OATNOG! (AKA, OAT MILK EGGNOG) / December 20, 2019 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

OATNOG! AKA, OAT MILK EGGNOG) | dolly and oatmeal

this post was created in partnership with Planet Oat. all thoughts and opinions, as always, are my own.

the holidays, but christmas in particular, is taking on a bit more of a magical vibe this year. with amesy at 3, he gets the idea of santa clause, the north pole, decorating, stockings, etc., etc. we got our tree the other day, and for the first year he was actually interested in decorating it. he carefully picked out which ornament he wanted to put on the tree, then jotted over, climbed up the ladder, and carefully (and without wanting any help), placed it on a branch of the tree, ending with a very proud: TA-DA! i did it! when he woke up the next morning to find the tree all lit up, he exclaimed: it’s beautiful! so all the things i swore i would never do as parent are coming back to bite in me the butt, because honestly, it’s just the sweetest thing. and if a few decorations, and festive lights make his face beam, then i’m all in 100 million percent!

i’m finding myself getting into the holiday spirit even more just because i know it makes ames so happy. i think it’s true what they say, that holiday cheer is kinda contagious. i’m finding myself doing things that i would'n’t typically do. like making eggnog! while i’ve never had any issue with eggs, and actually love them (when cooked). i don’t love the idea of downing raw egg yolks. as such, i wanted a version that quick, and thick and creamy just like a traditional eggnog. enter: oatnog! if you’ve ever tried oat milk you know that it’s creamier than many other plant-based milks. that’s why it’s my go-to here. especially Planet Oat’s extra creamy oat milk. it’s rich, creamy, and full-bodied. and it also has a delicious, yet neutral flavor which i find important since we really want that eggnog flavor to shine here. it’s a great milk alternative for any recipe, really.

i love making eggnog, mostly because it’s so diverse. while you can certainly drink it there are so many other ways of utilizing it! my personal favorite is heating a bit up and adding it to a tea or coffee latte for a holiday twist. you could add it to overnight oats, cook your oatmeal in it. it could also be used in the batter for french toast. the list goes on and on! i hope you get the chance to make this one!

big holiday hugs!

oatnog | gf (vegan option)

-this recipe can easily be doubled, especially if you’re serving a crowd, or if you want a big batch to last throughout the week.

-i also love using it in a tea or coffee latte. simply heat up a serving, froth with an electrical frother, and pour over your brewed tea/coffee.

-for a nut-free version, simply swap the cashews for 1 cup coconut cream, and you’ll be good to go!

print the recipe

| makes roughly 3 cups |

1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked at least 4 hours, rinsed
2 cups Planet Oat Oatmilk (extra creamy)
1 vanilla bean, scraped (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of salt

to garnish (optional):

fresh nutmeg, grated on a microplane
cinnamon sticks
pomegranate seeds
chocolate shavings

method

place all the ingredients in the cup of an upright (preferably high-speed) blender. whiz on high for 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. pour oatnog into a large lidded jar and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. place a large ice cube in each glass, pour in oatnog, garnish as desired. oatnog stays best in a lidded jar for up to 5 days.
if serving warm, pour oatnog into a small pot over medium-low. stir, and heat until steaming. serve it in a big cozy mug, and garnish as desired.

VANILLA PUMPKIN SEED MILK LATTE / November 1, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

VANILLA PUMPKIN SEED MILK LATTE | Dolly and Oatmeal

happy november! what?! where did october go? anywho, let’s talk milk!

i’m not going to lie. i don’t make nut milk as often as i should. and i only say that because it’s quite possibly one of the easiest things to do, and one of the most satisfying (at least to me). i use nut milk twice a day, sometimes more. i was dismayed by the amount of plastic bottles i saw piling up every week in our recycle bin, so i got on a pretty steady homemade nut milk kick over the summer. then amesy started preschool twice a week, and as the summer ended my work schedule picked up, and everything kinda got thrown out the window.

fast forward almost 2 months later, and we’ve got a bit more of a fluid routine down. and not that i have the time (or any extra energy) every few days to make my own nut milk, but i try to add it to the (very) mild food prep i sometimes get around to on the weekend. truth be told, i think the difficulty for me lies with the soaking of the nuts. i rarely remember to. but i also feel like soaking nuts and seeds comes with its pros and cons. follow along with me on this journey:

pros:

soaking activates enzymes in nuts and seeds, making nutrients more readily available
soaking softens nuts and seeds, giving you a smoother milk (this is especially handy if you don’t have a high speed blender)
flavor! i personally prefer the flavor of soaked vs. non-soaked nuts and seeds, as the non-soaked have a very distinct, bitter taste to me.

cons:

soaked nut/seed milks have a shorter shelf life. soaked nut/seed milks last up to 2 days in the fridge. non-soaked nut-seed milks can last up to twice as long
REMEMBERING TO SOAK AHEAD OF TIME - i kid. kind of. but in all seriousness, soaking requires some sort of plan of action. i personally set an alert on my phone to soak before i go to bed, reminding me to do so.

shortcuts:

if you’re not concerned about activating enzymes, soak your nuts/seeds in boiling water for 30 minutes prior to blending. this makes them softer, giving you more milk and less pulp
additionally (and i only advise this for those of you who have a high speed blender like a vitamix), blend the nuts/seeds without any soaking if you’re in a pinch.
lastly, i always keep hemp seeds on hand for a rainy day when i look in the fridge and don’t have enough milk. they require zero soaking - ever.

a little bit about pumpkin seed milk. it’s surprisingly creamy, has a great flavor,

and has the most subtle pistachio color to it. i added vanilla bean because i love unsweetened vanilla almond milk and i honestly just wanted to try out a version at home with pumpkin seeds. you can add sweetener to your liking, but i nudge you to try it with just the vanilla bean first :) . pumpkin seed milk can really go in whatever hot beverage you prefer - coffee, matcha, rooibos, early grey, herbal coffee, etc.!

xo’s!!

vanilla pumpkin seed milk latte | v

PRINT THE RECIPE!

1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked for at least 3 hours or overnight
3 cups filtered water
1-2 vanilla beans, scraped
maple syrup, to taste (optional)

latte

1 teaspoon ceremonial grade matcha powder
1 cup boiling filtered water
1/2 cup pumpkin seed milk, warmed

method

rinse and drain the seeds. then add them to a high speed blender with the water, and vanilla bean (add the sweetener if using). blend on high for 1 minute, until very frothy and smooth.
strain the milk through a nut milk bag over a large bowl, squeeze until there is no more liquid. discard the nut pulp, or dry it out and use it as flour. pour the milk into lidded milk containers or jars and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
for the latte. carefully blend the matcha powder with the boiling water for 30-40 seconds, until completely combined. pour into a mug. rinse out your blender container or use a milk frother to froth the warm pumpkin seed milk. pour over top of your latte.

similar recipes:

Cilantro-Grapefruit Mezcal Spritz / July 19, 2018 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Cilantro-Grapefruit Mezcal Spritz | Dolly and Oatmeal

we recently got into mezcal a few months ago. its smokiness is soothing in a way, and i'm starting to both understand and appreciate its complexity. that said, it requires a little something to take the edge off, and freshly squeezed grapefruit has been my go-to. we have a really great little family-run market by us, rick's produce (if you've ever been to sqirl, it's right across the street). they have year-round, farm fresh grapefruit that i buy solely for the purpose of making these cocktails.

frank is a cilantro enthusiast, so when i went to go make him a grapefruit mezcal, i thought muddling some cilantro in would be perfect for him. turns out, i loved it too. it adds a brightness that cools everything down a bit, and i'm a sucker for using herbs in drinks anyway, so it was ideal.

like most cocktails, it can be made a few different ways:

don't like mezcal? replace it with gin, vodka, or tequila.
don't love cilantro? replace it with basil, mint, shiso, or lemon thyme
don't have fresh grapefruit on hand? use unsweetened grapefruit juice
don't particularly like grapefruit? use another citrus, preferably lemon or lime

i find this to be a perfect little sipper for the height of these hot summer days. i hope you all enjoy it too!

xo!

cilantro-grapefruit mezcal spritz

you can streamline this recipe even more by making the cilantro-grapefruit juice ahead of time, just store it in a lidded jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

print the recipe!

| makes 2 servings |

1/2 cup packed cilantro
2 ounces grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon coconut nectar (or maple syrup/honey)
ice
2 ounces mezcal
soda water
cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)
thinly sliced grapefruit, for garnish (optional)

method

to a cocktail shaker, add the cilantro, grapefruit juice, and coconut nectar (or sweetener of choice). muddle the cilantro for about 1 minute or so to release its' flavor, then let the mixture sit for a couple of minutes. pour the cilantro-grapefruit juice through a strainer, and reserve the juice; set aside.
place a few pieces of ice in 2 small cocktail glasses (i used spanish wine glasses), and add 1 ounce of mezcal to each glass. add 1 1/2 ounces cilantro-grapefruit juice, and 1-2 ounces soda water. garnish the glass with cilantro sprigs, and thinly sliced grapefruit wedges.
sip, and be merry!