Interview | Lindsey Love
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We're so happy to welcome Lindsey S. Love, author of the local and seasonal food blog, Dolly and Oatmeal, of which we're avid readers. Lindsey's blog is a wonderful space to stumble upon plenty of mouthwatering organic recipes, beautiful photography of said recipes and a firsthand account of everything coming together. It's a treat to have her on the Pure Green Blog today, enjoy this q&a and stay tuned for more in the future!
On Dolly and Oatmeal, in Love's own words...
"With a history of food sensitivities, I sought to find, source, and create food that was nourishing and wholesome, but that also tasted really good. I started my blog, Dolly and Oatmeal with those thoughts in mind, but with also a desire to help others avoid some of the difficulties I had experienced. I believe that there is a direct correlation between the food we eat and our emotional and physical well being, and that’s the message I seek to convey."
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Lindsey, your blog Dolly and Oatmeal underscores nourishing both body and mind when cooking in your daily life. We certainly understand the qualitative experience of a delicious meal—how important is it for you to experience that connection to food?
Feeling that connection to the food I eat is super important to me. I think we’ve lost that connection somewhere along the way and there has been a big movement towards wholesome, local, organic foods for a reason. I think people have become less reliant on what food advertisers say, or what’s being offered at their grocery store because that connection to what their eating has been compromised by big agriculture and the food industry in general. Terms like, local, organic and sustainable have been regarded as catchphrases to some, but for me, they form a consciousness of active participation in what I put in my body, and how I choose to nourish myself.
You say that you are not a "food or nutrition expert" but you seem to have a lot of experience and knowledge on living gluten and dairy-free in some pretty tasty ways! Have you found that sharing your recipes and lifestyle online has you made you a resource to your readers?
The goal for my blog has always been to share my food experiences in hopes that I could in some way aid others in theirs. As it’s turned out, I have learned a lot from readers, other bloggers, books, magazines, and the food and health-conscious community in general. It’s taken on a communal feel; I sense as though we’re all in this together, helping each other along the way, giving one another ideas and issues to think about. So I would hope Dolly and Oatmeal is a resource, much like so many sources are a supply of information to me.
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Dolly and Oatmeal also features a lot of your travels. What does your diet look like when you aren't cooking your own meals?
That is such a good question! The answer, is that I pack a lot of food to take with me! Just recently, my husband and I took a road trip; I knew there would be little, to no food options along the way, so I made items for each meal and brought along snacks (sandwiches, hummus, cut up veggies, lots of nuts, and some dark chocolate). Most other times, I look for a salad or veggie option with some sort of protein – be it, quinoa, beans, or lentils to sustain me. And a lot of times I’m eating what’s between a wrap, or two pieces of bread. Believe it or not, Yelp is a big help when traveling too. I often use their app on my phone and use search words like: organic, gluten-free, healthy, to assist me in finding healthy eats.
Local and seasonal ingredients are two things that Pure Green knows and loves well. What is the difference for you in using these kinds of foods?
Fortunately, where I live in Brooklyn, I have access to some year-round farmers’ markets, so it’s a great resource to see what’s in season and most fresh. When I’m preparing these ingredients the difference between a tomato bought in July or August, versus one bought in October is totally distinct – from the color of it’s skin and flesh, to its flavor – produce is totally at it’s prime (both in taste and nutrition) when it’s eaten seasonally. So, I really let the season guide me in terms of what I’m cooking.
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What was the craziest gluten-free, dairy-free recipe you've ever tried?
There was a skillet cinnamon bun recipe I tried once that turned out terribly, the buns kind of melded together and never cooked up. But, I think my favorite crazy recipe would be my Valentine Cakes with Blood Orange Filling. I took a childhood favorite (Hostess Cakes, ones my parents would rarely let me eat) and made them into something a bit more wholesome; utilizing whole grain, gluten free flours, which made me feel a little better about the whole, “junk food” situation!
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If there was one thing you'd love Dolly and Oatmeal to accomplish, what would it be?
That’s a tough one. My goal has always been for Dolly and Oatmeal to be a place where people could cultivate ideas about food in a different way, and challenge them to want to eat/live more intentionally. I suppose that’s where I aspire to take it and how it evolves from there, we shall see.
