October 11, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

APPLE-ARUGULA GRILLED CHEESE W/ CRIPSY RED ONIONS | Dolly and Oatmeal

when i think of cozy autumn days as a kid, i think of grilled cheese. my dad made the best grilled cheese sandwiches! i think the secret was his use of pillowy potato bread though; it soaked in all the butter, allowing it to get crisp enough while still leaving the inside a bit fluffy. he made a pretty generic american cheese variety, and as i got older i would make them for my friends and me when we would get home from school. as we got older (and more accepting of other varieties of grilled cheese) my mom or brother would make them with swiss cheese, sliced fruit like apples or pears, greens, and various spreads like mustard or pesto. i love a traditional grilled cheese, but i get really excited when you can play around with flavors and textures and make an iconic sandwich your own!

that’s where this grilled cheese comes in. it contains two of my favorite flavors paired together: apples and sautéed crisp onions. for whatever reason when the weather starts getting a little chillier, i crave those 2 ingredients in everything. it’s important to use crisp tart apples here (sweet mushy ones just don’t cut it), and to keep them as bright as they can be i’ve been using Rubbermaid’s new line of FreshWorks Countertop containers. they’re designed to keep any moisture out, using a FreshVent™ Lid with innovative technology that naturally regulates the flow of 0 2 and CO 2 to create the optimal environment, keeping countertop produce fresher longer compared to produce left on the counter.. (side note: i especially love storing apples in their own separate container to prevent my other countertop produce from ripening too fast or spoiling.) but in all honesty, fall is the time of year where all my produce hangs out on the counter. and there are a variety of sizes that i can accommodate fall tomatoes, pears, pomegranates, shallots/onions/garlic, and winter squash. i keep them all fresh and tidy in the corner of my kitchen in the super sleek and modular FreshWorks Countertop containers that fit neatly together, and easy to access. it’s also worth mentioning that the containers also keep fruit flies away! which is amazing, considering they’re still around here in southern california throughout the year. they’re definitely worth the purchase just for that alone!

happy autumn, sweet friends! xo

*this post was created in partnership with Rubbermaid. all opinions, as always, are my own. D&O thanks you for your support.

apple-arugula grilled cheese w/ crispy red onions | gf & v

there are so many ways you can adapt this grilled cheese - use sliced pear or figs instead of apples. use crispy leeks or shallots. play around with the cheese, there are so many great vegan varieties out there. and most importantly, serve your grilled cheese with some quality soup :)

| makes 2 sandwiches |

1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 small red onion, sliced thin
fine sea salt & fresh ground pepper
4 slices whole grain gluten-free bread
2 tablespoons vegan butter, for cooking
1-2 tablespoons dijon mustard
3-6 slices plant-based cheese (i used this one)
1/2 tart, crisp apple (preferably honeycrisp), sliced thin
1 cup baby arugula

method

place a saute pan over medium heat. add the oil, then the sliced onion. stir, and add a few pinches of salt. cook the onions until they’re soft and a bit crispy on the edges (if you notice them burning or cooking too quickly, turn the heat down to medium-low), about 10 minutes. transfer the onions to a paper towel lined plate to remove any excess oil.
wipe the saute pan with a clean cloth or paper towel, and preheat over medium heat
generously butter one side of each of each of the bread slices. spread the dijon in an even layer onto the insides of each slice. place one of the slices of bread, butter side down into the pan. layer with cheese, apple slices, arugula, and crispy onions. top with another slice of bread, mustard side down. cook 2-3 minutes on each side until browned, and cheese is melted. slice in half and serve. repeat with the remaining sandwich.

similar recipes:

avocado club sandwichw/ marinated portobello mushrooms

cilantro-hemo salad on tahini-yogurt toast

SWEET & SPICY CAULIFLOWER AVOCADO CUPS / October 4, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

SWEET & SPICY CAULIFLOWER AVOCADO CUPS | Dolly and Oatmeal

this is the type of meal i don’t have the luxury of eating every single day. truth is, if i’m partaking in any sort of lettuce cup it’s usually packed with tuna or some sort of leftover chicken, and some sliced avocado. nothing really fancy at all! but i’m here to change that - for all of us! so, what makes the difference between a sad lettuce cup and one full of possibility? just a little bit of prep!

every component in this recipe (which aren’t many) can be prepared ahead of time.

cauliflower - cut and stored in a sealed container for up to 4 days
sweet & spicy sauce - mixed and stored in a lidded jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week
sliced scallions - stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 1 week
toasted nuts and seeds - cool and store in a lidded jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks

on the day of, simply cook the cauliflower, let it cool a bit. then assemble the cups with all the stored fixings and freshly sliced avocado.

when i’m planning meals for the week, i generally try to go with at least 2 recipes that i know i can prep components of beforehand, that way there’s less cooking the day of. my trick is to have a couple of sauces (like this sweet & spicy one), a pesto, and salad dressing the week of. this makes putting meals together doable without giving up and ordering takeout, or repurposing the same meals over and over again.

this is one of my favorite sauces. it’s sticky, it’s sweet, it’s spicy, and it has a ton of depth. i love roasting veggies that are able to soak in all the flavor like cauliflower and broccoli. they kind of become sponges for the sauce, so when you bite into it you just get loads of flavor! i hope you love these little cups as much as i do :)

happy october, sweet friends!

sweet & spicy cauliflower avocado cups | gf

i made these cups with avocado, but you could add anything here really. you could add pulled chicken, roasted chickpeas, cooked lentils, etc.

print the recipe!

| serves roughly 4 |

sweet & spicy sauce

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons coconut aminos
2 tablespoons raw honey
2-3 teaspoons sriracha
2 teaspoons gluten-free tamari
1 clove garlic, minced on a microplane
salt

cauliflower cups

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
salt
1 head butter lettuce
1 ripe avocado
1 bunch scallions or green onions, white and light green parts sliced thin
toasted chopped almonds
toasted black sesame seeds

method

preheat oven to 450°F. line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
in a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, coconut aminos, honey, sriracha, tamari, and garlic. taste, and season with salt as needed.
place the cauliflower in a large bowl, add half of the sauce and toss everything together until the cauliflower is covered and has soaked in the majority of the sauce. spread onto the baking sheet in an even layer, and cook for 25-30 minutes, until tender and browned around the edges. remove from the oven and let cool until ready to handle.
while the cauliflower is cooking, prepare the cups. tear the outer leaves of lettuce from the stalk and wash thoroughly, pat dry. thinly slice the avocado, and add 2-3 slices to each cup.
add the warm cauliflower to the cups, and top with scallions, almonds, and sesame seeds. drizzle the cups with some leftover sauce and serve.

similar recipes:

chipotle cauliflower rice & bean enchiladas

DIY EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING / September 20, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

DIY EVERYTHING BAGEL SPICE | Dolly and Oatmeal

a few saturdays ago my dad came over in the morning to deliver amesy and frank some fresh made bagels from the farmers’ market. amesy loves bagels, i’m pretty sure they’re in a completely different food category in his mind. he prefers to eat his bagels (or any of his snacks) on the corner of our counter. he munches away until he’s finished and says some version of “down”, when he’s done. most times he’s content with the one mini bagel i allow him, and other times there’s quite the ordeal.

but, back to my dad’s bagel delivery! i was making brunch for frank and me the next day. he was having an everything bagel with his eggs, i was having half an avocado with mine. when i reached down into the bag for his bagel there were a few handfuls of extra everything bagel seasoning that i promptly showered my avocado with. i posted a simple photo of it on instagram and instagram stories and got quite a lot of feedback, mostly about how everything bagel seasoning is amazing (most people use trader joe’s “everything but the bagel” blend), and how much they love it too. but i also heard from people who don’t have a trader joe’s nearby, or international followers who don’t even have access to purchase it online. so i thought i would create my own version to live here for anyone needing or wanting this recipe to fall back on.

and to be honest, i actually prefer this homemade version better. i created my own ratio of blends, and used flaky sea salt instead of a finer grain salt. and because i generally use it as a seasoning, i added a note on toasting the seeds beforehand, giving it that toasted-like-a-bagel vibe. i hope this little pantry staple finds a place in your home.

happy sprinkling, loves!

diy everything bagel seasoning

print the recipe!

i love using this seasoning on sliced ripe avocados. it’s also a great seasoning for eggs, and i even used it to top savory scones which i highly recommend.

| make roughly 1/3 cup |

2 tablespoons dried garlic
2 tablespoons dried onion
1 1/2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt (like maldon)

method

method 1 - non-toasted seeds

place all the ingredients into a sealed jar and shake until it’s all mixed together! store at room temp for up to 1 month.

method 2 - toasted seeds

2. heat a cast iron skillet over medium-low. once hot, add the sesame seeds, shaking the pan, until toasted and golden. remove from heat and let cool completely. add the sesame seeds, along with the other ingredients to a sealed jar and shake until it’s mixed together. store at room temp for up to 1 month.