avocado

LETTUCE TACO CUPS W/ CHIPOTLE-SPICED WILD SALMON /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

hi friends, it’s been a while. before we get to our recipe i wanted to take a minute to let you know where my head and thoughts are at. we’re currently living through the largest civil rights moment of our lives, and since this blog, my recipes, and current events shape and inform my thinking, it’s necessary that i make a few comments here and how i am going to continue anti-racism work - In and off this platform. i started my blog years ago in hopes of creating community; a community that could share in conversations, in cooking together, in forging positivity and relationships. but i want to acknowledge that through my own ignorance and privilege, I didn’t create an inclusive community. i didn’t take an active role to diversify the blogs or cookbooks i read, or the social accounts i followed. i wasn’t an ally to the voices of the Black and POC community in this way. going forward that is changing.

typical content will continue here (however infrequent that is these days 🙃). but, know that I’m here to do long-term work and growth. i’m committed to doing better. with that, let’s get to our recipe.

there’s a local taco spot that frank and i love. they have legitimately gooood tacos. pre-COVID we would order them every weekend. since we love them so much, i made a riff of the ones i typically order. i swapped in some roasted wild salmon, added grilled avocado (grilling it is optional, but it adds a nice smoky flavor), pickled red onions, and some homemade chipotle cashew crema. while Mexican crema is typically made with sour cream, buttermilk or heavy cream, for a dairy-free version we use soaked cashews to achieve a similar texture. to flavor it, all we add is some fiery chipotle peppers in adobo ( jalapeños that have been smoke and dried and stored in an adobo sauce), a bit of acidity, salt, and some water. and bonus, it can made ahead of time so you’re not preparing everything on the same day. i love them in a lettuce cup situation, frank not so much. if you’re like him, grab yourself some tortillas and you’ll be good to go 😉

lettuce taco cups w/ chipotle-spiced wild salmon | gf/df

notes:

-i roasted the salmon here, but since it’s bbq season, grilling would also be a great way to prepare it. i would try to cook the filet whole, to avoid drying it out. let it cool for a few, then slice the filet into taco-sized pieces.

-if you don’t have salmon/don’t like it you could use halibut or shrimp as well

print the recipe!

| serves roughly 4-6 |

  • 1 pound wild salmon filet

  • 2 teaspoons avocado oil

  • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder

  • salt, to taste

  • 1 head bibb lettuce, leaves washed and pat dried (or gluten-free tortillas of choice)

  • 1/2 cup chipotle cashew crema

  • lime juice

optional toppings:

  • grilled or sliced avocado

  • pickled red onions

  • chopped cilantro

method

  1. preheat oven to 450°F. place the salmon skin side down in a large baking pan, drizzle the salmon with the avocado oil, chipotle powder, and season with salt. bake in the center of your oven for 15-20 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through. let the salmon sit until room temperature, about 30 minutes.

  2. assemble the taco cups. place the bibb lettuce cups on a large platter. start by pulling or cutting 2-3-inch pieces of salmon and fitting them in the cups. add grilled or sliced avocado (if using), and pickled red onions (if using). drizzle with chipotle cashew crema, a squeeze of lime juice, and a pinch of salt. garnish with chopped cilantro (if using). eat immediately.

similar recipes:

beet tacos w/ beet green salsa & spicy pickled onions

beet tacos w/ beet green salsa & spicy pickled onions

hickory-smoked salmon skewers

hickory-smoked salmon skewers

fish tacos

fish tacos

AVOCADO-BLUEBERRY FLAX JARS & CINNAMON SWEET POTATO PUREE /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

joey’s nearly 4 months old, so i’ve already begun to think about introducing solids in another 2 months. it’s hard to believe he’ll be sprouting little teeth soon, and be chomping down on actual food as well. his preferred position is to sit up, and not in a reclined position - this guy likes to be at a 90-degree angle at all times, which can be quite the challenge (especially when i need to get things done and he’s just not having it in his little play-gym). but he’s really just the most happy little boy - always smiling, and talking, and noticing just about everyone and anyone who walks in the room. he adores his big brother, his face beams just looking at amesy. we think joey just wants to big like him and do all the cool things.

when it comes to baby food though, i really started super basic with amesy. taking things frank and i eat and just making them baby-friendly. take sweet potatoes for example. frank and i eat them throughout the week, so when it comes to food prep, i just roast a few extra to puree into baby food. and since i wanted to introduce some subtle spices, i flavored them with a bit of ground cinnamon. amesy loved them so much that we gradually moved to roasted sweet potatoes wedges with cinnamon as got older. side note: he still eats sweet potatoes almost every night ;)

for the blueberry-avocado flax jars i really wanted to incorporate some healthy fats and fiber with the blueberries. it’s almost like a little smoothie for your babe. using avocado instead of banana is my favorite way to keep it a low-glycemic food, while maintaining a super creamy and velvety texture. (plus, for a more toddler-friendly version, i add unsweetened almond milk yogurt to fill it out a bit more for breakfast or a snack.) .

but baby food is only as good as what contains it, really. with so many toxins and chemicals in modern day plastic containers, i am particularly careful what i use to store my baby food in. while i’ve always relied on le parfait glass canisters and jars for pantry goods and flours, i also use them to store my baby food, as they’re a brand i know and trust. not only that, but i can make a big batch of baby food ahead of time, preserve it, and use it later without wasting any food (if you’re curious on le parfait’s technique, you can find it here). even if you choose to preserve your baby food a different way, le parfait containers make it easy by making so many various shapes and sizes to fit your needs. they’re a wonderful resource, here’s a link to hop over to their site - you can check out a wealth of knowledge, as well as some wonderful recipes.

thank you Le Parfait for sponsoring this post! all thought and opinions, as always, are my own.

cinnamon sweet potato puree | gf & v

| makes roughly 2 cups |

  • 2 organic sweet potatoes

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

AVOCADO-BLUEBERRY FLAX JARS | gf & v

| makes roughly 2 cups |

  • 2 cups organic blueberries, washed and patted dry

  • 1 1/2 ripe organic avocados

  • 2 tablespoons ground flax

method

  1. preheat oven to 400°F.

  2. sterilize your jars and containers. fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil. submerge jars in the water for 45 minutes. use tongs to remove them. let them dry and cool. keep your pot on the stove with the water inside, we’re going to use it again later.

  3. while jars are drying, make the cinnamon sweet potato puree. poke the potatoes all over with a fork. place potatoes on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 45 minutes-1 hour. remove from oven and slice open, let cool completely.

  4. scrape potato flesh from the skin and place in the container of a food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade. add the cinnamon and blend on high, scraping down the sides of the container until no lumps remain, and the mixture is smooth. fill your containers 3/4 of the way. wipe containers rim, and fasten lids tightly on top.

  5. place a rack or tea towel on the bottom of your pot; bring water back to a boil (212°F). lower jars into the water, making sure the tops are covered (if they’re not, simply pour more water in). boil for 45 minutes, then let cool. store preserved baby food in a cool dark place, preferably a closed pantry.

  6. make the blueberry-avocado flax jars. combine the blueberries, avocado, and flax in the container of a food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade. process on high, scraping down the sides as needed until everything is combined and creamy. immediately fill your jars 3/4 of the way, and proceed to preserve the jars as outlined above.

Chipotle Black Beans w/ Collard Greens, Avocado, and Chipotle-Lime Vinaigrette /  by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

my cooking this summer has been pretty lack-luster.  after moving and settling in (which i feel is still happening somewhat), and trying to acclimate to a new life with a little babe, i've had zero mental space available to work/be creative/recipe develop.  the mental block is so great at times i wonder what i'm doing, or if my creativity will ever come back.  i know i've been saying this for months, but the cookbooks that have been coming out this past spring, and this summer have been what has been feeding me, both literally and figuratively.  

the recipe here today comes from hetty mckinnon's, neighborhood.  aside from the book's design, recipes, and photographs being completely gorgeous and refreshing, the central theme of neighborhood photos are so dear to my heart.  as i said goodbye to our old neighborhood in brooklyn just over 3 months ago, i found myself revisiting it through the pages in hetty's book.  my butcher shop on court street, the italian bakery i would frequent when i wanted to get my dad a treat, and my little local farmers market that i would hop over to on sunday mornings. it's all so familiar and heartening, as i have yet to find that neighborhood feel where we live now.  

the book centers around the best things in life: food, family, and friendship with the backdrop of brooklyn.  all the recipes are hearty salads that are plant-based, many of which are gluten free and vegan.  the chapters of the book are organized by different places in the world: america, france, the mediterranean, asia, and australia.  for dessert hetty invites some of friends to share recipes with us readers which just drives home that lovely community feel.  

"no matter where you live in the world, it is the daily rituals of food that connect us." - hetty mckinnon

happy august, friends!  

Chipotle Black Beans w/ Collard Greens, Avocado, and Chipotle-Lime Vinaigrette | gf & v

reprinted with permission from Neighborhood, by Hetty McKinnon

this salad is on the spicy side.  since the dressing is quite fiery i halved the portion of chipotle pepper in the salad.  hetty instructs you to chop the dressing ingredients, but i was short on time, and threw it all in a mini food processor which worked just as well i assume.  because the salad is quite hefty, it works really well as a taco filling.  i stuffed a tortilla with the salad and crumbled a veggie burger over and it was delicious ;)

| serves 4-6 |

  • 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
  • 1/2 red, finely diced
  • 1 dried chipotle chili, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes, drained, and finely chopped
  • one and one half 15 oz cans (500 g) black beans (about 2 cups)
  • 1 bunch of collard greens (about 14oz; 400 g), stems removed and very finely sliced
  • 2 large avocados (about 21 oz; 600 g), diced
  • 1/2 cup squash seeds, toasted
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
  • sea salt & black pepper 

chipotle-lime vinaigrette

  • 1 dried chipotle chili, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes, drained, and finely chopped
  • juice of 1 -2 limes
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
  • 1 garlic clove, very finely chopped
  • sea salt & black pepper

substitutes

  • black beans: red kidney beans
  • collard greens: cavolo nero, kale

method

  1. heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  add the garlic, onion, and chipotle chili and cook for 2 minutes, then ass the black beans, along with a big pinch of salt, and toss well.  continue to cook for 3-4 minutes until the beans are slightly crispy.
  2. to make the chipotle-lime vinaigrette, add the chopped chipotle chili to a bowl with most of the lime the juice, olive oil, cumin, sugar, and garlic.  whisk together, adjusting the lime juice until you achieve your preferred acidity.  season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. combine the black beans, collard greens, and avocado.  spoon over the chipotle-lime vinaigrette, season well with salt and pepper and toss everything together.  to serve, scatter over the squash seeds and cilantro leaves.