Football season is in full swing and evening strolls on the boardwalk require a light jacket. It seems as though fall really is upon us here in the northeast, and that calls for a welcome addition to my morning routine: O-A-T-S! Oats, oats, oats!
Steel-cut, old-fashioned, or quick-cooking when I'm in a pinch, oats are my go-to grain practically every morning from October through June. Paired with a whole egg plus three whites and some mixed greens, fibrous oats are the breakfast of champions (sorry, flaked cereal in the big orange box). Plus, they're as economical as they are nutritious.
The best part about oats? Dressing them up every morning. While the possibilities are endless, my top choice for topping my oats is most definitely mango. Depending on the month, it could be chopped dried mango from the Philippines, sweet slices of ataulfos paired with toasted coconut slivers, or succulent chunks of the Tommy Atkins variety swirled with natural peanut butter. Here's a handy breakdown of which mangoes are available throughout the year, along with their countries of origin.
If you're pressed for time in the morning and need your oats to go, this cake is for you! Most recipes for oatmeal quickbreads and cakes are light on the actual oats. My goal was to pack in as much oatmeal as possible without sacrificing a moist, tender texture. The addition of cornstarch helped achieve just that! It's bursting with juicy mango and a touch of honey, while the top features a slightly crunchy crust thanks to demerara sugar. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup cornstarch (plus 1 tsp. for dusting pan)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup Earth Balance shortening, room temperature
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut milk (Goya brand)
2 tsp. white vinegar
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup mango, diced
1 T. demerara sugar
Instructions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or lightly grease 8" x 8" glass pan and dust with cornstarch.
-In food processor (I used the single-serve cup on the Ninja blender), pulse 1 and 1/2 cups of oats until finely ground.
-Combine ground oats, whole oats, cornstarch, and baking soda in large bowl and sift with fork.
-Combine coconut milk with vinegar.
-Using hand mixer, beat Earth Balance shortening with honey until combined.
-Using wooden spoon, blend Earth Balance mixture and egg with dry ingredients. Slowly add coconut milk/vinegar mixture. Batter will be thick.
-Incorporate mango into batter and spoon into prepared pan. Top with demerara sugar.
-Bake 30 – 35 minutes in preheated oven. Allow an hour to cool before cutting and serving. Serves 4-6.
