It shifts to another catagory, when...

[capri0mni]

When the result of a foodish experiment turns out so well that you develop a craving for that specific taste, and you repeat the experiment, the next time the craving hits, it ceases to be an impromptu confectionery, and turns into an actual recipe.

The only thing left is to come up with an appetizing name for the finished product.

That has happened to me, this week, so I thought I'd share what I've come up with.

Ingredients (all amounts approximate):

• 3/4 cup quick oats (plus extra, as needed)


• 1/4 cup non-fat powdered milk


• 2 TBS granulated Splenda[tm] or sugar


• 1/8 tsp salt


• 2 TBS Almond Butter (or other "nut butter")


• 1/2 cup water (more or less, as needed)


• a few drops Vanilla extract, if desired

Steps:
Mix all together in a 12 oz microwave-safe bowl:

1. Dissolve Splenda, salt, and vanilla in 2 TBS of the water



2. Stir in the almond butter, until it's emulsified fully with the water



3. Stir in the powdered milk (almond butter will thicken up a lot, and the milk will still be a little bit grainy)



4. Gradually fold in the oats, until well-mixed, and the texture becomes dry and sandy



5. Slowly stir in the remaining water, until the mixture is just wet enough to stir easily with a spoon, and keep stirring until the lumps smooth out. Add more oats or water as needed to get the consistency right -- should be like a thick cake batter



6. Microwave on HIGH, uncovered, for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, until the mixture just starts to set



7. Refrigerate a few minutes, until completely firm



8. Enjoy!

Serves 1.

---

The texture on this is amazing -- crumbly and moist, like the best coffee cake. It's super easy. It doesn't really matter, either, what order you mix the stuff up (even though I numbered that list) -- it could just as well be a dump-n-mix. The most difficult part is getting the almond butter scraped out of the measuring spoon.

My mental gears are already churning, trying to figure out how to make all the ingredients dry except for the water, so I could pre-mix everything in a microwave bowl, with a snap-lid, ahead of time, and just add the water and stir -- even faster craving satisfaction, and more portable (usable if I'm in a motel room with a microwave). For example, would almond flour be a workable substitute for the almond butter?


[Poll #1189616]

Comments

Mmmm!

[barbarafett.livejournal.com]

I must try this sometime. :-)

Re: Mmmm!

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Please do. And let me know if it turns out as well for you as it did for me (my microwave is 1,100 watts, so it's pretty powerful -- you may have to up the cooking time).

I think (but I'm not sure) that it would work with regular ol' peanut butter (not even the natural kind), if that's what you happen to already have on the shelves. I just like natural almond butter, myself, and it's what I have.

[eta: but if you do use regular peanut butter, you'd probably want to cut the sweetener and salt, as prepared PB has both of those things already]

Ooh, yum!

[barbarafett.livejournal.com]

I am enjoying some Microwave Almond Crumbcake as I type this. It's delicious. I like it even better than the savory version. This will be joining my personal recipe collection. :-)

[barbarafett.livejournal.com]

P.S.: I'm happy with how it turned out. For me, the mixture set and solidified into a mostly solid, but moist cake that I like very much.