YOUR TOP 10 FAVORITE RECIPES OF 2018! / December 30, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

NUMBER 1: THE BEST GLUTEN-FREE PIZZAmore than anything, it makes me so overwhelmingly happy to see when a reader makes one of my recipes. and while this recipe was a big hit with pinterest, that alone doesn’t let you in on whether actual humans are … — NUMBER 1: THE BEST GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA
more than anything, it makes me so overwhelmingly happy to see when a reader makes one of my recipes. and while this recipe was a big hit with pinterest, that alone doesn’t let you in on whether actual humans are making your recipes (which is the whole point here). so many of you tagged me in your making of this recipe, and actually made it for christmas eve dinner which touched me so deeply. frank and i love this dough, and we’re so glad it now lives in the home of so many as well :)

NUMER 2: CREAMY (VEGAN) TOMATO SAUCEthis year, between the pizza dough recipe, and this creamy tomato sauce, i’ve come to realize you all love your cozy italian food! so do it, friends :) . italian food runs deep in my blood, and for a really long t… — NUMER 2: CREAMY (VEGAN) TOMATO SAUCE
this year, between the pizza dough recipe, and this creamy tomato sauce, i’ve come to realize you all love your cozy italian food! so do it, friends :) . italian food runs deep in my blood, and for a really long time, was pretty much the only food i ate. the base of this sauce is a riff off of my grandma’s sauce. it’s the only recipe of hers that i have, and i treasure it. we add some soaked cashew puree to it, making it oh so creamy. ❤️

NUMBER 3: SWEET & SPICY CAULIFLOWER-AVOCADO CUPSi loved this recipe so much, so i’m super excited it came in at #3. it’s simple functional, and over-the-top tasty. easy for lunch on the go, or an easy make-ahead dinner (head to the post for my t… — NUMBER 3: SWEET & SPICY CAULIFLOWER-AVOCADO CUPS
i loved this recipe so much, so i’m super excited it came in at #3. it’s simple functional, and over-the-top tasty. easy for lunch on the go, or an easy make-ahead dinner (head to the post for my tips). this is a great new year recipe if you’re looking to get back to basics.

NUMBER 4: PUMPKIN SEED MILK LATTEso many of people from the D&O instagram community made this recipe and it warmed my heart. drink recipes tend to not get so much feedback, so this was a pleasant surprise. it’s a great seasonal nut milk for the … — NUMBER 4: PUMPKIN SEED MILK LATTE
so many of people from the D&O instagram community made this recipe and it warmed my heart. drink recipes tend to not get so much feedback, so this was a pleasant surprise. it’s a great seasonal nut milk for the fall and winter (all those pumpkins!), but it can certainly find its way into your spring and summer kitchens and refrigerators as well. it’s a super smooth, and creamy milk - great for tea lattes, morning coffee, granola, muesli, etc., etc!

NUMER 5: SUNFLOWER SEED HUMMUShummus is another food that runs deep in my veins. while this is certainly not your typical hummus - it contains only soaked sunflower seeds and tahini (no chickpeas), you all still loved it. you could classify this as … — NUMER 5: SUNFLOWER SEED HUMMUS
hummus is another food that runs deep in my veins. while this is certainly not your typical hummus - it contains only soaked sunflower seeds and tahini (no chickpeas), you all still loved it. you could classify this as a keto-friendly hummus which is great, but it’s just plain delicious specifically for those of whom can’t really digest beans all that well (🙋🏻‍♀️).

NUMBER 6: BREAKFAST FOR DINNER: “CREAM CHEESE” OMELETTES W/ BALSAMIC GREENSbreakfast for dinner is a staple in my house, and i was so happy to learn that it’s a favorite of yours as well! such a simple little recipe of refrigerator and pantry compon… — NUMBER 6: BREAKFAST FOR DINNER: “CREAM CHEESE” OMELETTES W/ BALSAMIC GREENS
breakfast for dinner is a staple in my house, and i was so happy to learn that it’s a favorite of yours as well! such a simple little recipe of refrigerator and pantry components that come together offering a good amount of protein, healthy fats, and fiber 💪🏼leaving your belly full and happy!

NUMBER 7: VEGAN SPRING ONION DIPi was so excited to hear feedback on this recipe. i know my family and i considered this dip as the best tasting vegan onion dip, but when a lot of you did as well that was the icing on the cake. serve it alongside ch… — NUMBER 7: VEGAN SPRING ONION DIP
i was so excited to hear feedback on this recipe. i know my family and i considered this dip as the best tasting vegan onion dip, but when a lot of you did as well that was the icing on the cake. serve it alongside chips, crackers, crudite - you cant’ go wrong.

NUMBER 8: CREAMY BROCCOLI CHOPback at the beginning of 2018 i asked for aome feedback from you all, and a lot of you said “please, less salad recipes!”. i listened, but i think i ran in a leaf-less salad direction (i seem to have made quite a few of… — NUMBER 8: CREAMY BROCCOLI CHOP
back at the beginning of 2018 i asked for aome feedback from you all, and a lot of you said “please, less salad recipes!”. i listened, but i think i ran in a leaf-less salad direction (i seem to have made quite a few of them in 2018, sorry!), and some of you ran with me! yay!

NUMBER 9: DIY EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONINGok, ok. so this isn’t exactly a recipe. it’s more like ratios of dried garlic and onion, seeds, and salt; and a some basic instructions. but! at the end of it you have yourself some hella good seasoning to spr… — NUMBER 9: DIY EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING
ok, ok. so this isn’t exactly a recipe. it’s more like ratios of dried garlic and onion, seeds, and salt; and a some basic instructions. but! at the end of it you have yourself some hella good seasoning to sprinkle to your little heart’s content. i personally love it over ripe avocado slices, avo toast, sprinkled on salads, to garnish dips.

NUMBER 10: CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIE BARSi was starting to worry i didn’t do my job in sharing enough sweet treats with you this year. but coming in at #10 is one of the most recent recipes from the blog, and they couldn’t be yummier. little cookie squ… — NUMBER 10: CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIE BARS
i was starting to worry i didn’t do my job in sharing enough sweet treats with you this year. but coming in at #10 is one of the most recent recipes from the blog, and they couldn’t be yummier. little cookie squares, and just for kicks we add chocolate to the outside (because who doesn’t love chocolate puddles). so stinkin’ happy this recipe found a place in your ovens :)

3-INGREDIENT TOASTED S'MORES BARK / December 20, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

3-INGREDIENT TOASTED S'MORES BARK | dolly and oatmeal

frank loves s’mores. like, lives for them. he recently came home from a little stop at whole foods with their seasonal s’mores holiday bark. while most times he’s disappointed by s’mores chocolate bars/barks/ice creams/ice cream sandwiches, this whole foods version was pretty spot on (it was so overly sweet to me, but i usually find things too sweet). he was so psyched about this bark, but had one gripe: the ratio of graham crackers, to marshmallows, to chocolate was off. frank’s never one to criticize food for the most part. he eats what i make, has constructive comments when i ask for advice, and is just generally the most easy going person when it comes to all things food.

so i love when he loves certain food. and he loves s’mores so much that i wanted to give him his perfect ratio - his dream s’mores bark! the first couple of version were off. we both agreed it was too sweet. so i tried a higher percentage of cacao and that seemed to do the trick. then came the ratio. while i’m not quite the s’mores lover frank is, i do think that anything claiming to be “s’mores” generally has way too much chocolate, and not nearly enough graham crackers or marshmallows. so, i upped the 1/2 cup of marshmallows and graham crackers to 3/4 cup, plus an additional 1/4 cup graham crackers for topping.

and while i was making these, i got pretty opinionated about the marshmallows. you rarely get anything “s’mores” with actual toasted marshmallows, but isn’t that the whole point? that toasty flavor gives them that subtle smokiness which is so notorious with a proper campfire s’more. so here we have it, toasted s’mores with the perfect ratio. it’s not so much a recipe, more of guide of how to make the best dang s’more bark there is (in frank’s humble opinion).

wishing you all the loveliest holiday filled with laughter, and hugs, and love, and wonderful memories! xo!

3-ingredient toasted s’mores bark | gf

| makes one 13x9” tray |

3/4 dandies brand mini marshmallows
12 ounces dark chocolate (preferably 70% cacao)
3/4 cup plus 1/4 cup crushed gluten free graham crackers (i use smoreables)

method

heat your oven to a high broil. line a 13x9-inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper (i like to coat the pan with some oil and then place the parchment on top just to prevent it from slipping when you spread the melted chocolate bark).
line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the marshmallows out evenly so that none are touching. once the oven is hot, carefully slide the pan in. broil marshmallows about 1 minute, rotating the pan halfway through to toast evenly. remove from the oven and let cool completely.
while the marshmallows are cooling, melt the chocolate. in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring every so often. after it’s completely melted, remove from heat and let cool completely.
dump the marshmallows into the cooled melted chocolate, reserving a few for topping. dump the graham crackers in as well, and mix until thoroughly combined.
pour the chocolate bark mix into the jellyroll pan and use and offset spatula to evenly spread it into the corners and sides of the pan. top with remaining marshmallows, and graham crackers.
freeze for 30-40 minutes, until completely solid. use your hands or a sharp knife to break up the bark into jagged pieces.
store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

more holiday recipes:

chocolate tahini cake w/ tahini frosting

YOUR GO-TO VEGAN CHEESE BOARD & HOW TO PAIR IT WITH WINE / December 13, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

YOUR GO-TO VEGAN CHEESE BOARD & HOW TO PAIR IT WITH WINE | dolly and oatmeal

i don’t know about you, but the thought of creating on e of those beautiful cheese boards i have seen on pinterest and food publications over the years. was enough for me not to ever give one a go. that was until frank and i moved from nyc, to la, had a home large enough to have people over to “entertain”. not only that, but i don’t even really eat dairy-based cheese (sometimes i’ll have an occasional bite), so if i was going to make a vegan cheese board what cheeses do i buy? how many of those teeny forks will i need? what do i serve next to said cheese? and most importantly: what wine does one serve with exclusively vegan cheese?!

i’m happy to report, that over the past few years i’ve done research on the above questions. long gone are the days when vegan cheese meant rubbery, odd tasting little shreds on top of your pasta or veggies. today there are a plethora of nut-based, cultured vegan cheeses that are legitimately delicious. even though dairy-free cheese lacks milk-fat, it does contain fat which lends a richness to it all the same. but that is to say, vegan cheeses are a bit more delicate than dairy-based cheeses, and therefore are best when paired with light or medium-bodied wines.

what are medium and light bodies wines? generally medium and light bodied wines have an alcohol content between 12.5%-13.5%, and commonly have that refreshing, crisp vibe. and that’s what we want - light and refreshing. i tend to love serving chilled rose (even in the winter, controversial, i know!) and white wine, and a light and fruity pinot noir with a vegan cheese board. and since vegan cheeses tend to be a bit more mild than dairy-based cheese, you don’t have to go overboard with the pairing of them with specific wine varieties. think floral or citrusy, crisp wines if you’re serving fruit, dried fruit, or preserves alongside your cheese, as to not overpower your tastebuds with too much sweet flavor.

here, i served a light bodied pinot noir as an option (even if it’s not your cup of tea, a guest may prefer it), a bright and citrusy sauvignon blanc, and a faintly acidic rose pinot noir from one of my favorite online retailers that has a wonderful array of great wines from around the globe, millesima. it’s almost better than going to a store because their wines are beautifully curated, giving you the best of options at all price points. and they also offer a number to call for advice (where you get to talk to an actual human!), which is super convenient.

this post was created in partnership with millesima wine. all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.

how to choose which cheese to serve? and what to look for.

first, go with availability. LA is a mecca for plant-based cheese options, but being a life-long new yorker, i know this isn’t the case everywhere.
second, look for cultured cheese. essentially, this means the cheese is going to have more of a traditional cheese flavor. cultured means probiotics have been added, which in turn gives you that cheesy, pungent flavor that is so common with dairy-based cheese.
variety. even if your options are limited and you can only find spreads, look for various flavor profiles - whether that’s chive, herbs de provence, truffle, etc. if you are afforded the option of variety, then i would suggest 3-4 different cheeses: goat-style cheese log, a cheese that slices hard (i.e. a cheese that’s not a spread), a cheese-like dip, and/or a ricotta-style cheese. this gives your guests an assortment to choose from, and gives you more options when it comes to styling your cheese board.
be aware of cheeses that include hard-to-pronounce ingredients, sugar, food coloring, and vegetable oils such as: canola, safflower, soybean, and sunflower.
happy tummy and tastebud ingredients: coconut oil, nuts (if you can tolerate them), tapioca starch, agar, and cultures. the best vegan cheeses i’ve had have the least amount of ingredients. of course, if you’re nut-intolerant it can be quite difficult to find good options out there (sorry!).

what you need to build a vegan cheese board

surface - this is going to dictate your cheese board arrangement. i personally like going with a round cutting board/cheese board, but a rectangular shape works just as well. and gather a few small bowls to hold a softer cheese, preserves, nuts, etc. first i placed my bowls, from there i placed the cheese rounds and cut one into hunks (i think it makes it more visually pleasing, but it’s also easier for guests to pick as opposed to cutting it themselves). slice apple or pear and fan them out, fan more pieces in an opposite direction to get some texture on the board.

1-2 different varieties of crackers - if you’re going with 2, purchase one with a different flavor profile, shape, and texture, just for variety.
add some sweetness - i like to go with seasonal fruit. winter fruit i love to include are: grapes, sliced apples and ripe pears. i like purchasing extra fruit, especially if it’s fresh like satsumas with their leaves still on, or little ornamental pears or crab apples - anything that’s going to add some softness. and i especially love fig conserve to serve with your cheeses (if you can find it, i highly recommend it - i use june taylor’s) , if you can’t find something similar try a cranberry or maybe even a fruit chutney.
nuts - i’m a big fan of roasted and salted pistachios, cracked walnuts, or maybe some flavored mix of nuts.
fresh herbs - i used fresh rosemary and fresh bay leaves here for just to give the board a bit more of seasonal vibe. but you could also use eucalyptus stems, olive branches, or evergreen/pine tree snips.
lastly, i would suggest some sort of low key floral arrangement. i tend to go less “floral”, and more leafy. this has all to do with your aesthetic, but i generally don’t buy anything too fragrant for fear of it distracting from the food.