If you are looking for a healthy, quick morning option that tastes just like carrot cake, you’ll love Simple Carrot Cake Oatmeal. This oatmeal became an instant classic!
Why You Should Make This Breakfast
If you’re like me, carrot cake is a go-to recipe for a delicious, flavorful dessert. I love a moist and decadent carrot cake, but one morning I had a hankering for it and there just wasn’t time to bake one. I needed something for breakfast!
If you want a quick, sweet breakfast treat, this carrot cake oatmeal delivers. But the best part of all? Oatmeal is healthy and a great source of whole grains to add to your day for a multitude of health benefits. I will talk about those a little bit later.
Ingredients
- Old-fashioned Oats - These really can’t be beat for their health benefits!
- Vanilla Almond Milk - Opt for the unsweetened version.
- Matchstick Carrots - A necessary ingredient for a perfect carrot cake recipe.
- Cinnamon - It doesn't take much, but is essential.
- Ginger - Adds such depth of flavor to the oatmeal.
- Nutmeg - It wouldn’t be carrot cake without nutmeg!
- Crushed Pineapple - My favorite little twist to this sweet oatmeal.
- Maple Syrup - You could use another sweetener, but nothing tastes quite like maple syrup!
- Butter - Completely necessary for those glazed carrots.
How To Make This Recipe
Starting with your milk or milk substitute, bring it to a boil in a saucepan. You should do this gradually over medium heat.
Once the milk is boiling, add the other ingredients to the pan. You should stir it frequently until the oats are done.
I like to top my oatmeal with maple glazed carrots and nuts, so I made some maple glazed carrots in a skillet. To make them, you should start them while your oats are cooking to give them time to finish before your oats are done.
You simply add butter and maple syrup into the skillet on medium heat. Then add the carrots and cook for about three minutes, just long enough to glaze.
Finally, you can put together your breakfast. I topped my oatmeal with maple glazed carrots, walnuts, coconut, pineapple, and a bit of maple syrup, but you can top yours however you like. Sit back and enjoy!
Tips
- Use your favorite oats. I prefer the old-fashioned variety, but if you have to, you can use quick-cooking. If you choose to do the quick-cooking, I would cook the carrots in the milk for a few minutes before adding the oats in. They will cook really fast!
- Get creative with your toppings! I used chopped walnuts and coconut on top of my oatmeal, but you could use whatever you have on hand. Pecans would be a tasty addition, as well!
- Make enough for the whole family. This recipe can be done in ten minutes. It’s quick and easy and makes enough for the whole family so everyone gets a nutritious meal before they leave to go about their busy day.
Health Benefits of Oats
Oats have long been touted for their health benefits, but many people are only aware of them being full of fiber. I’m going to share some of their other health benefits with you so that you can decide if they are right for you.
First, oats are a nutritious choice that balances carbohydrates with fiber making them less likely to spike your blood sugar. They also have more protein in them than other types of grains, making them a great choice for vegetarian meals.
Oats are also rich in antioxidants, particularly ones that lower inflammation and itching. These same antioxidants can also help lower blood pressure. Oats are also known for lowering bad cholesterol making them heart-healthy.
Lastly, oats are a powerful tool for weight loss and promoting a healthy weight due to their fiber content and beta-glucan. Beta-glucan has been shown to promote the release of a hormone that affects satiety in the gut.
FAQ
Well, as with any whole grain, the more exposure to oxygen (oxidation), the more your nutrients decrease over time. Quick-cooking oats have more area exposed than regular oats, so it would hold true that they will be less healthy in some regards. However, it is minimal and you can use whatever you choose.
It sure can. I used almond milk, but you can also use vegan butter in the maple carrots if you want.
It sure can! This heats really well in the microwave.
Other Oatmeal Recipes
- Red, white and blue overnight oats
- Honey oatmeal bread
- Dried Cherry and dark chocolate oatmeal cookies
- Blueberry Oatmeal
- Healthy homemade granola
Carrot Cake Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats I prefer old fashioned, but if all you have is quick cooking use those, with the note below.
- 2 cups milk You can use whatever type you like.
- dash salt
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup crushed pineapple, with juices
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- Topping of choice I use walnuts and golden raisins. You can use any other add-ins you feel inspired to use!
maple glazed carrots
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 2 teaspoon butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Bring your liquid to a boil over medium heat in saucepan.Add oats, carrots, crushed pineapple, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, and ground ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until oats are tender. If you are topping it with the maple glazed carrots like I did, start those while the oats are cooking. Heat butter and maple syrup in skillet. Add carrots and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat for about 3 minutes.Plate your oats and top with whatever you feel inspired to. I used the maple glazed carrots, chopped walnuts, unsweetened coconut, crushed pineapple and another drizzle of maple syrup. Sit back and enjoy.