Breakfast on the go

I’m known for bringing food with me….whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner, I’m the girl in the restaurant or coffee shop with her overnight oats, muffin, bag of fruit or bowl of curry (yes I brought a big bowl of veggie curry with some spelt chapatti’s along with me to a family gathering in a hotel as they said they had no vegan friendly options they could offer me!)

Over the weekend I spent a day working alongside David in The Happy Pear and since I’d done a little baking the previous afternoon I brought along the latest experiment for them to have a little taste. It being a vegetarian wholefoods restaurant I didn’t have to bring along a packed lunch for once!

Sweet potato falafel cakes were on the menu, which of course I helped prepare with only one minor injury (I have a habit of chopping my fingers when slicing and dicing on mass!) Felt so privileged to be invited in to the kitchen, an honour to be working alongside the guys who I have such admiration for! Their enthusiasm for food, life and healthy living so infectious!

Check out their YouTube Channel and you will see just what I mean!

So back to my baking experiment…banana and mango oatie squares. They’re an adaptation of the original berry squares which went down quite a treat with my co-workers! Super simple, healthy, delicious, naturally sweet with a hint of help…

My mum and dad prefer them warm, I’m more of chilled girl. They’re more dessert like if you heat them up and serve with some creamy soy yoghurt of some banana soft serve and the ideal grab and go breakfast for sticking in your packed lunch when running out the door in the morning.

Mango and banana is always a winning combination in my book.

Dreamy Banana Chocolate and Mango Smoothie perhaps…

What’s your favourite grab and go breakfast square?

Banana Mango Oatie Squares

 Print this easy peasy recipe

Servings – 9

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time- 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh ripe diced mango
• 1 medium banana, chopped
• 60ml (1/4 cup) pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp warm water
• 270g (3 cups) regular jumbo oats, divided
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp (6oz) unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190C (375F) and line a 8inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper. In a small bowl mix together cornstarch with warm water to form a paste. Make sure all clumps are gone. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the mango, banana, and maple syrup. Bring to a boil and stir well. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and the pre-mixed cornstarch. Whisk until all clumps are gone and set aside.
3. Place half of oats into a food processor and process until a flour/fine powder forms. Add this processed flour, remaining oats, baking powder, and salt into large bowl. Stir. Now add in the wet ingredients (applesauce, maple syrup, water, vanilla) and mix well. Pour 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan and push down firmly with fingers to smooth out. Grab the prepared banana mango filling and spread over the top of the oat base until smooth. Now crumble the remaining oat base mixture on top.
4. Bake for 30 mins. at 190C (375F) or until the top is slightly golden and firm. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares.

Tagged as: banana, bars, breakfast, gluten free, mango, nut free, oatie squares, oats, snack, soy fee, vegan, wheat free