fast

breakfast quinoa flakes w/ stewed blackberries + basil flowers /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

growing up on long island and then in upstate new york, i've really come to miss being surrounded by trees, grass, and bugs here in brooklyn.  when i was young we moved upstate, and were fortunate enough to have a back yard that backed up to a nature preserve.  on occasion, my brother, and i would venture into the woods, walking an overgrown path that led to a lake/swamp of sorts.  there, we would poke around, play, and just be in a general state of curiousity; searching under leaves to see what may be underneath, digging in the earth with our hands, climbing over downed trees, jumping over shrubs, and running through tangled branches.   nature, man.  we would come home with an appropriate amount of dirt under our fingernails, scratches and scrapes on occasion, and disheveled clothing.

city living these days is obviously on a whole different level; while we have everything we could imagine at our fingertips, i miss the natural world a bit. (er...a lot!).  i find that an instinctive, almost innate sense of curiosity in nature is sometimes obscured by big buildings, concrete, trucks, and crowds of humans.  and while i am totally in touch with the fact that we are super lucky to live here, i am, at times conflicted; as there is an obvious yank in the direction of nature's living and breathing, cellular things.  i was reminded of this the other day while reading a passage from dan barber's, the third plate.  on the topic of soil, and microorganisms, he quoted an ecologist, who so eloquently said: "Nature is not more complex than we think, but more complex than we can think."  

in other news, i am so happy to announce that beginning friday, august 15th through september 15th, Pure Green Magazine is holding an Instagram hashtag challenge #INSEASON.  laura wright (the first mess), claire raggozzino (vidya cleanse), and i, will be the community leaders!  so, snap a pic and show us how you're preparing your seasonal produce on Instagram using the hashtags #INSEASON and #PUREGREENMAG; and you could win a chance to publish a full-length article on the Pure Green Blog, and a subscription to their lovely publication! to learn more read on here! 

good luck, friends! xo

breakfast quinoa flakes w/ stewed blackberries + flowering basil (gluten free + vegan)

the quinoa flake cereal can be prepared with milk of choice, or water.  and if you're not into the cinnamon, it can totally be substituted with another spice, or left out all together.  if you don't have blackberries or basil, another combination of fruits and herbs will totally work here as well.

| serves 2 |

ingredients

  • 2/3 cup quinoa flakes
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 3.5 ounces blackberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 5-6 thai basil flowers (if you don't have the flowers, use small basil leaves)
  • 2 tablespoons grade b maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup water
  • juice from half of a lime 

to garnish:

  • 2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted, and roughly chopped
  • 2 teaspoons chia seeds, divided
  • leftover basil flowers (again, if you don't have the flowers, chop a couple leaves up and garnish with those)

instructions

  • for the stewed berries.  in a small saucepan, heat the water, maple syrup, and basil flowers (or leaves) on low; stir until combined, increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil.  let mixture simmer for a minute or until it has thickened a bit; reduce heat to low, then add blackberries and lime juice.  cook for 3-5 minutes until blackberries soften and break apart easily.  remove from heat and set aside
  • in a medium saucepan, combine almond milk and cinnamon: bring to a boil, once boiling add the quinoa flakes and turn heat to a simmer, stir and cook for 90 seconds.  remove from heat and let the cereal thicken for about 3 minutes
  • divide cereal between 2 bowls, and top with stewed fruit + herb mixture, chia seeds, chopped hazelnuts and a couple of basil flowers (or chopped leaves)

enjoy!

pancakes in a pinch /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

first of all, it feels great to be back.  the last few weeks have been the some of the most memorable and cherished times i have ever had.  we had an incredible wedding, and a very relaxing, yet adventurous honeymoon.  however, as dorothy gayle once so eloquently said, "There's no place like home."  and that is exactly how i am feeling.  frank and i are back as husband and wife in our little space we call our home, surrounded by the things we've collected, bought, and shared memories with, and nothing feels better.  home is truly a wonderful thing.  

i'm a little ashamed of this "recipe" if you will.  it was thought up and conceived out of fear and anxiety.  not of whether making instant oats into pancakes would work, but out of wedding nerves.  my normal go-to breakfast is boring by most standards: a pack of instant oatmeal, with a half spoonful of honey, some cinnamon, and berries.  as our wedding approached i began craving things i normally don't eat but once in a blue (take pancakes for instance).  this one particular morning i couldn't fathom the thought of gumming oats, and chewing berries that were lodged inside the pasty oatmeal, and for whatever reason i thought: i must have PANCAKES!  these random ideas usually do run through my mind, and when they're food ideas i often latch onto them until i make them as good as i think they can be.  much to my surprise, this particular idea worked the first time.  because we were in a rental house, i didn't have my usual flours i work with, so my options were limited to the oatmeal pack.  i substituted the 1/2 cup of water i usually use, for almond milk and an egg (in the recipe below i used ground flax with the same results), and added some salt that was on hand. i added my usual amount of honey, cinnamon and berries, and cooked one large pancake in a skillet.  i smothered some extra honey on top, dug in, and shared it with my dad.  it was a good morning.

i decided to share this "recipe"  because if you've been living out of a suitcase for almost a month like i have, and you're not in your home kitchen with everything that is familiar to you, this is a great little recipe to have and whip up in a pinch.  whether you're using sugar in lieu of honey, or dairy milk instead of almond milk, it's all good.  similarly, add different spices, or make it a savory pancake for dinner - options have no end.

 

instant oatmeal pancakes

| makes 1 very large pancake, or 2 medium pancakes |

ingredients: 

  • 1 packet instant oatmeal (i use Whole Foods brand)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt (adjust the salt if your instant oatmeal contains sodium)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water (or 1 egg) 
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey, plus more for serving
  • cinnamon to taste
  • a handful of blueberries
  • a nub of coconut oil, for cooking

instructions

  • in a small bowl prepare your flax.  combine the ground flax with water, stir to combine - let rest for 5 minutes or until the consistency is that of an egg
  • in a medium bowl, combine the instant oats with the salt and a few sprinkles of cinnamon - mix.  add the milk, flax mixture, honey, and berries - stir to combine
  • heat a small skillet on medium, when the skillet is hot, add the coconut oil.  either use entire batter to make 1 large pancake, or split the batter to make 2 pancakes.  use the back of a spoon or a spatula to flatten the pancake/s
  • cook for roughly 2-4 minutes on each side, depending on the size of your pancake/s
  • remove from heat and slather with honey

enjoy!