August 17, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Cooling Summer Salad w/ Za'atar Pesto w/ Za'atar Pesto | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

we've been stuck in one of the worst heatwaves i can remember here in nyc. the heat index has been over 100 degrees for the past few days, and while our apartment is staying pretty cool as long as we don't turn the oven on, there were times where me and my 8 1/2 month pregnant body shut down. there was one particular night where i dramatically cried myself to sleep and frank placed ice packs around my extremities to sooth my overly emotional reaction to a warm bedroom. if you haven't already noticed, he's a trooper, guys. but aside from tears and ice packs, the heat has brought us back to the basics. and by that i mean a ton of cool, fresh summery salads!

we've been making this PACT salad (get it? peach, avocado, cucumber & tomato salad!?) at least 2 nights a week. depending on what we're eating with it, there's 2 variations i keep in constant rotation. there's a spicy version where there's minced cilantro, a good bit of lime juice, california olive ranch olive oil (always!), some flaky sea salt, and a couple dashes of ground cayenne pepper. it's the perfect hot weather salad, especially when the veg has been chilling in the fridge for a bit.

the other variation is the recipe i'm sharing today. it has the same salad components, but a totally different flavor profile thanks to some good old za'atar. if you're not familiar with za'atar it's typically made up of thyme and marjoram, mixed with toasted sesame seeds, and ground sumac which gives it a tangy kick. frank and i had a similar salad the other week at a restaurant. it was a tomato and peach salad served with toasted pine nuts and a za'atar pesto, and it was amazing! i knew immediately that i needed to recreate the it for a homemade version, one we could enjoy whenever we wanted. the pesto is super simple and aside from the prepared za'atar, it doesn't require any other herbs. it's blended up with toasted pine nuts, some added lemon juice, a clove of garlic, and my favorite of california olive ranch's olive oil, their rich and robust flavor, offering the pesto, and the salad, just the right flavor which has already become the staple in our kitchen. so whether you use the za'atar pesto on this particular salad as a marinade, or schmeared on a piece of crusty bread, it's a must-try!

this post was created in partnership with california olive ranch. all thoughts and opinions are my own. thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep dolly and oatmeal running!

Summer tomatoes | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

cooling summer salad w/ za'atar pesto | v

the za'atar pesto makes just enough for the salad, so if you're wanting leftovers, i suggest doubling or even tripling the recipe.

| serves 4-6 |

za'atar pesto

3 tablespoons za'atar
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1/2 cup California Olive Ranch Rich and Robust Extra Virgin Olive Oil

salad

2 pounds mixed tomatoes, cored and sliced into wedges
2 ripe peaches, sliced into small wedges
1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks
1 medium cucumber, sliced thin
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
flaky sea salt
extra za'atar, for garnish

Za'atar Pesto | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

method

make the za'atar. in a food processor, pulse the za'atar, nuts, lemon juice, and garlic until roughly ground. with the motor running, drizzle in the oil until everything is combined. season with salt.
in a large bowl, gently toss together the tomatoes, peaches, avocado, cucumber, and nuts. add the za'atar pesto and give it all another good toss. taste and add more salt if needed. serve and sprinkle with za'atar.

similar recipes:

grilled panzanella salad w/ peaches & fennel

Summer Fridays!: Macadamia Ricotta & Black Currant Jam On Toast | V / August 12, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Summer Fridays!: Macadamia Ricotta & Black Currant Jam On Toast | V | dolly and oatmeal

we're embarking on our first "baby class' tonight, although it's more of a partner yoga class for labor and birth. i would lying if i didn't confess that i'm a tad apprehensive. opening up oneself in a vulnerable state is not something that comes easy to me. instead, i prefer to fall apart in safe spaces with the humans that know me best. so, the thought of being in a group, albeit small, and discussing things that are sure to scare the crap out of me is not my idea of a good night. however, i'm super eager to hear a different approach to what i've been reading up on and told by my obgyn. i've found that throughout my pregnancy not one source has been truly correct about one thing or another, but rather, frank and i have really took on this experience and tried to go with the flow and figure things out along the way.

my first trimester was nothing that any book or professional could have prepared us for, it was a scary and lonely time that i'm not sure i'm ready to talk about yet, but nonetheless we got through it and we're better for it. throughout that time we definitely came to appreciate the notion that life happens and you can prepare for things as much as possible, but there are unexpected ups and downs that no one can plan for (just as in non-preganancy life!). as we close in on 5 weeks until this little guy arrives i find myself bopping back and forth between what our post-natal world will look like, how much joy it will bring me seeing frank hold our son, and looking into the face of a teeny human brought to us with every ounce of light and love there is. i'm not sure there's a way to prepare for those feelings, they seem too intense to embrace right now, but we're trying to imagine how it could feel.

one thing i've been coveting the past few months is anything on toast. a few weeks ago i posted this salad on toast. so i wasn't sure this site, or you all, needed another toast "recipe". nevertheless, i came to the conclusion that this cheesy jammy snack was too good not to share! last summer, before babies and other things, frank and i went out to LA to see my brother and his (then girlfriend) fíance. we stopped at one of our favorite spots one morning, sqirl. i had the porridge, frank had their "famed ricotta toast" on brioche with seasonal jam. when i took a bitty bite my tastebuds were so in love. the thick, mushy bread, the creamy and slightly salty ricotta, and that sweet jam. in a matter of seconds all those flavors and textures made so much sense. since then, i've been dreaming of making my own version using the macadamia ricotta from my book. i made the ricotta a bit more friendly to a sweeter dish, taking out the miso and garlic. i used my favorite gluten-free focaccia and made a quick, small-batch black currant jam to go along with it. whether you use a fresh-made jam or your favorite store-bought one, it's sure to be a good day ;)

xoxo!

black currant jam & vegan ricotta on toast

recipe inspired by Sqirl

you can use any jam here. although my favorites are a blackberry, raspberry, or this currant jam. and if you're not sensitive to gluten, use a good brioche or challah bread here.

jam

1 cup black currants
1/4 cup filtered water
2 tablespoons - 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
pinch of salt

ricotta

1 cup raw macadamia nuts, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
8-10 tablespoons filtered water
fine sea salt, to taste
1 loaf gluten-free focaccia (or any , cut into 1-inch slices and toasted

method

make the ricotta. in a high-speed blender, blend the nuts, nutritonal yeast, vinegar, lemon juice, and 8 tablespoons of water on high, scraping down the sides and adding more water until you get a smooth, but fluffy consistency. taste and adjust the salt and/or vinegar and lemon juice. place in the fridge until ready to use. macadamia ricotta can be made in advance and will stay fresh in a lidded container in the refrigerator for 1 week.
make the jam. over medium heat, combine the berries and water in a small heavy-bottomed pot. bring the mixture to a subtle boil and stir for about 5 minutes, until the berries break down, and water reduces a bit. turn heat down to a simmer, then add 2 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt, taste and adjust sweetness, adding more sugar if desired. stir every few seconds until the jam has thickened and water has reduced by half, about 7-8 minutes.
spread toast halves with a good amount of ricotta and jam, and enjoy!

similar recipes:

tomato toast w/ macadamia ricotta & shiso

cilantro & hemp salad on tahini-yogurt toast

miso-tahini avocado toast w/ black sesame gomasio

Golden Sunflower Gazpacho | V / August 10, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Golden Sunflower Gazpacho | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

i try to balance the recipes out on this blog. so when i go to my recipe index and see there's a void, where in other categories there's not, i try to remedy it. the soup category, despite me loving and making it year round, inevitably gets neglected. most times when i make a soup i'm just throwing together what i have leftover in the fridge, or something i have too much of. generally, it's not a full baked concept, but more an off-the-cuff idea. i also tend to keep the ingredients to a minimum. so, depending on the season, some sort of allium is sautéed with garlic, then there's the star veg, some herbs and/or spices; and lastly, a creamy element: tahini paste, coconut yogurt, soaked seeds/nuts, or a good full-fat coconut milk. there are usually less than 10 ingredients involved and not much work, mostly just standing around a pot stirring, and then the final blend. i think this is where my brain comes in and says, this recipe is too basic to post!

but today i'm not listening to my brain because my mouth is way happy with this gazpacho not to share it! it's full of the golden-hued beauty that makes up late summer: sweet corn, yellow & sungold tomatoes. i've combined these two before, but to make it all a bit thicker and creamier, i added some soaked sunflower seeds which transformed a generally thin, runny gazpacho into a more full-bodied and substantial gazpacho, which clearly, i'm all about today! it makes all the difference between a gazpacho that can sometimes taste like a purified salad, and a cool, creamy summer soup.

wishing you all a bright summer week! xo

golden sunflower gazpacho | v

| makes 4 servings |

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked for at least 4 hours
1 1/2 pounds yellow or sungold tomatoes (or a combination of both)
3 ears fresh corn (about 2 cups)
1 small onion (about 3/4 cup), diced
1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt & fresh pepper, to taste

toppings:

unsweetened coconut yogurt
fresh cilantro leaves
toasted sunflower seeds
nasturtium flowers
fresh pepper

method

drain and rinse the sunflower seeds and set them aside.
core the tomatoes and place in the container of a high-speed blender (if you're using sungolds there is no need to core them). cut the kernels away from each corn cob, and place in the blender as well. to the blender add, the onion, garlic, vinegar, oil, sunflower seeds, and salt and pepper to taste. blend on high for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides as you go until you get a silky smooth consistency. taste and adjust the salt and/or vinegar.
refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
serve chilled with a dollop of yogurt, toasted sunflower seeds, cilantro, and a nasturtium bloom (optional).

enjoy!