Gingerbread-Spiced Vegan French Toast /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i've written about how special breakfast is to me countless times probably.  so, i won't bore you with describing my adoration for morning time meals again.  but french toast has recently become one of my favorite AM nibbles once again!  when i was a kid my dad was in charge of breakfast on the weekends, and he was awesome at them!  his specialties included cheesy scrambled eggs, pancakes from the box, and challah french toast.  

most times french toast was reserved for the days following rosh hashanah, the jewish new year where we always had extra pieces of the pillowy bread.  he never measured the eggy batter, usually just adding a bit of milk here, and a cap-full of vanilla extract there.  the toast always came out just right, and always, always tasted like perfection!  my standards were pretty high, so when i went gluten-free years later, i never thought french toast would be an option since i couldn't get bread that came anywhere close to challah.  but when i was developing recipes for my cookbook, i really wanted to make a vegan french toast with a slightly sweetened chickpea flour batter.  i tried a couple different gluten-free breads, but finally settled on this one. while it's not challah by any means, it holds together with a wet batter, and has that doughy center that i love. 

so when i was pregnant and wanted a "fancy" breakfast frank would whip up a slice for me.  and now, post-pregnancy, i still crave it all the time, and i wanted to come up with a french toast that gave a nod to the holiday season.  something that incorporates all the flavors we love to eat, and all the fragrances we love to smell wafting through the kitchen.  so what better than a gingerbread-spiced toast.  i got together with my favorite, go-to spice brand, Simply Organic - who truly have the most vibrant, robust spices that make up this homemade gingerbread spice mix.  the spice recipe is enough to have extra gingerbread spice on-hand for the holiday season for whenever you want some - maybe in your coffee or tea latte, maybe in your cookies or quick bread.  but hopefully for this jazzed up french toast, because honestly, it's a really good one :)   

this recipe was created in partnership with Simply Organic.  all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.  thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that help to keep dolly and oatmeal going!

gingerbread-spiced vegan french toast

in my opinion, the chickpea flour-based batter is the best alternative to eggs.  it's fluid, but holds together, and offers a great texture when cooked.  however, if you don't have chickpea flour and don't need to be vegan, you can certainly use eggs here.

| serves 2-3 |

gingerbread spice mix

french toast

  • 1 cup chickpea flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons gingerbread spice
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (preferably grade b), plus more for serving
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • hearty gluten free bread or your go-to vegan bread (about 6 slices)
  • extra virgin unrefined coconut oil, for cooking
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt, for serving
  • 2-3 tablespoons chopped pistachios, for serving

method

  1. in a small bowl, whisk together the ground spices thoroughly. then transfer to a lidded jar and store in your pantry.
  2. in large shallow bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, arrowroot powder, 3 teaspoons gingerbread spice, and a pinch of salt.  in a separate bowl, whisk together the almond milk,  maple syrup, and vanilla.  whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until fully incorporated.  if the batter is too thick add more milk by the teaspoon until the batter is more fluid.
  3. heat a skillet over medium heat.  once the pan is hot, add a nub of coconut oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pan), dip 1 bread slice at a time into the batter, then transfer to the pan.  cook a few minutes on each side, until golden brown.
  4. serve the french toast with yogurt, maple syrup, chopped pistachios, and a dusting of gingerbread spice.

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Crusty Baked Vegan Alfredo w/ Caramelized Shallots & Kale /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

when i was little my mom attended college full time.  she went back to school after having my brother and i to change careers and fulfill her desire of becoming a psychologist. i know it couldn't have been easy with two little ones at home, especially during the week when my dad was at work.  dinners were generally comprised of a prepared meal my mom had picked up, or some concoction of food my dad was going to make.  but the few nights my mom had time to cook, she would occasionally make us her grandmother's macaroni and cheese recipe.  like all good mac n cheeses, it started with a roux.  from there, plenty of good-quality cheddar cheese was melted into the pot to make the creamiest, dreamiest mac n cheese which she finished with a dash of nutmeg.  if there's a flavor i specifically remember from childhood meals, it's this one.  it reminds me of warmth, love, and most importantly - ultimate coziness.    

so when i was testing recipes for my book, my goal was to make a plant-based version of my mom's mac n cheese for an alfredo dish i wanted to include.  after a bunch of recipe bummers i made finally nailed the right ratio of chickpea flour to water to soaked cashews for the velvety and silky texture, and cheesy flavor i had always cherished.  frank and i love the recipe so much that it's become a dinner staple, especially as the weather has gotten colder. we usually dig in to one big bowl of it, with a fork for each of us, all cozied up on the couch with blanket.  (that's how we get down winter-style.)  but for the past few weeks i had been seeing a bunch of baked mac n cheeses on pinterest that were literally making me drool every time i saw them.  initially i was scared to try a plant-based version, as i thought the sauce would get too dry, but i bit the bullet and gave it a shot.  

i ended up doubled my original alfredo recipe, caramelizing some onions, sautéed some kale, threw some breadcrumbs on top, and baked it until it was slightly crisp and browned.  and, guys, it was crazy good!  hence, the recipe you see here today :)  there are a few steps in making it, but ultimately it's a super easy recipe.  and i've saved you a step by sautéing the shallots and kale in the same pot that the pasta bakes in.  i used KitchenAid®'s oven-safe saucepan to sauté and bake, and it was a dream!  it has an inductive bottom that makes for even cooking, which, for somebody who's lived in apartments with funky stoves/ovens for a while now, these are the only pots and pans that have provided even cooking and i couldn't recommend them more!  all in all, this is a really snuggly dish, a hug in the form of food, essentially :)

wishing you cozy times! xo

this post was created in partnership with KitchenAid® Cookware.  all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.  thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that keep dolly and oatmeal going! 

crusty baked vegan alfredo w/ caramelized shallots & kale | gf

| makes 6 servings |

  • sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 12 ounces brown rice pasta (i like tinkyada fussili)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 5-6 medium sized shallots
  • 1 bunch kale, chopped (about 5 cups)
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs (i like aleia's)
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

alfredo sauce

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 4 hours, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup chickpea flour
  • 2 cups filtered water

method

  1. preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente (see notes).  drain and rinse under cold water to stop the pasta from cooking. set aside.
  3. while the pasta is cooking, make the shallots, kale, and breadcrumb topping.  in an large oven-safe saucepan with 2-inch sides (alternatively, you can use a casserole pan or any large oven-friendly dish with sides), heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium.  once the oil is hot, add the shallots and cook, stirring every now and then until the shallots are soft and caramelized, about 8 minutes.  add the kale and saute until soft and wilted, about 4 minutes.  remove from the heat and set aside. combine the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, a few pinches of salt, a couple grinds of pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  set aside. 
  4. make the alfredo sauce.  place the cashews, oil, nutrtional yeast, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper to taste in the container of a high-speed blender and set aside.
  5. in a small pot, whisk together the water and chickpea flour until completely combined.  place the pot over medium-low heat and continue to whisk every now and then until the mixture is thick and shiny , about 6-8 minutes. remove the mixture from the heat and carefully pour it into your blender.  blend on high for 1 minute, until completely smooth and creamy.  taste and adjust any seasonings, if needed. 
  6. run the pasta under water to loosen it.  add the pasta and hot alfredo sauce to the saucepan with the shallots and kale, gently toss until everything is mixed and covered in sauce.  evenly sprinkle the surface with the breadcrumb mixture and bake for 18-20 minutes, until the browned and crusty on top.  serve hot and garnish with parsley (optional). 

notes: because the pasta is cooking in the oven for an additional 18-20 minutes, you want to undercook it.  i would say to cook it about 2-3 minutes under what you normally do to prevent the pasta from being mushy.

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Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges w/ Green Yogurt Sauce /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

the holidays are taking on such a different vibe in our lives this year.  there's a different feeling in everything frank and i are doing and planning as we're wanting to share in it all with amesy.  at 2 months old he certainly won't remember any of it, but celebrating his first holiday season has been becoming a big deal around here.  we've been playing christmas tunes for him since the end of november, and we got his first christmas tree last week!  decorating, cooking - it's all bringing out a joy and excitement that i knew we would feel, but didn't anticipate how intense it would be.  even though he doesn't really "watch" the tv, having holiday classics play on the television have touched on that bond of sharing in these small cozy moments as a family, and have even gotten us excited beyond the holiday classics with the idea of sharing movies and music with him that have been special to us.   hopefully these will be some traditions we can establish that amesy will be able to reflect on one day and only have good memories.

so it only seemed natural to team up with Disney for this recipe, and to highlight the release of "The BFG" on Blu-ray, Digital HD & Disney Movies Anywhere (get it here).  The BFG is one of those stories that i look forward to sharing with amesy one day, and i know lots of parents would love to share with their kids as well. the special relationship between sophie and the bfg i feel says a lot about the power of sometimes unlikely relationships between dissimilar people and what can come from those.  i also can't help but feel that their relationship is similar to the experience of having a baby, in that (at least for me) i didn't know i could feel this kind of bond until he came into my life. and now that amesy is here i couldn't imagine my life without that unbreakable connection.

talking about connections, i've also got a loyal bond with carbs.  in this potato wedge situation, these sweet potatoes take on a slightly more wholesome version of the typical fried wedge.  in this recipe they're roasted in a bit of olive oil and italian spices in the oven and served with a dairy-free yogurt dip that's been broken down with some bright herbs, tahini, and lemon juice.  it's the perfect snack to sit and watch a movie with, as a holiday snack, or appetizer :)

holiday cheers, babes! xoxo 

*this post was created in produced in association with disney.  all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.  thank you so much for supporting the sponsors that help to keep dolly and oatmeal going!

roasted sweet potato wedges w/ green yogurt sauce | v

| serves 4 |

  • 2 large sweet potatoes, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch wedges
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, or arrowroot powder
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • fresh ground pepper, to taste

green yogurt sauce

  • 1 cup unsweetened cultured coconut yogurt (or greek yogurt if you don't need to be dairy-free)
  • 2 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons parsley leaves
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • fresh pepper, to taste

method

  1. preheat oven to 425°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. place wedges and cornstarch (or arrowroot) in a large plastic bag and toss to coat evenly. transfer the wedges to a large bowl and add the olive oil, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. spread the wedges into a single layer on your prepared baking sheet. bake for 30-35 minutes, stopping halfway through to flip them over, until the edges are browned.
  3. while the potatoes are baking, make the sauce. combine all the sauce ingredients in an upright blender or food processor until well chopped and sauce is green in color.
  4. serve the potatoes warm with the sauce on the side.