I finally did it! I gave carrot cake oatmeal a second chance.
I tried it once. Long, long ago. I believe it was one of the very first recipes I tried as I was learning to make my own oatmeal (as opposed to the Quaker instant packets). It didn’t sit right with me. I’m not sure if I made it incorrectly, or if I was still just learning to like the texture of this new stovetop porridge.
Either way, I swore it off for years. I don’t know what happened, but something compelled me to buy some carrots from the farmers market this weekend so I could try it again.
Happily, I enjoyed it much more this time! I used honey instead of maple syrup (real maple syrup is too expensive and fake maple syrup is too….fake), and it turned out well. I think what turned me off the first time is that it’s not nearly as sweet as actual carrot cake (which is one of the sweetest desserts my mom makes; it’s almost sickening to think about!). However, now that my taste buds are more…normal (?), I found this oatmeal to be delicious and satisfying.
I didn’t have walnuts on hand, but if I did, they definitely would have been included! I changed very little from Angela’s recipe (link below under recipe); I basically just reduced it to a single serving (the original served two).
P.S. I have big news for you…but I’ll save it for my next post.
What you'll need:
- 1 and 1/4 cup milk of choice, or water
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
- 1/2 cup grated carrots (I used two smallish medium-sized carrots)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp. maple syrup, agave, or honey
- 1/8 tsp molasses (I use Blackstrap)
How to make it:
- Bring milk (I used 1/2 cup almond milk and 3/4 cup water) to a boil, add oats, and reduce heat to medium. (If you'd like to add flax or chia seeds, do so now. Both would work well in this recipe.)
- Add grated carrots immediately. I shredded mine up while waiting for my liquid to boil.
- Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Then add your sweetener and molasses. Stir.
- If you'd like to add any extra ingredients (coconut oil, dried fruit, nuts, sunflower seeds), do so now. Like the original recipe, I recommend raisins and walnuts.
- When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Serve with another splash of your milk of choice and any other additional toppings (shredded coconut, nuts, etc.). If you're ambitious (unlike me), you could top with a cream cheese frosting (here's CCK's vegan/healthier version). You could also use plain greek yogurt, if your diet permits.
Just an FYI:
Adapted from Oh She Glows
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