green mojitos / July 1, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

so i didn't have a backyard garden market this weekend (darn you torrential rain!), BUT i did make use of lots of the kale and mint we've grown back there to make some major green juices, and then there's that bulk-sized batch of kale-basil pesto i made that we're still eating our way through. we also managed to clean up more of the yard, mainly the part all the way in the back that was composed of dirt, bricks, more dirt, and a really overgrown but charming potting table. frank leveled out all of that dirt, covered it with mulch, and hung the outside lights that we've been itching to get up since we got here, making it all a bit more cozy :) while frank was busy taking on the dirt, i planted a bed of meadow flowers and beach grass, with some herbs and lavender weaved throughout. right now it's looking a little stark, but hopefully after a few more rains and some hot summer sunshine it'll fill out and give off that easy breezy, wild flower vibe i'm going for :) we've also got another patch of dirt right outside our door that we've attempted to grown grass on. after the grass grew in patchy with a ton of weeds, we realized we didn't want to buy a lawnmower for a 6x6' lot of grass. so we scrapped the whole idea and plated creeping thyme that we're hoping will grow and spread - fingers crossed!

some of you may know the tess masters from her blog, The Blender Girl, her app, or her new cookbook! i was lucky to receive a copy of her latest book which has 100 smoothie recipes ranging from light, mild, exotic, and leaving you with some high vibe dessert smoothies (the peach crumble smoothie is totally on my summer to-do list!). this green mojito (sans liquor - i know, i totally should have spiked it), is incredibly light, fruity, savory, and tangy all in the same sip. all of the ingredients are easily found in your pantry or at the market, and you don't need a super crazy high-speed blender, which i know is a plus for a lot of folks out there. the lime and mint really shine through in this drink, and truly makes it reminiscent of a traditional mojito - minus that buzz ;) ;)

happy july, everyone! xo

green mojitos (v + gf)

the recipe below states 2 cups of frozen pineapple, however since i'm not the biggest fan of pineapple, i substituted it with 1 cup of frozen mango, and 1 cup frozen peaches. i also didn't have liquid stevia, so i replaced that with 1 teaspoon maple grade B syrup. as for tess's "optional boosters" i added about 1/2-inch worth of ginger, and 2 teaspoons coconut oil; i also reduced the amount of limes from 3 limes to 2.

| serves 2 |

1 cup coconut water (or water)
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
3 limes, peeled and quartered
1 cup curly kale leaves (1 or 2 leaves with stalk removed)
1/2 cup firmly packed mint
2 cups frozen pineapple
5 drops alcohol-free liquid stevia, plus more to taste

optional boosters

1 teaspoon wheatgrass
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon coconut oil

method

throw all of the ingredients into your blender and blend in high for 30 to 60 seconds, until smooth and creamy.

more drinkable recipes

a microgreen, mint + mango juice for one / April 22, 2014 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

these past couple of weekends have been so beautiful. frank and i have got into a new, spring-y rhythm full of longs walks, afternoon picnics at the park, frequenting farmers' markets, taking our little pup to the dog park and sipping iced coffees! as we spend more time outdoors we come into contact with all sorts of people - friends, neighbors, acquaintances, doggie friends, and also the random people that are not quite nice or respectful. i guess i should be happy that more often than not, people in our little neighborhood are generally kind, but this weekend we came across a bunch of people at our local park who were disrespectful and (sorry, but) straight-up a-holes. we were enjoying some time in the park when our space was rudely disrupted by a rather unprofessional yoga photo shoot. they neither excused themselves nor apologized when we asked for some space, rather responded with disrespectful comments.

whatever the case may be, i know these kinds of people are the exception and not the norm, but i would hope they would realize at some point, that no matter how important you feel your job is, people's personal space still matters; that practicing common decency and respect on a daily basis is still a relevant thing!

in an effort to rid my mind of these folks, i spent the next afternoon breathing deeply and sipping on this soothing and refreshing green juice. green juices are a favorite around here. as the weather warms up i usually purchase too many greens to consume during the week. by week's end there are surely leftovers which make their way into the blender. today i used microgreens. i can't get enough of these beauties; i thought their soft leaves and subtle taste would be a satisfying addition to this juice. i threw in some mint, lemon juice, mango and ginger, all for their therapeutic properties and a nutrient boost! cheers to you all, friends! xo

microgreen, mint + mango juice for one

| serves 1 |

i used microgreens here because i had a boat-load of them leftover. however, you can use any greens of your choice, be it chard, spinach, or kale. i give directions using a blender, but feel free to use your juicer, just skip the straining step below.

ingredients

1/2 cup mixed microgreens
1 large sprig mint (approx. 6-8 large leaves)
1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped rough
juice from 1 lemon
5-6 coconut water ice cubes (you can also use water ice cubes)

garnish

chia seeds
extra mint leaves

instructions

place all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend for about 1 minute. for a juice without pulp, pass the juice mixture through a fine mesh sieve over your glass. garnish with chia seeds and mint, and drink immediately

to your health! enjoy!

5-spice black bean salad w/ rocket greens + citrus dressing / March 11, 2014 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

call it a sensory issue or something, but up until last summer i never ever ate beans in their whole form, meaning i would eat them mushed, but never actually chomped a bean other than a chickpea. however, after honeymooning in costa rica last august my bean-thinking mind did a 180°! almost every meal was served with what the costa ricans call, gallo pinto (rice + beans), and they were some of the most epic pieces of food to ever enter my mouth. i think the mixture of rice with the beans all together helped me get over my irrational fear of the the black bean, but also the red pepper, cilantro and in some cases chili pepper that was all super subtle but extremely tasty. frank and i still dream about gallo pinto, and i hope one day i'll have more luck recreating it.

this salad really just started out as an easy lunch for the entire week. a lot of dishes/salads i make usually last me for a good 3-4 days; things that i can pack away in the fridge as leftovers and put them together easily the next day. this salad has been my absolute favorite for a number of reasons: 1.) i cheat and use canned beans because i'm too lazy for the overnight soak sometimes. 2.) the 5-spice combo is insanely tasty, mixing savory and sweet spices to give the beans some serious depth of flavor. and 3.) all the flavors are super bright; mixing the spices with some citrus, acid, slightly bitter/peppery greens and sweetness from the mango all make it super well-rounded and packed with flavor. i hope you enjoy as i seriously look forward to this easy little meal each day :)

5-spice black bean salad w/ rocket greens + citrus dressing (gf + v)

| makes 4 servings |

ingredients

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (preferably no salt added + bpa free lining - i like Eden Organic brand)
1 small-medium red onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup low sodium vegetable stock
1 1/2 teaspoons cacao powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, separated
1/2 cup quinoa
1 mango, peeled and sliced
5 ounces wild arugula
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
juice from half of a lime
sesame seeds + hemp seeds to taste

easy citrus dressing

juice from 1 orange (navel, blood, cara cara, etc.)
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
big pinch of salt
a few cracks of black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

instructions

in a small saucepan, combine the quinoa with 1 cup of water and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, bring to a boil, stir and cover; reduce heat to low and cook for 12-15 minutes. remove from heat with lid on the pot, set aside for later

make the beans

in a medium-sized sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat; add the onion, cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft and fragrant. add the garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. add the black beans and stock, bring to simmer. add the 5 spices (cayenne optional) and salt and stir to combine. let the beans simmer until half the liquid has cooked down, about 12 minutes. turn off heat and set aside

citrus dressing

in a jar fitted with a lid, combine the fresh orange juice, vinegar, salt + pepper; secure lid on the jar and shake vigorously for a couple minutes. take lid off and add olive oil, shake vigorously again until all ingredients are incorporated. set aside if using right away, if not store in the fridge until ready to use

assemble salad

portion each of the 4 bowls with equal amounts beans, quinoa, greens, and mango. drizzle dressing over the greens, and give the mango a good squeeze of lime juice; garnish with a healthy dose of sesame + hemp seeds