May 28, 2020 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

it’s feeling more like summer here lately, temperature wise at least. so we broke out our little blowup pool, and it’s simultaneously been entertainment (for us all), while also tuckering the kids out which means a bit of peace and quiet when nap time rolls around. joey, our youngest at just over 9 months is now sitting, crawling, pulling himself up on all the things. he loves the water -he could probably sit all day splashing and playing with amesy, it’s probably one of my favorite things to watch.

we’re coming in to the homestretch of the year, and with that brings all the holidays. my aim this holiday season is to create simple recipes to ring in the holiday season, that are approachable, allergen-friendly, and (importantly) delicious. first up, is this creamy pasta bake that my family adores. this is the kind of dish that pleases just about any customer. #1: there’s pasta involved, and who doesn’t love a chewy, warm carb? #2: the creamy “cheesy” sauce will make you think you’re eating a traditional mac ‘n cheese drowning in dairy, when you’re actually not. #3: it’s kid-friendly! amesy, who doesn’t like pasta, will eat this dish with actual glee. so i’m quite sure any other child out there (picky or not) will love it as well. and lastly #4: it’s super easy to put together (you could actually make the sauce and cracker crust ahead of time) and makes a bunch of leftovers (especially if you’re single or a small family). have i convinced you to make this yet?

the sauce is butternut squash-based which gives it that nostalgic mac ‘n cheese color, while also providing flavor and nutrients (yay!). instead of flavoring the sauce with pantry items to make it taste cheesy, i actually add a good bit of plant-based cheese to really give it the depth of cheesy flavor we want in a baked pasta situation. and i can’t overstate how much i love Thrive algae oil here as well. i use it in the sauce and the cracker crust. with the highest level of good-for-you, heat-stable monounsaturated fats and the lowest level of bad fats of any cooking oil, it provides everything we need, without affecting the “cheese” vibe one bit - it’s completely neutral in flavor, despite what you might assume about algae! plus, it gives the sauce that lush and velvety texture that’s so satisfying. (i also love that it’s so widely found in grocery stores across the US, and easily accessible online as well.)

my intention for sharing this recipe is that it makes for a great weeknight meal of course, but that it’s also reliable and sturdy enough to serve alongside your thanksgiving staples as a vegan AND gluten-free option for guests that lean that way. but i’m also sure that folks around the table that don’t have a specific dietary restriction will love it all the same! and can i say that this makes for a healthy-ish dish too? i use chickpea pasta here (protein), the butternut squash sauce is mixed together with a healthy amount of fresh spinach (fiber), and the sauce is also mixed with algae oil replacing saturated fats found in other cooking oils with
all those good monounsaturated fats our bodies need and love. it’s a well-rounded meal without even really trying to be. aren’t dishes like that the best? i hope you love this one as much as my family and i do :)

xo!

this post was created in partnership with Thrive Algae Oil. all opinions, as always, are my own. thank you for supporting the sponsors that keep dolly and oatmeal running.

cheesy spinach & butternut baked shells | gf & v

| serves 4-6 |

butternut sauce

1 1/2 cups butternut squash puree
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup thrive algae oil
4 ounces vegan mozzarella
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

cheesy cracker crust

2/3 cup gluten-free cracker crumbs
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 tablespoons thrive algae oil
leaves from 4 sprigs fresh thyme

pasta bake

1 pound gluten free pasta shells
kosher salt
2 1/2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
fresh herbs (i like sage and thyme), to garnish

method

preheat oven to 425°F, and oil a 10-inch baking dish.
make the cracker crust. combine the cracker crumbs, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and thyme in the container of a blender and pulse everything together until combined. transfer to a mixing bowl, and use a fork to mix in the oil until the mixture looks wet and sandy. set aside and wipe out the blender container.
make the butternut sauce. in your blender container, combine the butternut squash puree, milk, oil, cheese, garlic, salt, onion powder, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. whiz everything together on high, stopping to scrape down the sides, until the sauce is smooth and creamy. taste and adjust, adding more seasonings, if needed. (add the additional 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes if you prefer more heat, if not, leave as is.) set the sauce aside.
cook the pasta and spinach. fill a large pot with water, add 2 tablespoons salt and bring to a boil. add the pasta and cook until al dente (it’s going to cook later on, so don’t overcook it. i usually cook it 2 minutes less than what the package instructs). 1 minute before the pasta is finished cooking, add the spinach. drain the pasta and spinach.
to your prepared baking dish, add the pasta and spinach. pour over the sauce and use a spoon to mix it together. use your fingers to evenly sprinkle the cracker crust over top.
bake in the center of your oven for 10-12 minutes, until golden and bubbly. cool 5-10 minutes, then serve.

similar recipes:

vegan hasselback potato & shallot gratin

vegan alfredo w/ caramelized shallots & kale

butternut squash chili w/ cilantro yogurt

BROKEN LASAGNA W/ VEGAN WHITE PESTO & BROCCOLI RABE / June 27, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

BROKEN LASAGNA W/ VEGAN WHITE PESTO & BROCCOLI RABE | dolly and oatmeal

sorry for the radio silence the past 2 weeks. amesy’s school got completely overrun with the stomach virus, and we were all taken out by it. thankfully amesy was spared much of it and was only sick for a day. but frank and i were pretty much out of commission for a good 4-5 days. to be honest, i’m still not back to feeling 100%, apparently being 8 months pregnant and violently ill takes a way bigger toll on your body than i had initially thought. in any event, we’re back and functioning human beings. so yay for that!

there’s no way to really segue from that story to this incredibly delicious, incredibly easy weeknight dish. but here we go! we often lean on some sort of pasta dish for our dinner each week, and usually add a protein to the side to fill it out a bit. and i’ve always been intrigued by the “broken lasagna” or “rustic lasagna” recipes i’ve seen splashed all over pinterest. so i was excited to mix up pasta night, and use a thicker noodle than i typically do. while you could definitely use any pasta you like here, the lasagna noodles definitely took the fun factor up a notch.

noodles and pasta aside, this vegan white pesto is really where all the flavor is at! the original (dairy-based) recipe is from bon appetit, and it sounded so good, i thought i would try a plant-based version. while you could make your own vegan ricotta here, kite hill makes one that has a wonderful flavor and texture (plus, i’m all for one less step in a weeknight dinner recipe). from there, we add a few pantry items, some garlic, chopped fresh thyme, lemon zest to offer the ultimate flavor. but the best part about this dish (aside from it not taking very long to make) is that the lasagna noodles and broccoli rabe are cooked together in one pot, essentially making this meal a 2-pot deal, which can be so key on a busy weeknight.

i hope this recipe makes it into your dinner rotation, and could even be a great side or plant-friendly, and crowd-pleasing meal option if you’re celebrating july 4th next week. i hope you love it as much as my family does ❤️

xo!

broken lasagna w/ vegan white pesto & broccoli rabe | gf

| serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side |

white pesto (adapted from bon appetit)

8oz vegan ricotta (i like this one)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, finely chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic, grated over a microplane
leaves from 3 sprigs fresh thyme, finely chopped
zest from half lemon
fine salt & fresh pepper, to taste
1 cup pasta cooking liquid

lasagna

10oz gluten-free lasagna noodles (i use tinkyada)
2 cups broccoli rabe, woody ends trimmed and roughly chopped
salt & fresh pepper
toasted pine nuts, for garnish
thyme leaves, for garnish

method

make the pesto. in a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, olive oil, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, garlic, thyme, and lemon zest. season with salt and pepper. set aside.
cook the lasagna sheets according to the instructions on the box until al dente. in the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli rabe and continue cooking. before draining the pasta and broccoli, carefully collect 1 cup of the cooking liquid and set aside. drain the lasagna sheets and broccoli rabe.
moving quickly, whisk in half the pasta cooking water into the white pesto, adding more if needed to get a creamy consistency. taste and adjust any seasonings, if necessary. then, toss in the lasagna sheets and broccoli rabe until everything is evenly covered in the pesto, taste once more and add more salt and pepper, if needed. serve, and garnish with toasted pine nuts and thyme leaves.