Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal

I’m sure many of you are thinking about forming (or re-forming) healthy habits about now, so, I thought this the best time to share this little gem of a recipe – my Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal (with Cinnamon Yoghurt).

The festive season is one time in the year I stray from my usual clean eating. I’m eating out more often, the change in routine with my kids being on school holidays also throws me, plus, loads of celebrations and gatherings. So I loosen the reigns, relax and enjoy the festivities. These periods of overindulgence are a great reminder why I’m committed to eating well. I get to the point where my energy starts to wane and I just don’t feel right, so I accept that the parties over and re-establish the habits that keep me happy, healthy and energised.

Breakfast is the one meal that ensures I have loads of energy to cook up a storm and eat well throughout the day (and exercise too). With a wholesome brekkie, I go into the day with the mental clarity and energy to make better food choices – it just sets me up for success, not only in the food department, but my work productivity is way better too.

Health benefits

The oats are a fibre packed, mineral rich wholegrain. In herbal medicine oats are a nerve restorative so great for supporting the nervous system function and digestion also. The eggs and milk provide protein for a sustained release of energy. The apple, carrot and spices provides more plant based nutrition and fibre. The yoghurt also supports gut health.  What more could you want from brekkie? 

More breakfast inspo

Find an awesome range of brekkie inspo in my ebook ‘Rise and Shine a Well Nourished Breakfast‘ – designed with mad morning’s in mind, it will ensure your brekkie is as good as it gets.

Remember to take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary requirements (gluten-free, dairy-free, fructose friendly)

Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal with Cinnamon yoghurt

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Total 40 minutes

Serves: 6

4.75 from 4 votes

This Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal with Cinnamon yoghurt is a delicious, super nourishing and easy to make breakfast that the whole family will love. Best of all it includes a serve of fruit and vegetables and it will set you up for an energised and productive day.

Ingredients

• 180 g rolled oats (2 cups)
• 1 apple -grated
• 2 carrots -grated
• 35 g currants (¼ cup)
• 500 ml milk (2 cups) of your choice
• 2 free-range or organic eggs
• 85 g rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (¼ cup) optional
• 40 g butter, ghee or coconut oil (3 tablespoons) melted
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla -powder, extract or essence
• 1 tsp coconut sugar or rapadura
• 35 g pumpkin seeds, walnuts or pecan nuts (¼ cup) optional

Cinnamon Yoghurt

• 250 g full-fat natural yoghurt (1 cup)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla -essence

Method

• Preheat your oven to 180ºC /350ºF. Grease or line a 20 x 20 (approx.) casserole or baking dish. 
• Place the oats, grated apple, grated carrot and currants/raisins into your baking dish and mix to roughly combine.
• In a blender, food processor or large jug, mix the milk, eggs, sweetener, melted butter, cinnamon and vanilla until well combined.
• Pour over the oats/ carrot mix and top with the sugar (and optional pumpkin seeds, walnuts or pecan nuts).
• Place in the oven for around 25-30 minutes or until it is set (just firm in the middle).
• Whilst it’s cooking, make the spiced yoghurt by combining all of the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.
• When the oatmeal is cooked, enjoy immediately (with the spiced yoghurt) or cool and slice into portions to store.

Thermomix instructions

• Preheat your oven to 180ºC /350ºF. Grease or line a 20 x 20 (approx.) casserole or baking dish.
• Grate the carrots, 5 seconds, speed 4. Add to the dish. Now grate the apple, 3 seconds, speed 4.
• Add the oats, currants/raisins into your baking dish and mix to roughly combine.
• Without rinsing the Thermomix bowl, melt the butter, 1 min, 90, speed 4. Add  the milk, eggs, sweetener, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix 30 seconds, speed 5 until well combined.
• Pour over the oats/ carrot mix and top with the sugar (and optional pumpkin seeds, walnuts or pecan nuts).
• Place in the oven for around 25-30 minutes or until it is set (just firm in the middle).
• Rinse the Thermo bowl. Add the spiced yoghurt ingredients and blend, 20 seconds, speed 3.
• When the oatmeal is cooked, enjoy immediately (with the spiced yoghurt) or cool and slice into portions to store.

Store

• Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Variations

Recipe notes

You can certainly vary the kinds of fruit you use, for example substituting the apple with pear. You can also slice seasonal fruit and place on top to bake.

Dairy-free

Choose coconut milk as your sweetener and replace the butter with coconut oil. Replace the yoghurt with coconut yoghurt.

Gluten-free

Replace the oats with rolled quinoa flakes.

Fructose friendly

Omit the dried fruit and choose rice malt syrup as your sweetener.

Nut-free

Omit the nuts or choose the pumpkin seeds.

Vegan and egg-free

Use the dairy-free options and replace the eggs with chia or flax eggs.

Make ahead

You can make this ahead and simply bake in the morning. Left-overs can be enjoyed cold or re-heated. 

I'd love to hear how you love this recipe. Does a good breakfast set you up for a productive, focussed, healthy day?

Course: Breakfast

Author: Georgia Harding