Dear Mom,
If we lived close by, I would make you this strawberry mango crisp for Mother’s Day brunch. It’s pretty, bubbly, and sweet, with many different layers. Just like you. There’s a nutty layer too – wink, wink. (Two teenage girls in the house can do that to a person!) When I think back to my teenage years, I feel guilty about how much I took our relationship for granted. I’m irritated by my former self who thought it was so ‘uncool’ to be seen with my mom at the mall. If I could get those years back, I would’ve proudly walked by your side and invited you more places with me. In my mind, parents were often obstacles to having more fun. I thought you were too cautious and worried about my safety and I couldn’t fully understand why you cared so much. Like that night I was really sick due to some poor choices and you sat beside my bed all night long, not sleeping a single wink, just to make sure that I would be ok. And then you grounded me like you should have. You knew that I wasn’t invincible like I thought I was.
After the teen years, I started to appreciate our relationship more with each passing year until one day it dawned on me that you are one of my best friends. You are one of the first people I share good news with or when I have a problem that needs sorting out. You have this magnetic smile that always makes me feel lucky to witness. I don’t have to worry that you’ll be bitter about my successes or secretly happy about my setbacks. Your love and support is as genuine as it gets.
This Mother’s Day has a new meaning in my life. I now understand why you were so afraid of losing me and why some days it was incredibly hard to let me go. The mother-daughter bond is a complicated one with many ups and downs, but it’s one that I can’t wait to navigate with my own daughter.
With love to you and all the mamas,
Angela
Springtime Strawberry Lime Mango Crisp (Vegan + GF)
Yield
6-8 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Fresh strawberries, buttery mango and tangy lime create a naturally sweet, gooey crisp with a crunchy almond-oat-coconut topping. I love making this crisp in the springtime when mangos and strawberries are at their peak. And when I say "crisp", I really like a crisp topping (which is what you'll find here). Serve it as a healthy weekend breakfast or alongside a brunch. I especially love it after it’s chilled in the fridge overnight – the syrup thickens and the leftovers are irresistible the next morning. To turn it into dessert, add a scoop of ice cream. This recipe is adapted from the Apple Crisp in The Oh She Glows Cookbook.
Ingredients
FOR THE FILLING:
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped (about 5.5 cups)
- 2 cups chopped fresh mango (about 3 mangoes)
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar (or granulated sugar of choice)
- 1.5 tablespoons lime zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
FOR THE TOPPING:
- 1 cup rolled oats, use certified gluten-free if necessary
- 1 cup thinly sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup almond meal or almond flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease an 8-cup (2 litre) casserole dish.
- For the filling: Place the chopped strawberries and mango in a medium bowl and sprinkle the arrowroot powder on top. Toss until the fruit is coated.
- Stir in the sugar and zest. Drizzle on the lime juice and lightly toss to combine. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared dish and spread out evenly.
- For the topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, almonds, almond meal/flour, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt. Pour on the maple syrup and melted coconut oil and stir until combined.
- Sprinkle the topping all over the fruit mixture in an even layer.
- Cover the dish with foil and poke a couple holes in the foil. Bake for 20 minutes, until the fruit is tender. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling up around the sides.
- Serve with a scoop of non-dairy vanilla ice cream, coconut whipped cream, or simply on its own. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
A couple quick updates:
– New Baby section on the blog
– I’m told that my Steven & Chris cooking segment is finally airing today. Fingers crossed!
Have a lovely weekend.
It’s a girl! Congratulations!
A GIRL! Congrats Angela!!!
Love this letter to your mama! Crazy to think you will be a mom this time next year! : )
This is the most understated gender reveal I’ve seen on the internets…nice work, Angela! Simple, beautiful, and so sweet. Congratulations!
I also have a question I’ve been wondering about…is your husband vegan? Most of the men I’ve date have not been vegetarian, and I always wonder how that all works out in a marriage. Will you raise your child as vegan?
Thank you Laura!
Eric isn’t vegan, but a large amount of what he eats is plant-based. Our child will be raised with a mix of both our diets most likely.
I have the opposite problem – my boyfriend is vegetarian and i’m not. I love everything plant based and have absolutely no problem eating meatless/fishless meals but whenever I want to indulge in let’s say a good piece of steak I feel guilty! He says he doesn’t mind and doesn’t want to impose his way of eating on me but still, I find it a bit awkward at times!
Ps: congratulations, i’m so happy for you guys. I’m sure you’ll be wonderful parents!
This would be a much appreciated topic to read your thoughts on! I struggle with this and wonder what my future child will eat.
What a sweet post :) I don’t know if it was your intention but you did let the baby’s sex slip. Congratulations and I hope you continue to have a healthy pregnancy!
Yay for a girl!! So excited for you!! Heartfelt congratulations xx
Yay a girl!!!! Congratulations!!!!! When my daughter came into the world there was a bond there that was so amazing and tender that I delight in it every day. You have so many exciting and wonderful things on your horizon, congrats again.
Can you do this with frozen fruit? I have bags of frozen fruit from Costco in the freezer and this sounds sooooo good I could make it right now:)!!
Thanks for all you do. Love the cookbook.
You might be able to – I would probably thaw the the fruit and drain off the excess water before baking though :)
What a beautiful post – I can relate to this so much and would do almost anything to be able to fly home for the weekend to spend Mother’s Day with my mama! Congratulations on the exciting news – a girl!! How exciting :) Also, this springtime strawberry lime mango crisp looks fantastic – I am very excited to try it this summer! I like how you made a healthy and gluten-free crumble (which is my favourite part!). Pinned and have a wonderful weekend :)
Lime is just an awesome update to a crisp! I love the idea of fresh citrus with baked goods.
A girl!!! Yay!!
This was a beautiful post and wishing you a wonderful early first Mothers Day =D
Now I’m off to make this dish!
Awwww how very exciting! I am sure she is going to be beautiful and a wonderful person. What a great role model she will have to look up to :)
This crisp sounds delightful, what a perfect summer dessert! I will definitely be making this to enjoy after my half marathon. I am afraid I would not be able to stop eating it if I made it right now!
Oh dear, maybe it’s my pregnancy hormones (or the beauty and simplicity of the letter), but I’m a little teary-eyed at my desk!
Mothers are truly our best friends, and it really is a shame how long it takes us stubborn girls to realize it!
Congratulations on your sure-to-be-beautiful baby girl (and what a perfect way to share the news)!
Yay for girls! I’m so happy for you. I’d be curious to know how/if your diet has changed while being pregnant and also if you plan on raising your daughter vegan.
Hi Joanna, It hasn’t changed that much apart from taking extra vitamins and getting more protein (something I will write about in the baby section shortly).
A beautiful post and a beautiful dessert! Congratulations!!
Yay! Little Girls are the best! (although if I had a boy i’m sure i’d say little boys are the best :-)) And I agree with your post – I can only now see how hard it is to let your babies grow up and leave the nest. Looking forward to seeing some baby food recipes in about a year!
And now I am all teary-eyed :) I am so happy for you both! Truly truly wonderful news… my daughter is 2 and I had no idea I could love anyone as much as I love her. Your heart and Eric’s will grow bigger by the day – it is *the* most amazing feeling ever!
Enjoy the ride :)
/Kristina from Sweden.
So sweet :) Thanks for sharing Kristina!
I really like the red and orange colour combination :) very visual.
Georgina x
bakeitblonde.blogspot.co.uk/
Ooh – love this crisp! Light and perfect for spring and summer. What a sweet note and theme for today’s post, too :) Congrats on having a baby girl!!
A girl! Congrats!! :)
Lovely – in the UK we celebrated Mothers Day at the end of March. :-)
I love your recipes and am excited to try this one!! I write a nutrition and health blog nudemushroom.com. My post today I will be mentioning your recipe and your blog:) Thanks for being so inspiring!!
Congratulations!!!! Such a sweet post and a great way to reveal the sex of the baby. I was just wondering if you’ll be doing a post anytime soon about having a vegan pregnancy? What does your daily meal plan look like? As a fellow vegan planning on a family one day, this would be greatly appreciated. Congratulations again :)
Hi Vicky, I hope to touch on some of these topics in my baby section over the coming months. I have a post in the works on the vitamins coming fairly soon.
It’s a girl! Congratulations!, your letter touches all mamas hearts.
This looks flipping unreal!! Love the mangos in there!
Thanks for the congrats you guys!
Congratulations on the news of your baby girl! Such a lovely way to honor you mom, as well. I feel so similarly. Moms are very special people!
Also, this crisp looks AMAZING!
Aww a little girl!! Congratulations Angela! I’m so happy for you :) I’m also glad you added a baby section! And this strawberry lime mango crisp looks amazing. I’m definitely making it next week!
Congrats on your Angela on the news of your little girl! I must say, this letter to your mom brought tears to my eyes and it really hit home with me and my relationship with my mom. Thanks so much for sharing !
I’m glad it resonated with you TJ :)
What a beautiful letter, and how timely with the news that you will be mother to a daughter yourself. Congratulations! I have followed your blog for a long time & the genuineness you describe in your mother is how I imagine you as well. You & your husband will make great parents to this lucky baby :)
I absolutely love fruit crisps! That looks diving and perfect for a mother’s day brunch. Congrats on your sweet baby girl. What great news.
I love the open letter you wrote to your mother! It’s very touching and well-written. Nothing is more special than literature written from your own heart. I sort of teared up feeling all the love from it. Happy early Mother’s Day to you!
What a beautiful post – it totally made me tear up! You are such a talented writer & talented cook. Happy Mother’s Day. :)
When I read your letter, I wasn’t sure if you were referring to your “someday” daughter or giving everyone a subtle hint. :) Congrats on your baby girl and I can’t wait to make this crisp – your food photography always does this to me!
What a lovely tribute to your Mom! I am so into crisps and strawberries right now. Plus I have breakfast guests tomorrow so this will be perfect! I already made your doughnuts from the cookbook for road trip snacks. They are so freaking good!
Love the gender reveal. Congratulations!!!
Oh Angela, congratulations to you and Eric!!! Sweet baby girl :) I had this instinct that it would be a baby girl.
i could have written this exact post for my mom. so beautiful. and congrats on the little lady. i knew it ;)
Hi there, this recipe looks great! Wondering if there’s any way to make the crust crispy without the oil? I’m oil-free. Thanks!
To be honest, I haven’t tried it without the oil so not entirely sure. The real crispy part comes mostly from the sliced almonds though so you might be ok re-working it.
you could try some unsweetened applesauce…
This was incredibly good and my entire family (including those who don’t like cooked fruit desserts) loved it. Instead of oil, I stirred in a few long squirts of coconut cooking spray into the topping before spreading it on the fruit and it came out great – nobody missed the oil.
This made me tear up! Moms truly are the best. And that crisp looks delicious.
The letter to your mom is so touching!
And this strawberry lime mango crisp looks amazing!
A girl! Congratulations to you and Eric! This post was so touching. I can relate to the relationship you have with your mom. For me, it was with my grandmother, but we experienced similar ups and downs before I realized how close we were. I teared up a bit reading this. You have such a knack for writing, Angela!
The recipe looks delicious. I love the idea of springtime flavors in a dish that’s typically more fall-based.
A girl!!! Congrats!!
Aw this was a beautiful post, congratulations! That’s so exciting she’s a girl! And of course the recipe looks delicious as always (:
Thank you guys for your lovely comments! xo
Angela this is so gorgeous! The strawberry with the lime, the juicyness, and the crispy crumbles, and that awesome Emile Henry baking dish (I think, right?) – the color just pops and brings it to life!
And you are going to love having a baby girl…I cannot imagine my life without my daughter. Best gift of my life, past, present or future :)
Such a sweet letter to your mama, fun post. But love love love the recipe, I was just thinking I want to make a strawberry crisp the other day. Need to make this asap! Pinned.
This looks divine! Sending this post to my mom today <3
That is so beautiful, and a huge congratulations on your baby GIRL!!! I am so happy for you.
It’s a girl! Congrats! What a sweet letter and the perfect way to reveal the gender :) Enjoy this time! Can’t wait try the crisp, especially with mango! Yum.