Oat Milk Vegan ‘Eggs’ Are What Makes These Healthy Corn Cakes So Perfectly Fluffy

Using oat milk in your healthy beverages has become a mainstay of the wellness world. Making smoothies and lattes with the crown jewel of the alt-milk world has become so popular, it’s more unexpected to reach for cow’s milk at this point. But for many, the oat milk experimenting stops there.

Well, it’s high time to think outside the glass. A new book, The Oat Milk Cookbook ($16) shows that you can do way more with oat milk than just adding it to coffee. The bev can be transformed into dairy-free cream cheese, vegan buttermilk, a better-for-you chocolate glaze, and oat milk-based breads, along with many other delicious ideas author Kim Lutz shares in her book. “Besides being used in beverages and baking, oat milk also adds plant-based creaminess to sauces, soups, and dressings,” Lutz says. (The more you know!)

How does oat milk compare nutritionally to the other alternative milk options out there? Watch the video to find out:

She also uses oat milk to make another vegan substitute: eggs. “Combining oat milk with ground flaxseed is one of my favorite substitutes for eggs in baking,” she says. To do it, all you do is combine a tablespoon of flaxseeds with three tablespoons of oat milk, mixing them together and letting them sit for five minutes before using.

Cooking with oat milk and using these vegan eggs is the secret ingredient to her corn cakes and black bean salsa. “It makes these pancakes so fluffy and delicious,” Lutz says, adding that one reason why she loves oat milk more than other alternatives is because it gives a richer texture to foods.

Here, Lutz shares the recipe for her corn cakes and black bean salsa, the perfect recipe to jumpstart your cooking with oat milk adventures.

Corn cakes and black bean salsa

Makes 10 to 12 cakes and 3 cups of salsa

Ingredients
For the corn cakes:2 Tbsp flaxseed meal1 1/2 cups oat milk 3/4 cup cornmeal3/4 cup flour (all-purpose, white whole-wheat, or gluten-free)1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (optional)

For the black bean salsa:
1 cup corn kernels (cut fresh from the cob, defrosted frozen, or drained from the can)1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed1 cup salsa2 Tbsp thinly sliced scallions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flaxseed meal and oat milk, and set it aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, salt, and pepper (if you are using it).

2. Mix the flaxseed mixture (in the large bowl) into the cornmeal mixture (in the medium bowl) and stir until it is well combined.

3. Spray or lightly oil a griddle or skillet and place it over medium-high heat. The pan will be ready when a drop of water dances across the surface.

4. Drop the batter, about a quarter cup at a time, onto the hot pan.

5. Let the corn cakes cook for about two minutes or until the edges are set and golden brown.

6. Flip and cook the corn cakes on other side for two to three minutes, or until they are cooked through and golden. Eat right away or wrap them up and store in the freezer where they will be good for up to two months.

7. Make the salsa: In a large bowl, combine the corn, black beans, salsa, scallions, and serve. Salsa will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Reprinted from The Oat Milk Cookbook © 2020 by Kim Lutz, with permission from Sterling Epicure. Photography credit: ©bhofack2/depositphotos.com

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