brunch

VEGAN SHAKSHUKA TOASTS / April 22, 2021 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

We’re still settling in to life in the new house. It’s a larger space than the apartments we’ve always lived in, so it’s a welcome adjustment. We also have a pretty spacious backyard that I’m looking forward to setting up, and hopefully having friends and family over when it’s safe. Warmer weather, more and more vaccinations everyday, it seems like things are finally inching towards a new day. With that in mind, I can’t help but want to make brunch food. A DIY bagel bar, a make-you-own-toast station, all the pancakes and waffles one could imagine, and a big pot of shakshuka. These are things that run through my head regularly.

In that vein, I thought a combination of a few of those ideas sounded super fun. So here we have it, Shakshuka Toast! Shakshuka is a staple in North African and Middle Eastern cuisine, which consists of: onions, pepper, garlic, spices (I like adding harissa paste, but it’s not a deal breaker), canned tomatoes, and in this vegan variation we use butter beans instead of eggs. We pan-fry some toast with olive oil, rub it with some garlic, sprinkle it with some flaky salt, then on goes the shakshuka sauce. We serve it warm with some chopped radishes, maybe some herbs - you could also top it with a dollop of plant-based yogurt as well. This kind of meal is made for a family style meal, and I actually love that with making this version vegan, here isn’t the pressure to poach the eggs perfectly. Super low maintenance, which is something to love.

We’re using Little Northern Bakehouse Sprouted gluten-free bread here. They sent me some try to a few weeks ago, and my kids and I love it. It does double duty as an everyday sandwich bread, while also being great to jazz up for a fancy toast brunch situation. It has an airy quality, but also has great texture and flavor (if you’re gluten-free, then I’m sure you know that’s a hard thing to come by!). I especially love using their sprouted bread for all these reasons, and also because the sprouting process makes nutrients more accessible and more easily digestible. It stands up great to the shakshuka here (but don’t let it sit too long, like with any bread, it will get soggy), adding a wonderful crunchy texture.

*This post was sponsored by Little Northern Bakehouse, as always all the thoughts and opinions are my own.

VEGAN BUTTER BEAN SHAKSHUKA TOASTS | GF

| makes 8 toasts |

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ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for frying the bread
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tablespoons prepared harissa paste (depending on how spicy you want it)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon coconut sugar
1 (28 ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed with a masher or your hands
1 teaspoon fine salt
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 15-ounce can butter beans, drained and rinsed
Spray oil (preferably high-heat oil like avocado)
8 pieces Little Northern Bakery Sprouted 7 Grain Gluten-Free Bread
1 clove garlic, sliced in half
Flaky salt
Sliced radishes, for serving
Fresh dill, for serving

method

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add onion and pepper, cook, stirring every so often until soft; about 15-20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the harissa, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and sugar. Stir, and cook for another minute. Pour in the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring everything to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
Fold in the beans. Taste and adjust any seasonings, adding more salt or spices if necessary. Remove from heat and cover.
Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Once hot, spray with oil, place bread in the pan, and spray the other side of the bread. Cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until toasted. Remove from the pan and rub one side of the toast with the cut side of the garlic. Top with flaky salt, and repeat with remaining pieces of toast.
Serve toasts with a heaping serving of the shakshuka. Top with sliced radishes, fresh dill, and more flaky salt. Serve immediately.

similar recipes:

miso-tahini avocado toasts w/ black sesame gomasio

Cilantro & hemp salad on tahini yogurt toast

COCONUT-Y APPLESAUCE BELGIAN WAFFLES (GLUTEN-AND-GRAIN-FREE) / March 4, 2021 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

I finally invested in a Belgian waffle maker and it’s one of the best pieces of kitchen equipment I’ve purchased! The waffle cavities are a bit deeper, which give the waffles a moist, fluffy, interior. Plus, they are the perfect little vessels to hold all the toppings - maple syrup, nut butters, honey, toasted coconut, etc.! The edges get slightly crunchy, giving them extra texture, too! This is all to say, if you don’t have a Belgian waffle maker, and you’re thinking about buying one, don’t hesitate!

Let’s talk about this recipe!

Ingredients you will need:

This is an almond flour-based recipe, but any nut flour can be substituted 1:1. Or even a combination of two!
Applesauce. I really love the subtle apple notes in these. With the small amount of sweetener and a few dashes of spice, the apple flavor really shines. Plus, if offers a bit of natural sweetness which is always a plus.
Coconut oil and coconut yogurt. We use both of these as our fat , but also for flavor. Again, a few subtle coconut flavor notes with the apple was such a welcome surprise, as I don’t generally think of the two complementing one another.
Sweetener. I use monkfruit sweetener in these to keep them a little more kid-friendly. Since this is the first thing my kids eat when I make them, I like to keep them as low in sugar as possible to not spike their blood sugar first thing in the morning. But use what you like/have on hand! Coconut sugar or granulated sugar work here as well.
Toppings,. These waffles are wonderful on their own, but I like pushing those coconut-y apple flavors a little further with some warm, sautéed slices and toasted coconut shreds. Completely optional, but if you have the time, go for it! (You could also make them ahead of time, and reheat in a pan the morning of.)

Hope you get to make these, they’re truly one of our favorite family recipes!

COCONUT-Y APPLESAUCE BELGIAN WAFFLES (GLUTEN-AND-GRAIN-FREE)

coconut-y applesauce belgian waffles | gluten-grain-&-dairy-free

| makes 8 begian waffles |

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ingredients

2 cups almond flour (preferably blanched)
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
3 tablespoons monkfruit sweetener
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 large pasture-raised eggs
1/4 cup melted and cooled unrefined coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut yogurt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Coconut oil spray or oil of choice

sautéed apples

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 honeycrisp apple, sliced thin (or another crisp apple)
1 tablespoon maple syrup, more for serving
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or Kafe Hawaij spice)
pinch of salt
1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes

method

In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot, monkfruit sweetener, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the applesauce, eggs, coconut oil, coconut yogurt, and vanilla until combined. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix until combined. Let the batter rest while you heat your waffle iron on high.
Heat your oven to low, and cover a baking sheet with foil. Spray your iron with oil, and pour roughly 1/4 cup of batter into each waffle cavity. Cook until the waffles are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the waffles and place on the baking sheet; tuck them in the oven to keep them warm while you cook the remaining waffles. Repeat with the remaining batter, and transfer to your warm oven while you make the apples.
Heat a pan over medium. Once hot, add the coconut oil. Toss your apple slices in with the maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Cook the apples, flipping them over, and stirring, until they’re tender, about 5-6 minutes.
Serve the waffles warm with sautéed apples, maple syrup, and toasted coconut flakes.

recipe notes:

I call for almond flour, but any other nut flour would work here, or a combination of them would be great too.
Listed in the ingredients is monkfruit sweetener, I use this to keep them low in sugar, but you could replace it 1:1 with coconut sugar or granulated sugar.
I’ve only tested these waffles in a Belgian waffle maker, but I’m pretty sure you could get away with making them in a regular waffle iron (Let me know if you do! I’d love to let other readers know!)
Lastly, I call for cinnamon here but I used a combination of cinnamon and NY Shuk’s kafe hawaij which is a lovely Middle Eastern spice blend made up of cardamon, ginger, cinnamon, and clove. If you have the means to do so, I highly suggest purchasing a bottle.
Leftover waffles can be refrigerated for up for 4-5 days, and reheated in your toaster. Leftover sautéed apples, can also be refrigerated for up to 4-5 days, and be reheated in a warm skillet.

similar recipes:

overnight oat waffles w/ pomegranate honey

RHUBARB CAKE LOAF W/ ROSY RHUBARB GLAZE / May 9, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

i don’t think i ponder motherhood as much as i should, or at least as i think i should. it’s difficult at times with the messy, busy, grinding days to take a breath and fully absorb the magnitude of raising a child, carrying a child, and what that role means - to you, to the one/s you are raising, to your spouse, to the general public. it’s something i’ve come to realize is different for us all. when amesy was first born i was very hard on myself. i was scared, and exhausted, and i often felt guilt for these feelings. instead, i thought i should be feeling euphorically in love with my little human 100% of the time like i had seen in movies, or on TV, or on various social platforms. it took me a while to be comfortable with the idea that not everything about motherhood is rosy (even if you are blessed with the sweetest little baby). and as i’ve spoken to friends and colleagues over the years, it’s become more evident to me that this is a common trait with a lot of women, regardless of whether you have children or not. the permission to be honest, to not go along as if everything is perfect. to embrace the messy, to talk about it, and most importantly to share in it and grow from it. i see this popping up more and more in some circles, and it’s very so refreshing.

rhubarb is something that will forever remind me of my mom. she grew a bushel of it in the garden just outside her kitchen. we would wait for it to pop up from the ground each spring, and usually by the time mother’s day rolled around we had enough stalks to harvest to make a pie or crumble. i love rhubarb for so many reasons. its blush-y hues, and tartness, and the variety of ways you can use it. it’s strong and hearty, and soft and fragile all at the same time. and for those sweet memories its provided me with.

in this recipe we use it in 2 different ways. the first is chopped small and folded in the cake batter. it bakes up moist, adds a bit of tartness, but is enveloped with enough cake that you get both the sweet and tart altogether in one bite. the second way we use it here, is to saute it a bit, blend it with some blood orange juice (just to punch up the color a bit), and use the juices to make the most beautiful shade of pink for a tart-but-sweet glaze. there are a couple different gluten-free flours used for the cake to give it a light and tender crumb. while it’s in loaf form, don’t be fooled, this is all cake - just the way it should be :)

here’s to being kind and patient with yourself, and to cake! xo

rhubarb cake loaf w/ rosy rhubarb glaze | gf & df

print the recipe!

| makes one 9x5-inch loaf |

1 cup fine brown rice flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar (i use monkfruit sweetener or coconut sugar)
zest from 1 lemon
2 large pasture-raised eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped rhubarb, cut evenly into 1/4-inch pieces
poppy seeds, to top (optional)

glaze

3 teaspoons coconut oil, for cooking
1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb, cut evenly into 1/2-inch pieces
juice from 1/2 blood orange
2-3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 1/2 cups powdered monkfruit sweetener
1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted and cooled

method

preheat oven to 350°F. grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. line with parchment paper, leaving enough paper to overhang on each side.
in a large bowl, whisk together the flours, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. set aside.
in another large bowl, use your fingers to rub the sugar and lemon zest together, letting the zest oils release. whisk in the eggs, almond milk, oil, and vanilla.
slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet until combined, then fold in the rhubarb. pour the batter into the prepared pan. bake for 55-70 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. let the cake cool on a rack, then use the parchment wings to remove it from the pan.
while the cake is cooling, make the glaze. heat a large saute pan over medium heat. add the coconut oil and rhubarb, cook for about 3 minutes; until soft. transfer the rhubarb and juices to a high-speed blender. add the almond milk and a few teaspoons blood orange juice and whiz everything together on high, scraping down the sides as needed until everything is smooth. add another teaspoon blood orange juice if you want the glaze a deeper pink. place a fine mesh colander over a large bowl, pour in the the rhubarb mixture in, and use a rubber spatula to work it through, discarding any solids, and preserving the liquid.
sift the powdered into another large bowl, start by whisking in 3 tablespoons of the rhubarb liquid, adding more if needed to get your desired consistency (i used about 6 tablespoons to achieve a spreadable glaze). spread over top of your cake, use an offset spatula to evenly cover the top. then sprinkle with poppy seeds, if using. slice and serve :)