June 8, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

apparently there's something called june gloom here in southern california. the mornings and early afternoons are cloudy and chilly, and the late afternoons open up to bright blue skies and warm sunshine. but i'm not really finding anything super gloomy about it (for now). back in new york there would be super cold spring days, and the kind of spring days that are muggy and in the 80's. essentially, real spring days are numbered in new york, which is why i'm loving the LA weather lately. and to be honest, i'm not quite in shorts or bathing suit shape yet, so i'm selfishly excited i still get to rock yoga pants and sweatshirts for a little bit longer.

the desert nights are another thing i absolutely love here. no matter how hot it gets during the day there are always enough cool breezes to go around and sufficiently cool everything down. which is why i love this spring risotto dish. the recipe hits that seasonal in between perfectly, in that it has all those great spring vegetables, but it's cozy enough for a cool night. the risotto comes from sarah waldman's new book, Feeding A Family. i had been anxiously awaiting sarah's book since she began teasing posts about it on instagram a ways back, and she was kind enough to send me a copy. i'm a big fan of her site and love that she lived on my favorite island in the world, martha's vineyard.

the book is organized by season. in each season are dinner recipes accompanied by a side dish, and in most cases, a dessert. the book provides great structure for making family-based meals, which i love. in this (still) new world of having a baby, and still trying to prepare meals for my family, this book is a wonderful guide. sarah's recipe are approachable yet delicate, and are inclusive of lots of diets. but what i love most is her notes on how to make each recipe baby-friendly, or how to involve your older children in the process of making a meal. her notes also include how to turn "tonight's dinner" into tomorrow's dinner. so clever!

this risotto was super simple to put together. for someone who never knew you could make risotto in an oven, this was a revelation. it's so awesome to know there's a baby/family-friendly risotto recipe out there that doesn't require you to stand over a pot stirring for 40 minutes. and the rice comes out just as creamy and delicious as if you stood over that pot. i made some substitutions that are more friendly to my diet which i highlight in the notes below ;)

june hugs! xo

sweet pea oven risotto w/ garlicky pea shoots

recipe from Feeding A Family by Sarah Waldman

i substituted the 4 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of ghee. you could add more, just make sure to taste as you go since ghee has a distinct flavor. i also substituted roughly 3/4 cup of nutritional yeast for the grated parmesan, but you could add more/less depending on your preference. since i didn't use parmesan there's a lack of salt. i added salt, to taste, in the step where you add the peas.

| serves 6 |

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 cups aborio rice
4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups sweet peas (thawed if frozen, blanched in boiling water if fresh)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 handfuls of freshly grated parmesan cheese
garlicky pea shoots, for serving

garlicky pea shoots

| serves 4 |

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced or grated on a microplane
3 loosely packed cups pea shoots, torn into peices
kosher salt

method

preheat oven to 400°F.
place an oven-safe pot over medium heat. add the olive oil and the chopped shallots and saute until soft but not browned. add in the rice and cook it for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains glisten.
meanwhile, pour the broth into a separate saucepan, bring it to a boil, and immediately remove it from the heat. add 4 cups of the hot broth to the rice mixture. stir to combine and bring the rice pot to a boil, the cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. cook for 20 minutes or until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice is tender. remove the pot from the oven and add the peas, butter, the remaining 1/2 cup of broth, and handfuls of parmesean cheese. stir everything to combine and served topped with garlicky pea shoots.

garlicky pea shoots

heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. add the minced garlic and pea shoots. continuously toss the pea shoots with garlic until they are just wilted. sprinkle with salt and serve on top of the risotto.

sarah's notes:

for baby: the sweetness and soft texture of this risotto are perfect for baby. if you'd like, stir in finely chopped pea shoots for added nutrition.

tomorrow's dinner: risotto cakes - make a second pot of oven risotto and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. the rice will get firm and sticky. form the rice into small patties and fry them in a large skillet coated with olive oil until crispy and browned on both sides.

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herbed black beluga lentils w/ garlic scapes & yogurt sauce

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pea shoot, radish & fermented jalepeno tostadas

Strawberry Coconut Kale Slaw / June 1, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Strawberry Coconut Kale Slaw | dolly and oatmeal

when we were in LA for vacation last january we made a stop at the whole foods in downtown for a quick dinner. it was the second night of our trip, and i remember amesy was particularly irritable, so a fast dinner was in order. at the prepared counter at the whole foods in in new york, there are slim pickings, and they rarely change up what's on the menu, so i thought my decision in LA would be a quick one. it turned out that i was wrong. there were mounds of beautiful fresh salads and my dinner choice couldn't have been harder to decide. i wanted to sample each dish, but my crying babe quickly brought me back to reality so i hurriedly got the strawberry kale salad.

that split second judgement couldn't have been better. that salad transported me from my bleak winter blues, into the land of plenty where strawberries were already being served atop fresh greens. cranky baby aside, that meal was heaven. and apparently i'm not the only one out there that loves that particular whole foods salad. there's at least a few recipes on the web dedicated to recreating it as well! this version here is more of a slaw. the kale is chopped in shreds, and marinated a bit, and it generally has a lighter feel. there's a good amount of toasted coconut shreds tossed in and more on top for good measure, along with some toasty pine nuts. it's all dressed in a really simple honey-lime vinaigrette that i love. it's a great salad for a gathering, and will serve up to 10 people. this past weekend my man and i served it up to a small crowd alongside a potato salad, some grass-fed burgs, and a simple blueberry lemon cake. all about those easy-peasy dishes ;)

happy june. big hugs, all!

strawberry coconut kale slaw

you could easily halve this recipe. but leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to a few days, and might i say will taste better as the days go by. the slaw can also be made the day before and be stored in the fridge. make sure to take the slaw out an hour or so prior to serving.

inspired by whole foods

| serves 6-10 |

3/4 cup toasted coconut shreds
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
2 bunches kale, stemmed and shredded
1 tablespoon liquid extra virgin coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
fine sea salt & fresh ground pepper
1 pound strawberries, halved or quartered
5 green onions, white and light green parts sliced thin

honey-lime vinaigrette

juice from 2 limes
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons raw honey
fine sea salt & fresh ground pepper

method

heat a large skillet over medium-low heat, add the coconut shreds. toast the coconut until lightly brown and fragrant, shaking the pan every now to prevent burning. remove the coconut and let it cool. in the same pan, toast the pine nuts until lightly browned, shaking the pan every now and then. remove the nuts and let them cool.
add the kale, oil, lemon juice, and big pinch of salt to a large mixing bowl. massage everything until the kale has softened, about 5 minutes. add half of the coconut, the pine nuts, strawberries, and green onions.
in a lidded jar, combine the lime juice, olive oil, and honey. fasten the lid and give it a good shake, season with salt and pepper.
drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to distribute the dressing. garnish the top of the salad with the remaining toasted coconut.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies / May 24, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies | dolly and oatmeal

amesy is at the point where he's emerging from that infant-baby stage into what seems like an older baby stage. he'll be 8 months old this saturday, and while i definitely cannot say the time has flown by (by any means), i've certainly felt a very noticeable shift. he's in an interesting in-between where he needs us wholeheartedly for most everything, but he's also becoming a bit more autonomous in his physical actions and emotions. he's been crawling now for a few days and has pretty much gotten it down! he kind of does this plank/downward dog/crawl thing and it's really too cute. i love that he's exploring a whole new world, i can see his intense curiosity behind his big brown eyes. it hits me from time to time that there will be a moment when he doesn't need me to feed him, or will no longer look for my hands to help him up, and that he won't bury his face in chest when he gets bashful. i can tear up at a moments notice about these things, which is silly, i know. he will need me for other things as he gets older. our relationship will manifest in different ways, i suppose. but for now i'm already living in the nostalgia of yesterday.

there's no smooth transition here, but i'm sure your inbox and instagram feed may be flooded with a ton of great picnic-ready recipes for the long weekend - pasta salads, leafy greens in a bowl, things to cook on a bbq. and maybe there's a recipe for a light and airy yellow cake intricately decorated with whipped cream and fresh berries. maybe it's just me, but sometimes an overabundance of recipes options have me feeling significantly overwhelmed to the point where i retreat back to the recipes that i've made time and time again. they're like a good pair of jeans that way: forgiving, reliable, and comfy. they usually include a guacamole or hummus freestyle, a green salad with a creamy dressing, maybe a hearty pasta salad or frittata depending on the season/occasion, and a simple cake that could please (hopefully) anyone.

which is why i'm so grateful when i come across a recipe like these peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. kathyrne, from cookie + kate, just came out with a brilliant new book, love real food, and i received a copy few weeks ago. amesy happened to be napping, so i got to thumb through the pages and landed on this recipe. it's one of those go-to recipes that has a short list of pantry ingredients, and is a one bowl kind of situation. i was thrilled at its straight forward nature, and simple technique (stirring, scooping, baking - done!), plus nothing bad ever comes out of pairing chocolate and peanut butter. the best part is that the last batch had finished cooking just as amesy was waking up. it really couldn't have worked any better. and it's definitely one of those reliable recipes that will be used over and over.

but kathryne's book is filled with beautiful, accessible recipes that make you feel like you can get it all done and have a nourishing meal all at the same time. as someone who can overcomplicate things at times, i'm really thankful for attainable recipes that are composed of readily available ingredients. the book is organized by breakfast items, salads, soups, a happy hour chapter (yes!), entrees, desserts, and extras. most recipes come with instructions on how to substitute ingredients to make the recipe gluten free, dairy free, or vegan at times. you'll also get to see more pictures of her super cute pup, cookie, and a really wonderful intro that talks about kate's journey to eating real food, and how everyone can achieve a balanced, more nourished, outlook on home cooking.

wishing everyone a beautiful weekend! xo

peanut butter chocolate chip cookies | gf (with a vegan option)

recipe from: Love Real Food by Kathryne Taylor. reprinted with permission.

i didn't have a cookie scoop, so i used a tablespoon measure to scoop the dough which worked perfectly but made less cookies (about 26). to make these dairy-free, i used this chocolate and chopped it up to make chips. kathryne gives some notes on how to make these vegan which are included below.

| makes 42 small cookies |

2 cups lightly packed coconut sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 jar (16 ounces) creamy peanut butter (1 3/4 cups)*
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips, preferably 60% cacao

*kathryne's notes:

natural peanut butter works well here. she notes to use standard salted peanut butter. if you are using unsalted peanut butter add an additional 1/4 teaspoon to the recipe. almond butter and sunflower butter work too, although she prefers the peanut version.
make these vegan by using vegan chocolate chips and omitting the eggs. she notes that egg free cookies will be lighter and be more meringue-like in texture and will be slightly gritty.

method

preheat the oven 350°F. line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
in a medium bowl, combine the coconut sugar and eggs and whisk until smooth (the eggs might resist incorporating into the sugar at first, but keep whisking!). whisk in the vanilla and salt until blended.
add the peanut butter and whisk until the dough is smooth and the peanut butter has completely blended into the batter (you might need to switch to a big spoon toward the end, which you'll need for mixing in the chocolate chips anyway). add the chocolate chips and stir until the chocolate chips are evenly incorporated.
for cookies that stay perfectly mounded, chill the dough for 15 mintues before proceeding (if you're in a hurry, skip the chilling step). use a 1-tablespoon cookie dough scoop or two spoons to scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1 to 2 inches of space between each one. chill any remaining dough while you make the first batch.
bake until the cookies are golden at the edges but still just a little underdone in the center 11 to 13 minutes. let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them with a metal spatula to a cooling rack to cool completely. repeat with the remaining dough. (if your first round was a little too doughy, bake this round for 1 minute longer, or if they were done past your liking, bake for 1 minute less -make note of this time, because you'll probably want to make these cookies again!)
these cookies keep well at room temperature for about 4 days, and freeze well for up to 3 months.