Almond-Cashew & Chia Balance Balls / March 22, 2017 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Almond-Cashew & Chia Balance Balls | dolly and oatmeal

happy spring, friends! i've been looking forward to saying that since basically november, and it's finally here (even though the temperature outside and sloooowly melting snow may tell a different story)! spring has a way of having seemingly endless boundaries. the days seem a bit more easy-breezy and free, since there aren't the confines of it getting dark at 5pm. and the notion of a revived sense of being. we have had little suggestions of green buds appearing on the raspberry and elderflower bushes that i planted last year which i'm sure are thoroughly confused since we had an 8-inch dump of snow last week. i have little garlic and chive shoots popping up as well and it's giving me all the hope that the warmth is coming!

i'm not sure if this winter hit me as hard as it did because we had a baby and i essentially felt stuck inside most days. and even though i made it a mission to take walks when it was freezing, those feelings felt quite suffocating at times. so the impending spring weather is feeling like a release more than anything at this point, which i'm so grateful for.

it seems as though spring growth has cast its spell on our amesy as well. at times he seems like is a completely different baby from just 2 months ago. his curious streak is continuing with trying to grab our breakfast, put his hands in my lunch bowls, and swing, swat, and snatch anything that comes into his purview. he's a totally wild soul and i cannot get enough of him exploring his environment and taking in his little world.

a couple weeks ago when i was still mid-cleanse, i needed something chocolatey, also something cookie-like. while these balls are completely "grain-free" and made from primarily nuts and seeds, they taste like cookie dough! they're slightly sweetened with a few dates and vanilla, but they have that little bite of salt at the end like a good cookie. i love that there's no sugar high or low, nor is there any nonsense, just straight up nourishing, good-for-your-body/soul healthy fats! there are some powdery potions in the mix as well if you're wanting that extra self-love care, if not, no worries, they'll be just as yummy :)

cheers to spring!!! xo

almond-cashew & chia balance balls | v & gf

| makes about 16 balls |

1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw cashews
1 1/2 teaspoons chia seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons maca powder
1/2 teaspoon ashwagandha (optional)
1/2 teaspoon reishi (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 soft pitted dates
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
cacao powder, for dusting
crushed dried flowers, for garnish

chocolate shell

1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 tablespoon coconut nectar (or maple syrup)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

method

in a food processor fitted with a metal "s" blade, pulse the almonds, cashews, chia seeds, maca, ashwagandha (if using), reishi (if using), and salt until the nuts are finely ground into what looks sand-like. then add the dates and pulse until they are broken down and incorporated. next, add the vanilla and coconut oil and pulse until the mixture comes together in a loose ball. transfer the mix to shallow bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture is stiff, about 20-30 minutes.
line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. use a 1/2 tablespoon measure to form about 16 balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. freeze for 15 minutes.
while the balls are freezing, make the chocolate shell. in a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients together until smooth and set aside.
dip the tops of the balls into the chocolate then place them back onto the baking sheet and freeze for another 30 minutes, until balls are frozen through.
store the balance balls in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

similar recipes:

no-bake peanut butter & cacao nib cereal bars

double chocolate gingersnaps (gf + df) / December 10, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

double chocolate gingersnaps (gf + df) | dolly and oatmeal

every holiday season my inner jewish/catholic conflict rears its ugly head. growing up observing both, i always set out to give hanukkah and christmas the attention and time they both deserve, but inevitably hanukkah gets the crap end of the stick. i felt even worse this year when i thought the first night of hanukkah started on the 14th (which, as it turns out, is the last of the 8 nights!), it wasn't until around noon this past sunday when frank mentioned something about it being the first night of hanukkah, that i was like whaaaaa!?!? i was super disappointed in myself. last year we made a delicious spread of my great-grandmother's potato latkes, Ottolenghi's kofta b'siniyah, and a festive pomegranate salad, and i was hoping to do the same this year. so, in a haste, i defrosted a large container of leftover mung beans, threw together my favorite garlicky mung bean hummus, and served it with a similar pomegranate salad to what we had last year, all while basking in the orange glow of our electric menorah - a janky hanukkah at its best.

therefore, in lieu of sharing a hanukkah-inspired recipe, i'm sharing this equally awesome winter cookie recipe ;) back when i wasn't gluten-free, my favorite chocolate chip cookies to make were from kim boyce's, good to the grain. they were made with whole wheat flour, providing a bit more heartiness than a regular chocolate chip cookie. her recipe also called for a mix of muscovado and cane sugar giving the cookies a subtle molasses flavor, which converted me forever. nowadays, whenever i endeavor to make cookies i try to instill the same heartiness and sweetness as kim's cookies. so, the idea behind this recipe is half double chocolate chip cookie (because more chocolate is always a good thing in my book), and half festive gingersnap. i wanted to keep the texture more chocolate chip cookie-like, and less gingersnap, but still keep those snappy, assertive spices that are known to linger after each bite! i see these as a winning go-between holiday cookie - perfect to sit beside any holiday cookie, but also totally okay to make all winter long :)

wishing you and yours peaceful days filled with latkes and cookies <3

double chocolate gingersnaps (gf + df)

i like the ginger to be quite assertive in my gingersnaps. but if you like the gingersnap flavor but don't like a subtle ginger-y burn, i would reduce the amount of ground ginger to 3/4 teaspoon-1 teaspoon. then again, if you don't like gingersnaps at all, take out the spices and there you have yourself a batch of double chocolate chip cookies :)

| makes 16 medium cookies, or 8 large cookies |

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1 large free range egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sorghum flour
1/4 cup raw cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (or bittersweet chocolate chips)

method

in a small pot over low heat, slowly melt the coconut oil swirling it as you go. once melted remove it from the heat and let it cool completely. then pour it into a liquid measure making sure you have 1/2 cup. in a large bowl, combine the sugars. with an electric mixer on low, add the oil and beat to combine, until the mixture looks like wet sand. add the egg and vanilla and beat on low until combined, set aside.
in another large bowl, whisk together the flours, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. using an electric mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in 3 separate applications, until everything is thoroughly incorporated. then add the chocolate and mix once on low, until chocolate is evenly distributed. cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
while mixture is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. using a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) or a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons), drop the dough out onto the cookie sheets about 3-inches apart. bake for 10 to 12 minutes. remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on a rack.
the cookies will keep in an air tight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

enjoy!

more cookie recipes:

chocolate dipped oatmeal hazelnut cookies

how to make whole grain, gluten free + vegan pie crust! / November 17, 2014 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

how to make whole grain gluten free + vegan pie crust! | dolly and oatmeal

when i was asked to create a gluten and dairy free pie crust recipe for food 52, i was super pumped! i had been playing around with gluten-free pastry dough for quite some time, but never had the guts to post about it because it can be a somewhat divisive subject; some people stick to age old recipes, others have specific techniques on cutting the butter/oil with a pastry cutter, two knives or using their fingers, etc. so, not wanting to piss people off, i refrained from posting a recipe (because sometimes food bloggers can bear the brunt of some people's deep dark creepy thoughts in the comment section).

just some things i found helpful:

using a food processor merely butters the coconut oil, making the dough too wet to add all the water that is needed.
refrigerating the coconut oil in flat disk help to make sure that it's cold throughout, then chop into chunks with a sharp knife.
i found that using a pastry cutter gets the coconut oil into the perfect sized chunks; just small enough that they're not creamed into the dough, but also aren't too big that the dough around it falls apart.
the amount of water used always varies - for whatever reason. just remember, you can always add more water at another time, but you can never take back the liquid, so be careful here.
use lots of dusting flour! lots. i really like sorghum here because it has a super smooth texture.
and, an angled pie pan works best too; a lip with a 45 degree angle, as opposed to one with a 90 degree angle, is best because less cracks ensue.

like i said, pie dough is touchy subject, so i merely provide you with the basics of what i've found to be the best pie dough and crust, that i ever thought was possible - flaky and light, crumbly but sturdy, and most importantly, full of flavor!

head on over to food 52 for the complete recipe! xo