Sweet Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Gets Vegetables Into Breakfast
So you’ve bought a bag of baby carrots in the hopes your child will eat them like candy–but what to do with the orange things when he/she doesn’t? Well, we have carrot smoothie and carrot fries recipes calling to you (and for your carrots); veggie tots are always a move. But what about breakfast; or, rather, why not use them for breakfast? And to make it even easier and better, why not be able to get it ready at the same time you’re using carrots in another recipe? Enter these overnight oats, which put the carrots to good use in an easy-to-love classic: the flavors of carrot cake in a creamy, spoon-ready form.
(Note: while the overnight soak will soften the carrots, they still will be a bit crunchy. If you’re worried about how your kiddo will handle the slight textural contrast, follow the optional cooking step to soften them before preparing the oats.)
- 8 Baby Carrots (6-8 is best)
- 2/3 cup Rolled Oats
- 1 tbsp Chia Seeds
- 3/4 cup Milk (I use almond; any dairy or plant-based variety will do)
- 1/4 cup Yogurt (whole-milk/full-fat recommended)
- Pecans
- Cinnamon
- Maple syrup
- Optional step to soften carrots: slice carrots in half lengthwise and steam or boil carrots until soft, roughly 10 minutes for boiling and 12-15 for steaming.
- While the carrots cool (if you did the first step), pour the oats and chia seeds into a bowl; sift to blend together.
- Blitz the carrots in the blender until completely chopped up into small pieces. Pour in the milk, yogurt, a handful of pecans, a generous drizzle of maple syrup, and a few shakes of cinnamon; blend again until all mixed together and smooth.
- Pour contents of the blender over the top of the oat-chia mixture, then stir to integrate.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least eight hours.
A small bowl of this stuff and a side of fruit should be plenty for breakfast. Feel free to sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the oats if the emphasis for your child--and how could it not be?--is more on 'cake' than 'carrot.'
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
