Dreamy Vegan Chocolate-Almond Sundae / June 8, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Almond-y Chocolate N'Ice Cream Sundae | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

it's been so hot here recently that all i've wanted to do is hibernate in air conditioning during the day, and spend the cooler breezy evenings outside in our backyard. we generally try not to put the air conditioner in until later in june, but the heat hit me one day last week where i broke down in a full-on ugly cry and frank made the executive decision to install the ac once and for all. i've always run hot, but being pregnant (and nearly in my 3rd trimester) has upped ante to a new level. to make the yard a little cooler, frank has also been working to build a small deck out back. we've had this 10x6' patch of dirt right outside our door since we moved in last year where we've attempted to grow everything from grass (but would we have to mow it?), to creeping thyme (which never grew in enough), and sedum with little luck. so, within a couple days there was an impressive little deck built which has been the ultimate luxury when the sun goes behind our apartment building and the harbor breezes blow through in the late afternoon.

another thing that's been super refreshing in this heat are frozen treats like this recipe i'm sharing today! it's from tuulia and vanelja's new book, n'ice cream: 80 recipes for healthy homemade vegan ice creams. i tend to stay away from super market ice creams, mostly because they're made with a lot of fillers, and refined sugar that generally don't agree with me. so when this book landed on my doorstep i was more than excited to start messing around with their beautiful, wholesome, refined-sugar-free frozen recipes! this vegan sundae is banana and coconut based and is a complete dream. i've made banana-based ice cream a while back (pardon the photography!) and was really excited by its taste and texture. i know there's a lot of controversy about whether a banana-based ice cream is truly ice cream, but i think it's a totally genius way to fulfill a craving while simultaneously feeding your bod some good stuff. this ice cream comes together really quickly and can be served right away (or you can freeze it overnight like i did for a sturdier consistency) with all the toppings! i served mine and frank's with the fastest and most delicious raw-ish chocolate sauce that made for the most perfect chocolate shell. seriously, guys, make this!

hugs + all the frozen treats! xo

dreamy chocolate-almond sundae | v

from n'ice cream: 80 recipes for healthy homemade vegan ice creams

to make this sundae a bit more almond-y i swapped in 3/4 teaspoon of almond extract instead of the vanilla extract, which gave the ice cream a mild almond essence which is really nice here. i also added frozen raspberries instead of cherries simply because it's what i had on-hand.

| serves 2 |

1 (14-ounce/400ml) can full-fat coconut milk (refrigerated overnight)
2 frozen bananas
2 to 3 tablespoons raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon almond butter or other nut or seed butter
1 -2 tablespoons maple syrup or other sweetener
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

toppings

coconut whipped cream
chocolate sauce*
fresh cherries or frozen raspberries
slivered almonds

*chocolate sauce

1/2 cup unrefined extra virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanila extract

method

open the coconut milk can and scoop the thick white cream into a blender. add the bananas, cacao powder, almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender, as necessary. taste and add more sweetener or cacao powder, if desired. scoop into bowls, decorate with coconut whipped cream, chocolate sauce, cherries or raspberries, and almonds, and enjoy!

chocolate sauce

whisk ingredients until combined. taste and adjust sweetness, if needed. use immediately, or cover and store sauce at room temperature, whisking before each use, for up to 3 days.

similar recipes:

granola ice cream w/ blackberry chia sauce

Bee Pollen, Berry & Broccoli Rabe Smoothie / June 1, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Bee Pollen, Berry & Broccoli Rabe Smoothie | dolly and oatmeal

the first few weeks of my pregnancy i was all, i'm going to eat kale salads, drink all the green juice, and give this babe every nutrient i can find. turns out that life and pregnancy had a different plan (as they often do!). while i wasn't most nauseous in the morning, afternoon and dinner time was somewhat tortured moments of the day where i felt completely disconnected and couldn't get my stomach and my brain on the same page - it actually wasn't until a few weeks ago where i was able to eat like a functioning adult. i had been living off of every breakfast food that was palatable and sneaking in some random stuff on the side (one night it was granola topped with banana, and potato salad - balance. right?). i felt super guilty and totally thought this tiny human was getting gypped of all the wholesome foods i initially was pumped to be able to give him. when the nausea finally decreased i started getting back to a better eating routine and incorporating some green stuff here and there. i began with straight up fruity acai bowls and now i've been progressively adding greens to my mid-morning smoothie routine with zero queasy vibes!

i love a kale smoothie, but i've been adding whatever i have on hand: baby spinach, leftover beet greens, and to my surprise broccoli rabe leaves actually taste super awesome all whipped up with some berries, and frozen, creamy banana :) their slightly peppery leaves give this smoothie an extra kick i never thought would be worth trying. but this smoothie is chock full of spring and summer faves, too. if you follow me over on snapchat (username: dollyoatmeal) then you saw that i just picked up a couple of baskets of fresh strawberries at the market this past sunday - they were odd shaped, full of stems, vibrant, super juicy, and sweet! it'll be a while before raspberries make their debut, so for the time being i'm sticking to the frozen variety. it's also got some bee pollen because: allergy season. whenever frank's partaking in smoothie drinking i always add some bee pollen for his allergies, because oddly enough it actually reduces histamine (which is the result of an allergic reaction). so this is a great way to relieve some of your allergies while also getting a good amount of nutrients in the process - win/win!

love + smoothies! xo

* this post was created in partnership with Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe. all opinions, as always, are my own. thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that help dolly and oatmeal going!

bee pollen, berry, and broccoli rabe smoothie | vegan

any berries would be great here, and i could imagine using all frozen berries if that's what you prefer/have on-hand (just nix the ice cubes). i also imagine that using unsweetened coconut yogurt in place of the almond milk would be super as well.

| makes 2 small servings |

1 cup broccoli rabe leaves
1 small frozen banana
1 cup fresh strwberries
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon hemp seeds
1 teaspoon bee pollen
1 teaspoon maple syrup
ice

method

place all ingredients in an upright blender (preferably high-speed) and blend for 1 minute, until completely smooth.
pour into 2 glasses, top with bee pollen, and serve immediately.

similar recipes:

Chickpea & Avocado Tzatziki Salad + A Grohe Faucet Giveaway! / June 1, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Chickpea & Avocado Tzatziki Salad | dolly and oatmeal

when i first began to conceptualize my cookbook everything was basically a blur. writing an ingredient-based, single-subject book seemed a little one dimensional, so i really wanted to ground it in something tangible, something that gave the subject of chickpea flour some context. using chickpea flour throughout the year to highlight its versatility made sense to me, and more broadly how to incorporate chickpea flour into dishes throughout the year so you're not stuck with a whole bag of it just for those times you want to make socca.

pretty early on in my book proposal process i wanted the chapters to flow as months of year rather than chapters made up of appetizers, entrees, desserts, etc., from there, i tried to give each month an equal amount of breakfast options, lighter lunch fare, entrees, and sweets. one category i didn't plan on having much inventory in was the snacking/noshing section. as i got into the recipe testing phases, i started playing around with a chickpea "polenta" dish. during that process i saw that when chickpea flour and water was heated over the stove, it turns into a melted cheese/roux consistency. i had an idea of adding that creamy mix to a nut-based dip or cheese sauce to give it even more rich texture. so many of them turned out so good, and tasted so spot on, that i included a bunch in the book.

one of those recipes was a chickpea flour-based tzatziki dip that comes so close to the original, that i still question whether i'm eating dairy or not. besides using it for dipping, i love adding it to grain bowls or salads as a creamy alternative to a tahini or yogurt-based sauce. in this recipe it's the dressing for a super simple chickpea and avocado salad that adds a mellow coolness from the dill and cucumber. this is a perfect picnic salad (it's totally vegan, so you don't have to worry about it going bad on a warm day), a simple lunch, or as a companion to a dinner meal.

as for the major giveaway! grohe was kind enough to send me one of their stellar new faucet to try out, and i couldn't be more impressed with not only the design, but its functionality as well. when it comes to faucets i'm not that picky. if it works and does the job, i'm pretty happy about it. but after experiencing its pull-out spray head, and the toggle between normal water flow and spray, i'm pretty much smitten. as for the giveaway, grohe is giving away 4(!!!) of their eurocube faucets to 4 lucky winners, with the first winner being chosen Friday, June 10, and the final winner being chosen Friday, July 3. enter here for a chance to win (giveaway is open to US residents only). good luck! :)

*this post was created in partnership with grohe. all opinions, as always, are my own.

chickpea &avocado tzatziki salad | v

if you're not vegan/dairy-free feel free to use a tzatziki of your choice (even though i think you should give mine a shot - wink,wink). i also think that cannellini or navy beans would work well here, as well as any fresh greens you have on hand.

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

tzatizki

1 medium cucumber, grated with a box grater
1 cup water
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked (up to 4 hours or overnight)
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
sea salt & fresh pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

salad

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
big handful fresh baby spinach, mesclun greens, or baby arugula
3 radishes, shaved on a mandolin
1 bunch spring onions, white and light greens parts sliced thin
1 ripe avocado, chunked
fine sea salt & fresh pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons -1/4 cup tzatziki
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
herb or vegetable flowers (optional)

method

tzatziki

place the grated cucumber in a fine-mesh sieve. use your palm and push to squeeze out as much liquid as possible; set aside
in a small saucepan, whisk together the water and flour until smooth. turn heat to medium and continue whisking until the mixture thickens, about 6 to 7 minutes; the mixture will resemble a roux or melted cheese. remove from the heat.
place the flour mixture, cashews, garlic, vinegar, oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a high-speed blender; blend for 1 minute until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl; stir in the grated cucumber and dill. let the tzatziki come to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
remove from the refrigerator when ready to serve and give it a good stir.

salad

place chickpeas, sliced radishes, onions, and avocado in a large bowl. season with salt and pepper.
add tzatziki and toss. taste and adjust, adding more tzatziki, salt, or pepper if needed.
garnish with toasted sesame seeds and herb or vegetable flowers.

enjoy!