Start your day with this filling and nutritious carrot cake oatmeal made with steel cut oats, carrots, pineapple, and brown sugar. All the flavors of carrot cake in a healthy breakfast!
We’re all healthy again. Hallelujah!
Only two good things came out of us all being sick and stuck in the house for over a week. The Best Scrambled Eggs and this Carrot Cake Steel Cut Oatmeal Recipe.
It’s amazing how creative you get when you lack energy to go grocery shopping and have to rely on your pantry items. Oats, raisins, canned pineapple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and carrots are items I always have on hand. After recently making my Carrot Cake Cookies again, I thought I would convert it into oatmeal…and it was delicious!
Things that become more and more clear as I age: 1) you forget you did something, just minutes after you did it 2) your body takes fooooreeever to recover if you get sick, and 3) older people stock pile their garage and pantry for a reason…and it’s not because they’re afraid of the world ending. (Well, maybe.)
I have every single kind of oat in my pantry. They’re inexpensive, versatile, and deliver some great nutrition.
Why oats are healthy
All the different oats are loaded with soluble fiber, which aids in lowering bad cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart disease. Oat fiber is known for controlling blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity, and even lower blood pressure.
They’re high in fiber and protein, and low in calories. Bonus! Oats are a complex carbohydrate, so they’ll keep you feeling full longer than simple carbs. They’re basically a power food. But each type of oat has a different taste, texture, and cooking time.
What’s with all the different types of oats?
- Whole Oat Groats. Groats are the whole kernel inside the hull. They’re minimally processed, making them extra good for you. The texture is more like thick rice, with a nutty flavor. They take over an hour on the stove to cook, but they have almost twice the fiber and protein than brown rice.
- Steel-Cut Oats. Also sometimes called Irish oatmeal or Scottish Oats, these are the groat stone-ground, leaving a lot of coarse bits. They have the nuttiest and sweetest flavor of all the oats, with a slightly chewy, slightly creamy texture and cook in about 15-20 minutes on the stove.
- Rolled Oats. These are also known as “old fashioned” oats. They’re what the vast majority think of as oatmeal and the most common used in baking. Whole oat groats are steamed, then run between rollers to make flat flakes. Cook time is about five minutes on the stove.
- Instant/Quick Oats. These are basically rolled oats, but they’re steamed longer and rolled thinner, so the oatmeal cooks quicker and ends up creamier – some would even say mushy. They’re the least nutritious of the bunch, but still healthy and a great breakfast choice!
There’s another option not listed and that’s Quick and Easy Steel Cut Oats, which give you the steel cut coarse bits that are nutty and sweet, but cook in a fraction of the time like rolled oats. I absolutely love them and what I used in this recipe.
Other carrot cake recipes for you!
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
How To Make this Oatmeal Recipe
Carrot Cake Steel Cut Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup Steel Cut (Quick and Easy) Irish Oatmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- sweetened coconut flakes, for serving
- chopped candied pecans, for serving
- half n half, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium pot, bring the water and milk to a boil. Add oats, salt, carrots, and raisins; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 6-7 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Remove from heat and stir in the pineapple, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
- Divide among 6 bowls; top with a sprinkle of sweetened coconut and chopped pecans, and a drizzle of half n half.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The sweetened coconut flakes and candied pecans really take this up a notch, so I highly recommend those toppings!
- Cooking times will vary if you use any other type of oatmeal than the Steel Cut Quick and Easy.
Nutrition
Other Notes
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I do Overnight Oats. Have you used this type of oats in overnight oats? Just wondering if they would soften up enough.
Thank you
Hi Bette – I always use rolled oats for overnight oats. Steel cut oats don’t soften up enough for my taste.
We eat steel- cut oats every few days, made in the IP. Carrot cake oats sound doable and tasty!. The Carrot Cake Smoothie sounds delish, too. I will have to try them both!
Steel cut oats are in most chain stores. See cereal section. Or, buy in bulk at others, which I find to be far less expensive.
I never make oatmeal (except for cookies) but this looks so good. Do all the markets carry the various oatmeal varieties? I’ve only bought rolled oats.
Yep! Where the cereals are.