Baked oatmeal, for a crowd or for a week, with all the flavors of your favorite carrot cake and a lightly sweetened crunchy nut topping. This is one of those rare dishes that qualifies as both comfort food and health food.
If carrot cake and bread pudding had a gluten free, dairy free baby… This baked oatmeal has fed many an overnight guest, friends and family at a beach condo and more teachers than I can count. The combination of grated carrots, golden raisins and warm spices imparts a natural sweetness that tastes much more indulgent than the ingredient list would have you believe. Rolled oats baked in an almond milk and egg custard create a dish that emerges from the oven with bread pudding-like texture. The only added sugar is a touch of maple in the topping. Throw a handful of fresh berries on top and an extra drizzle of maple and you’d think you were having dessert.
This recipe calls for coconut oil which is something I don’t use a lot of but it has a long shelf life (up to 2 years if you are careful not to contaminate the jar) and it’s nice to have around when you need an alternative to butter. To minimize the coconut flavor and aroma, choose refined or filtered. I currently have Trader Joe’s organic triple filtered and I detect zero coconut flavor. Trader Joe’s is also a great place to stock up on nuts and seeds, or just to hang out with a bunch of happy – like, suspiciously happy – people in Hawaiian shirts.
“Looks like squirrel food.”
-p.z.
Whether you grate your own carrots (I use a box grater) or purchase pre-grated/shredded, you’re looking for thin flat ribbons as opposed to little matchsticks. The matchsticks may not cook enough to get tender all the way through leaving you with an unpleasant crunch. Leave the crunch to the nuts. And a 2-quart baking dish is key – 8″ x 8″ or similar (this one is 8″ x 9″ and 2.25″ deep). I made the mistake of using a 9″ x 13″ the first time I made this and the oatmeal mixture dried out before the carrots cooked through; however, 9″ x 13″ is perfect if you want to double the recipe.
This recipe is adapted just a touch from a gorgeous vegetarian blog out of Sweden called Green Kitchen Stories. Get to grating! (Watch your knuckles.)
Baked Carrot Cake Oatmeal
Baked oatmeal, for a crowd or for a week, with all the flavors of your favorite carrot cake and a lightly sweetened crunchy nut topping. This is one of those rare dishes that qualifies as both comfort food and health food.
Adapted from Green Kitchen Stories
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten free if desired)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (use a little more if not adding the other spices)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 1/3 cups grated carrots
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 2 1/4 cups almond milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans (I use 1/2 cup each)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, room temperature, plus more for greasing
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375º and grease a 2-quart baking dish with coconut oil. In a large bowl, combine oats, baking powder, spices, salt, carrots and raisins and mix well. Transfer oat mixture to prepared baking dish.
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Using the same bowl you used for the oats, beat the eggs, then add the almond milk and vanilla and whisk thoroughly. Pour egg mixture over the oats making sure everything is evenly soaked. Place the baking dish in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes.
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While the oatmeal is baking, assemble the crunchy top layer. Combine nuts, seeds, 2 tablespoons coconut oil and maple syrup in a bowl. Mix with your fingers until everything is well coated. When the oatmeal has baked for 10 minutes, remove it from the oven and sprinkle the nut mixture evenly over the top. Return to oven and continue cooking for another 20 minutes. It is done when the oatmeal is just set and the nuts are nicely toasted. Let cool slightly before serving.
Recipe Notes
When grating (or purchasing pre-grated/shredded) carrots, you’re looking for thin flat ribbons as opposed to little matchsticks. The matchsticks may not cook enough to get tender all the way through leaving you with an unpleasant crunch. The large holes on a box grater produce ideal shreds.
A 2-quart baking dish is 8″ x 8″ or similar (the one I typically use is 8″ x 9″ and 2.25″ deep). I made the mistake of using a 9″ x 13″ the first time I made this and the oatmeal mixture dried out before the carrots cooked through; however, 9″ x 13″ is perfect if you want to double the recipe.
***If you have a severe gluten allergy or sensitivity or otherwise are serious about eliminating gluten from your diet, always check your labels carefully and buy certified gluten free products.
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