for about 10 minutes.
pour the almond milk mixture into the container of an upright blender. add the cashews, nutritional yeast, dijon, and vinegar. blend on high until everything is creamy and smooth, about 45 seconds. taste and adjust any seasonings (keep in mind: the sauce will be quite salty, that’s ok since we don’t season the potatoes). set aside.
oil the bottom and sides of a 3 - 3 1/2 quart baking dish, braiser, cast iron pan, etc. sprinkle the bottom with coarse sea salt, a couple cracks of fresh pepper, and a few thyme sprigs.
using a mandolin (or if you have really great knife skills, a sharp knife), carefully slice the potatoes and shallots very thin, about 1/8-inch thick. fan the potatoes out vertically, making your way from the edge of the pan into the interior as you go. wedge the shallot slices between the potatoes. you want everything to cook evenly, so pack them, but not too tightly. sprinkle over the remaining thyme, then evenly spread the cheese over top as well.
cover tightly with parchment paper, and then with foil. carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 60-80 minutes, until potatoes are tender. remove the parchment and foil and increase the heat to broil. broil until the cheese is lightly browned in spots and bubbling, about 5-10 minutes.
remove from the oven and garnish with more thyme. let the potatoes cool for 20-30 minutes before serving.

more thanksgiving recipes:

vegan twice baked potatoes w/ pumpkin seed dukkah

VANILLA PUMPKIN SEED MILK LATTE / November 1, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

VANILLA PUMPKIN SEED MILK LATTE | Dolly and Oatmeal

happy november! what?! where did october go? anywho, let’s talk milk!

i’m not going to lie. i don’t make nut milk as often as i should. and i only say that because it’s quite possibly one of the easiest things to do, and one of the most satisfying (at least to me). i use nut milk twice a day, sometimes more. i was dismayed by the amount of plastic bottles i saw piling up every week in our recycle bin, so i got on a pretty steady homemade nut milk kick over the summer. then amesy started preschool twice a week, and as the summer ended my work schedule picked up, and everything kinda got thrown out the window.

fast forward almost 2 months later, and we’ve got a bit more of a fluid routine down. and not that i have the time (or any extra energy) every few days to make my own nut milk, but i try to add it to the (very) mild food prep i sometimes get around to on the weekend. truth be told, i think the difficulty for me lies with the soaking of the nuts. i rarely remember to. but i also feel like soaking nuts and seeds comes with its pros and cons. follow along with me on this journey:

pros:

soaking activates enzymes in nuts and seeds, making nutrients more readily available
soaking softens nuts and seeds, giving you a smoother milk (this is especially handy if you don’t have a high speed blender)
flavor! i personally prefer the flavor of soaked vs. non-soaked nuts and seeds, as the non-soaked have a very distinct, bitter taste to me.

cons:

soaked nut/seed milks have a shorter shelf life. soaked nut/seed milks last up to 2 days in the fridge. non-soaked nut-seed milks can last up to twice as long
REMEMBERING TO SOAK AHEAD OF TIME - i kid. kind of. but in all seriousness, soaking requires some sort of plan of action. i personally set an alert on my phone to soak before i go to bed, reminding me to do so.

shortcuts:

if you’re not concerned about activating enzymes, soak your nuts/seeds in boiling water for 30 minutes prior to blending. this makes them softer, giving you more milk and less pulp
additionally (and i only advise this for those of you who have a high speed blender like a vitamix), blend the nuts/seeds without any soaking if you’re in a pinch.
lastly, i always keep hemp seeds on hand for a rainy day when i look in the fridge and don’t have enough milk. they require zero soaking - ever.

a little bit about pumpkin seed milk. it’s surprisingly creamy, has a great flavor,

and has the most subtle pistachio color to it. i added vanilla bean because i love unsweetened vanilla almond milk and i honestly just wanted to try out a version at home with pumpkin seeds. you can add sweetener to your liking, but i nudge you to try it with just the vanilla bean first :) . pumpkin seed milk can really go in whatever hot beverage you prefer - coffee, matcha, rooibos, early grey, herbal coffee, etc.!

xo’s!!

vanilla pumpkin seed milk latte | v

PRINT THE RECIPE!

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked for at least 3 hours or overnight
3 cups filtered water
1-2 vanilla beans, scraped
maple syrup, to taste (optional)

latte

1 teaspoon ceremonial grade matcha powder
1 cup boiling filtered water
1/2 cup pumpkin seed milk, warmed

method

rinse and drain the seeds. then add them to a high speed blender with the water, and vanilla bean (add the sweetener if using). blend on high for 1 minute, until very frothy and smooth.
strain the milk through a nut milk bag over a large bowl, squeeze until there is no more liquid. discard the nut pulp, or dry it out and use it as flour. pour the milk into lidded milk containers or jars and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
for the latte. carefully blend the matcha powder with the boiling water for 30-40 seconds, until completely combined. pour into a mug. rinse out your blender container or use a milk frother to froth the warm pumpkin seed milk. pour over top of your latte.

similar recipes:

CREAMY BROCCOLI CHOP / October 18, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

CREAMY BROCCOLI CHOP | Dolly and Oatmeal

before we get deep into winter squash and pumpkins, i have to share this autumn side/chop salad. the main star is broccoli. it’s one of my all-time favorite vegetables to eat , even since i was a kid. and right now, at the markets, it's at its peak! i think the best part about broccoli is its versatility. roasted, grilled, sautéed, or steamed. and whether it’s topped with sauce, a bit of lemon juice, or just some oil and salt & pepper, if it’s fresh, it has the possibility to be a great compliment to whatever main you’re serving.

in this case, the broccoli is lightly steamed, until just tender. it’s chopped, along with some purple cabbage for crunch and some pop of color (it also helps to fill the dish out a bit). we add chunked asian pear and thinly sliced red onion which offers the most perfect tart bite when you get one on your fork. the sauce/dressing is yogurt-based (i use a plant-based greek-style yogurt - linked below), with lots of tangy lemon juice and vinegar, giving it such a great creamy punch. if you can’t tell, this is by far one of my favorite recipes on the site, and i just hope you all love it as much as i do! xo!

creamy broccoli chop | gf

if you’re planning to prepare the salad ahead of time, great! add the dressing just before you serve it, as the once the salad gets thoroughly mixed, the cabbage turns the pears and sauce a (beautiful) shade of purple ;)

| serves 4 as a side |

creamy yogurt sauce

1/4 cup greek-style (plain/unsweetened) plant-based yogurt (i use this one)
2 tablespoons avocado oil mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon good maple syrup (or honey)
salt & pepper, to taste

broccoli chop

1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1 cup cabbage sliced thin (preferably on a mandolin), and roughly chopped
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1 asian pear, cut into small chunks
salt & pepper
1/4 cup chopped and toasted blanched almonds

method

make the sauce. whisk together all the sauce ingredients, taste and adjust vinegar, salt, and/or pepper. set aside for later.
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 until just tender, about 2 minutes. set aside and let cool.
roughly chop the broccoli and add to a large serving bowl. add the cabbage, onion, and pear. season with a few pinches of salt, and cracks of pepper.
pour over roughly 3/4 of the sauce and toss until everything is evenly mixed together. top with the almonds and serve.