O is for…Oats!
I almost skipped posting today but knew I’d be disappointed if I missed a day of Vegan MoFo.
If you follow me on Instagram you’ll have seen that I graduated from university today! I actually took my finals way back in May/June but had to wait until now for the ceremony. Having only just moved to a new city a few days ago I hopped on the train back to Oxford last night for the occasion. It’s been a lovely day- lots of reminiscing with friends, chatting, enjoying the sunshine, photographs, and clapping!
Another reason I had to post today is so you can make this recipe over the weekend!
I’m highlighting oats today. First and foremost a breakfast staple. I love a good bowl of porridge, plain and simple or “fancied” up with lots of mix-ins and toppings. Just yesterday I came across two great looking porridge ideas from A Vegan Obsession. I’ve also got into overnight oats this summer- oats soaked overnight with non-dairy milk and other goodies and eaten cold from the fridge. Oats are a great way to bulk up breakfast smoothies too.
Granola bars, flapjacks, pancakes, waffles, muffins…oats are great in them all. Have you used oat flour in baked goods yet? If you have oats of any kind on hand and a blender you can make your own in an instant.
On the savoury front, I’ve learnt that oats work brilliantly as a binder in veggie burgers and loaves. I haven’t yet got into savoury porridge, but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time!
The quintessential English dessert has got to be crumble and although It doesn’t traditionally use oats, I much prefer it with an oaty topping.
Crumbles aren’t much to look at, but make up for their rustic appearance with their heart-warming flavours. Simple to prepare, they are outstanding desserts that anyone can make, and they require only a handful of basic ingredients and no fancy kitchen tools.
My Maple-Oat Plum Crumble is perfect for this time of year. It’s getting colder, so warm, comforting dishes are very welcome and plums are still in season here into October.
Our own garden plums were finished long ago but I’ve just come home to find a big bag of plums gifted to us by a neighbour! I might just have to make this dessert again this weekend….
I made a mini version just for one yesterday and it was no effort at all. I simply tossed a couple of chopped plums in a little maple syrup in a ramekin and cooked in the oven for a short time, then sprinkled over the oaty crumble topping and baked for a few minutes longer.
Crispy, crunchy topping, juicy maple-kissed fruit.
Ingredients
- 2 Medium plums, quartered
- 1 tsp Maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp Oats
- 2 tsp Wholegrain flour (I usually just use oat flour which I grind from whole oats but any is fine)
- 1/2 Tbsp Coconut sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp Coconut oil, solid
- Generous pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F
- Toss the plums with the maple syrup in an oven-proof ramekin and bake for 10 minutes
- While baking, mix together oats, flour and coconut sugar. Rub in coconut oil using your fingers until crumbly. Add a dash of cinnamon if you like.
- Sprinkle crumble mixture on top of fruit and bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
- Serve with non-dairy yogurt, ice cream, cream, or custard if you’re a purist (!)
It has oats and fruit so you can definitely eat this for breakfast! Top with non-dairy yogurt to cool it down so you can dig in straight away!
Maybe not if you top it with ice cream though….
This was a big one I made a little while ago. Just scale up the ingredients and cook in a large dish.
What are your favourite crumble variations? Blackberry and apple is another firm favourite here.
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Congratulations on your graduation!
Lucky you to get spare plums. There are some trees near me on waste ground but it looked like someone else got to them first this year.
Thank you! At least someone else made the most of those plums! Out walking my dog I can see a beautiful tree groaning with plums but nobody’s picking them! There were a few branches hanging over the wall and I admit I did take a few! Naughty me, but I couldn’t bear to see them all wasted.
Congratulations! That sounds like a wonderful day… and your crumble looks wonderful, too. I’m a sucker for anything sweetened with maple syrup.
Thanks Kelly. It was a really special day. I hope you try out the crumble, I love maple too but it’s soooo expensive here sadly
Congratulations on your graduation. It’s such a special milestone.
Your crumbles look delicious. I could wait until plums are in season, or I could use pears now.
My kids eat oatmeal for breakfast, and I add oats to smoothies. I also make oat flour in a small coffee grinder to use in cookie and cracker recipes.
Oats are great!
Thank you Ally, it was a really really lovely day. The sun even shone for us which made it even more perfect!
Of course plums aren’t in season for you all the way over the other side of the world! Pears would be delicious
Congratulations on the graduation! Such a gorgeous pic of you in your robes ♥
My little plum tree has been laden with fruit this year and I’ve made been busy making tons of stewed plum compote. I’ve also made 3 huge plum crumbles and they’ve been eaten up already!
I make my crumble almost exactly the same way as you… with oats, maple syrup, coconut sugar (as I don’t seem to be able to tolerate cane sugar anymore) and coconut oil. We have really similar tastes don’t we? I also add in 1/2 cup chopped almonds, pecans and walnuts for added crunch
Here’s wishing you a fantastic weekend in Oxford xx
I had stewed plums on my breakfast this morning! Another great way to use them.
Lucky you with all your own plums
We do definitely have similar tastes! I’m increasingly sensitive to sugar too. I still indulge in unhealthy cakes etc. when out every now and again, and although I enjoy them in the moment, I never feel very well afterwards…
I’m definitely going to add nuts to my next crumble. Thank you for the suggestion.
Congrats on your graduation!! That is super.
Also I’m glad you didn’t skip this because I am so in a crumble mood! Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you! Hope you’ve made/are making crumble this weekend!
congratulations on your graduation - and yay for oats - I love apricot crumble but also loved an apple and quince crumble I did a few years back (have quinces now that I have wondered about turning into crumble - always have oats in my crumble because I love them - your crumble for one looks lovely
Apricot crumble sounds lovely. I just saw your quince garibaldi post and thinking about quinces I imagine they’d be so so good turned into crumble. I suppose plums aren’t in season with you..?
Congratulations, Emma!
That crumble looks so great, especially with ice cream on top! The plums look cute. I don’t think I have ever seen that variety here.
Thanks Mihl.
The plums are Victoria plums which is an English variety so I guess it makes sense that you haven’t seen them in your neck of the woods! I think they’re really pretty too.
Congratulations on your graduation! Plums do make such a wonderful crumble, I’ve never eaten it for breakfast, but I’ll give it a go
Thanks Jasmine! Never had crumble for breakfast?! It’s a lovely treat. If you think about it it isn’t that strange since fruit and oats are fairly normal breakfast items.
Congratulations on your graduation!
This looks so perfect. Every time I walk into the supermarket and past the fruit aisle all I can think is ‘How will I ever have time to eat all this fruit before it goes out of season?!!’ Haha. They’re gone so quickly! I’ve been making lots of smoothies (oats work great in them) and baked porridge. It’s amazing. You prep your porridge with water or milk in a bowl, top it with fruit and bake it for 20 mins. TA-DA. So good.
I know right?! Especially when my local supermarket, just 2 mins walk away is a huge Waitrose with a ginormous fruit + veg section! I want it all!
Your baked oats sound so good. Definitely something I’m going to be making these colder mornings.
I love crumble and this one looks like the most perfect dessert!
Thank you! Crumble is the best!
those little plums are just so beautiful!! I think plums are a perfect fruit for crisps, because their tartness balances so well with the sweet topping. Also, I love oats in crisps - I always add them in, even if the recipe doesn’t call for oats. Congrats on your big graduation!!
Oh YUM! This looks so perfect for Fall. Comfort food
I ate this on a chilly, wet day so it really was a winter-warmer!
This looks yummy!
I know this is going to sound stupid but in the ingredienta amount is 1t a teaspoon and 1T tablespoon? Xx
Not stupid at all! All my more recent recipes are clearer and use Tbsp and tsp but yes you’re right tis teaspoon and T is tablespoon here. Sorry for the confusion! Enjoy
Thank you so so much for getting back to me. That’s great. Made it for my mom as we had some plums that needed and she wanted a crumble so I said “let me make you a healthier version”. She loved it so thank you.
Going to make your banana-almond-oat bars today as she naughtily doesn’t have breakfast before she goes to work as she’s out early so at least she can take them with her so no excuses xx
So glad to hear your Mum liked the crumble. And those banana-almond-oat bars are definitely a good no excuses breakfast! Those and my Apple-Raisin Oaty Breakfast Cookies 😉
Ooo shall definitely give them a go too then! Thank you for recommending xx