BLACKOUT BANANA BREAD CAKE 🖤(GLUTEN-FREE) / February 13, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

BLACKOUT BANANA BREAD CAKE | dolly and oatmeal

happy (almost) valentine’s day, friends :) i can’t say that this holiday has had any special meaning to me over the years. i’d much rather celebrate how i did when i was a kid in elementary school - making festive crafts with specific tones of colors, baking valentine cupcakes, wearing clothing outfitted with hearts and cheesy logos, etc.! i feel like those vibes have been resurrected somewhat now that amesy is going school and he’s getting to partake in those kinds of activities. this past weekend i spent a significant amount of time picking out little valentine cards for his classmates. i was kind of overwhelmed and overjoyed at the selection, and i found the most simplistic joy in picking them out (don’t ask me why!).

i also wanted to bake something super chocolatey too, because this time of year, when the winter seems to never want to let up, you tend to need something to counter that. some people medicate with hot soup or stew, others with tea. me? i need a bone-soothing, deep, dark chocolate cake to sink my teeth into. plus, it doesn’t hurt that all amesy asks for is “chaw-colate cake” . seriously though, i don’t know where he even got the notion from but he asks for it almost every night, and does so with the cutest little new york accent. anywho, who am i to deny my child chocolate cake, especially on valentine’s day?

the first iteration of this cake was delicious, but not dark enough. the second, the chocolate ganache topping wasn’t runny enough. but the third one, was absolutely perfect. the cake had a nice crumb to it, not overly moist or dense, but not crumbly or dry either. but the ganache was where it was at. it’s a two-ingredient recipe, using dark chocolate and coconut milk that still dries glossy and beautiful (i’m partial to this since you can make the cake ahead of time and it still looks like you just made it!). lastly, there are some dried rose petals just for valentine kicks, plus i just think they look pretty.

hope your week is good one! xo!

BLACKOUT BANANA BREAD CAKE | gf & df

feel free to use whatever decorations you like here. conversation hearts (do they still make those?), white, pink, and red sprinkles! heart sprinkles, etc. i used dried, food-grade rose petals from a local shop (but you can also get them online).

print the recipe!

| makes 1 round 8-inch bundt cake |

-1 cup fine brown rice flour

-1/2 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)

-3/4 cup coconut sugar

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-3/4 teaspoon baking powder

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1 cup banana mashed bananas (approx. 2-3 bananas)

-1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan

-2 large free range eggs, at room temp

-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

-1/2 cup chopped chocolate chunks (optional)

-dried food-grade roses

chocolate ganache

-6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

-2/3 cup coconut milk

method

-preheat oven to 350°F. oil your pan and flour it with cacao powder (or cocoa powder if that’s what you’re using).

-in a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and cacao (or cocoa) powder, then whisk in the sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

-in another large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla. add half the dry ingredients into the wet and mix together with a rubber spatula until incorporated. add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. if using, fold in the chocolate chunks at this point.

-pour the batter evenly into the pan. use a rubber spatula or the back of a large spoon to smooth the top of the cake.

-bake for 35-45 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool. once fully cooled, run a thin knife around the edges of the pan. invert the cake onto a platter or large plate.

-make the chocolate ganache. place the chocolate chunks into a heat tolerant bowl. heat the coconut milk over medium low until steaming and hot (it shouldn’t be so hot that you can’t quickly stick your finger in). pour the coconut milk over the chocolate and let sit for about 2 minutes. use a rubber spatula to stir the ganache together until it’s completely mixed.

- pour 1/2-3/4 ganache over the top of the cake. use an offset spatula to spread the ganache evenly over the top, letting some fall down the sides of the cake. decorate the top and sides of the cake with crushed rose petals (if using), and store the remaining ganache in a lidded jar in your fridge for up to 1 week.

-slice cake and serve!

KABOCHA SQUASH TAHINI / February 7, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

(BEAN-LESS) KABOCHA SQUASH HUMMUS | dolly and oatmeal

we’re coming in hot this week with this bean-less (!!) hummus! why bean-less? mostly because i can’t really do beans without severe stomach pains, but also because while i was on this bean-less hummus journey i found that a hummus without chickpeas can in fact taste like magic, AND have a similar whipped consistency to traditional hummus. hence, me sharing this recipe with you!

if you haven’t noticed around here, i loooove kabocha squash over all other winter squash. it’s slightly sweet and earthy, and has the most luscious texture, which lends itself so nicely to a fluffy, creamy hummus. all we did here was remove the chickpeas, and in its place, added roasted kabocha squash. all that’s added is a good bit of tahini (the more the merrier), lemon juice, garlic, some ground cumin, and some water to thin it all out some. it’s blended up in a food processor, and can stay in your fridge for up to 4 days. you can add just about any seasonings you like, whether that’s swapping in some smoked paprika for the cumin, maybe some roasted shallots for the garlic, or swapping the kabocha with another winter variety (although i do nudge you to give the kabocha squash a go if you can get your hands on one).

happy february, loves! xo

KABOCHA SQUASH TAHINI | v & gf

print the recipe!

kabocha squash is my preference here, but if you can’t easily access it, then using acorn, or butternut squash will be just as good. you could also use one medium-sized sweet potato as well.

| makes about 1 1/2 cups |

1/2 large kabocha squash, cut in half (or 1 small kabocha squash, cut in half

avocado or olive oil

1/3 cup tahini paste

1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt & pepper

water, to thin

toppings:

toasted pumpkin seeds

extra virgin olive oil

thyme sprigs

rosemary sprigs

method

preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. oil the cut sides of the squash, and place cut side down. cook for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until it’s tender when pricked with a sharp knife. remove from the oven and let cool completely.

once cool, scoop the seeds and the stringy bits from the center of the squash and discard. then scoop out the flesh and place it into the cup of food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade. add the tahini, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt & pepper. blend, drizzle in the water through the spout, a little at a time, scarping down the sides as you go, until you get a smooth consistency. taste and add more lemon juice, salt, pepper, spices, if need be.

scoop hummus into a large lidded container. store in the fridge for up to 4 days. once ready to serve, let it sit out at room temp for roughly 30 minutes. give it a good stir, then plate your hummus and top with a drizzle of olive oil, toasted pumpkin seeds, and fresh herbs. serve with crackers, fresh sliced veggies, or warm crusty bread :)

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beanless sunflower seed & black garlic hummus

AVOCADO-KALE PESTO PASTA (VEGAN) / January 31, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

AVOCADO-KALE PESTO PASTA (VEGAN) | dolly and oatmeal

i used to love making dinner on a whim. looking inside my refrigerator for something that inspired me to make meal. i wish that were the case these days, sadly it’s not. if i’m honest, sometimes i mourn the simpler days where life wasn’t constantly feeling like a hustle, but i know that things will inevitably shift, and that perhaps i may look back on this period in some nostalgic way. i have a feeling a lot of you can relate. whether that’s because you have a family, a demanding job, or just don’t find cooking all that fun.

this is why this dinner recipe comes in clutch! i’ve made it countless times now, and i love its heartiness, you may be asking: what’s the difference between this pesto pasta versus any other pesto pasta. my resounding answer is: AVOCADO! i don’t know about you, but every time i eat pasta for dinner, i end up grabbing a snack about an hour later. i’ve been adding more healthy fats, protein, and fiber to my meals to help keep my blood sugar in check, and ever since doing so, i’m less likely to be likely to noshing on something i’m not even hungry for.

so let’s talk avocado-pesto. there’s an entire avocado mushed up in this recipe which adds richness, and also a good amount of healthy fat. you may be curious if this is just mushed up avocado flavored with basil, or if it even resembles pesto. in the traditional sense, no, this is not your grandmother’s pesto (but we’re rolling with the times, and building off classics to make new classics - amiright!?). we add a cup each of basil and kale, they’re blended up with toasted pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. we reserve some pasta water to thin it out a bit, which dilutes it a bit, but not too much that it doesn’t perfectly cover every strand of fettuccine. true love in the form of green pesto pasta sauce! i really hope you get the chance to make this one :)

big love! xo

avocado-kale pesto pasta | v & gf

there are so many ways to go about making pesto. if kale isn’t your thing or don’t have it on hand, add spinach, arugula, or more basil. you could even swap the toasted pine nuts for walnuts. there are a variety of ways you could go about making this pesto - just don’t skip the avo!

print the recipe!

| serves 2-4 |

pesto

1 ripe avocado
1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
1 cup torn kale (from about 3 big leaves), packed
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

pesto pasta

1/2 cup avocado-kale pesto
1/4 cup pasta cooking water
1 package gluten-free pasta of choice (i personally love capello’s fettuccine)
1/4 cup baby arugula
handful toasted pine nuts

method

in a food processor fitted with a metal “s'“ blade, combine the avocado, basil, kale, pine nuts, lemon juice, and 2 garlic cloves. cover with the fitted lid, and blend; with the processor on, drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated. stop the machine and scrape down the sides, add salt and pepper to taste and blend again until smooth and creamy. taste and add more salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice if necessary.
cook pasta according to the instructions on the box until al dente (don’t forget to skim 1/4 cup of pasta water from the pot before you drain the pasta). drain the pasta and run it under cool water. while the pasta is draining, whisk together the 1/2 cup of pesto with the 1/4 cup of pasta water in a serving bowl until combined. add the pasta and toss until completely covered in the pesto.
taste and add more salt if necessary, top with arugula, and pine nuts, then serve while hot. (store leftover pesto in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 4 days.)