Coconut Carrot Cake Oats

Ok guys, I know we’re supposed to eat a 🌈 of color every day but lately I’ve been devoting most of my time with the ROYs of that ROYGBIV rainbow. From Sweet Potato Ranch Rings to Spicy Satay Stew (recipe coming soon!), I cannot get enough of these red, yellow, and orange-hued foods! These Coconut Carrot Cake Oats are no exception and you know what? I am a-ok with that. Once you taste them, I think you will be too.

Creamy, decadent, and completely nutritious, you won’t believe how easy it is to get a full serving of veggies in at breakfast.  

We love adding veggies to oats, like these kid-friendly Pink Panther Oats. Adding veggies offers so many benefits and is easy to do! In addition to adding fiber and protective phytonutrients, veggies like beets and carrots soften in texture and add a natural sweetness, without being otherwise noticeable. (Parents, take note!) We also love the beautiful, natural color they impart on an otherwise bland-looking dish.

This is a simple crockpot recipe. Hangry? You can make them stovetop in about 30 minutes. 

Ok, let’s get started. First, wash, peel, and shred your carrots.

Next, prep your oats. Add dry steel cut oats to a mixing bowl. (Just LOOK at that whole grain goodness!)

Now, add your liquid. You can opt for all milk, all water, or any preferred mix of the two. You do you. The ratio we’re looking for is 4 parts liquid to 1 part oats. 

Time for your seasonings – salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Add and give a give stir.

Lastly, add your shredded carrots. 

Now, prepare your crockpot. Use butter or oil and give your crockpot a good greasing. Please, do NOT skip this step. We opted for coconut oil to add that extra pop of flavor but you can use butter or any preferred oil. 

Add your oats, pop the lid on, and program for 2 1/2 hours on LOW.

Your oats are done! They will look a bit like this 👇

Once stirred, they’ll look more like this: 

Mix in your flaxseeds and wheat germ.

Stir again and serve. How easy was that!? Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy or save for future meals during the week. 

Nutrition Notes: Steel cut oats are a whole grain rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and a type of soluble fiber known as beta-glucan, which can help improve cholesterol levels when consumed regularly. Carrots are rich in dietary fiber, beta-carotene (protective phytochemical), vitamin K, and potassium. Together, these foods offer a wide range of nutrients which promote eye, gut, and heart health. 

Ingredients

1 cup steel cut oats

3 cups milk of choice (we used drinking coconut milk (not canned) for that rich coconutty flavor but any will work!)

1 cup water

2 heaping cups shredded carrots

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp oil or butter

3-4 tsp maple syrup 

2 heaping tbsp ground flaxseed

1 heaping tbsp wheat germ

2 tbsp flake, unsweetened coconut

Optional Add-ins/Toppings: walnuts, pecans, diced pineapple, raisins, yogurt (Trader Joe’s has a low-fat coconut flavored yogurt which is amaaaazing!)

Directions

Wash, peel, and shred carrots. Add to a large mixing bowl with remaining ingredients and stir until well mixed. Pro Tip: If adding flaxseeds, we recommend waiting until after the oats are cooked to add them in. Flax added at the beginning can coagulate oats and make them overly mushy. Grease the bottom and edges of crockpot. Don’t forget this step! Add oat mixture to the crockpot and cook on low for 2 1/2-3 hours. Oats should be soft and creamy and liquid should be absorbed. Portion and serve with flaked coconut, walnuts, and any other favorite add-ins. 

Note: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. Prefer to overnight oats? Test run first! Oats can go from cooked to scorched quickly and ‘low’ settings vary between devices. 

Nutrition Facts (makes 4 servings):

Calories – 230  Fat – 11g  Carbohydrates – 28g  Protein – 6g  Fiber – 6g