I’ve been battling a cold for the last few days and I must say… I’m a complete baby. It’s ridiculous that a little fever and a stuffed nose have me straight freaking out that I’m going to suffocate in the middle of the night. Let’s not even talk about all the paper towels I’ve used as tissue, and all the weird home remedies I’ve Googled and actually tried. I’ll tell you now that sucking on raw garlic is worse punishment than a sore throat. I wouldn’t recommend it.
This creamy, sweet, and chewy steel-cut oatmeal was far from punishment. It’s my sniffle-inspired salvation.
You know those Morning Glory muffins you might see at coffee shops? They’re part carrot cake, part morning muffin. Brown sugar, grated carrot, spices, and coconut. We’re throwing all of that in a pot with steel-cut oats. Yes! The new cookbook Whole Grain Mornings has this recipe. That book is a winner!
The oats start with a combination of simmering milk and water.
Add the oats!
After the oats we toss in the sugar, spices, carrots, and currants.
The oats take about 25 minutes to cook down and soften. That’s the perfect amount of time for the carrots to soften and add their bright orange sweetness to the oatmeal. I used currants instead of raisins because that’s what I had on hand. Dried cranberries would also be nice.
After about 25 minutes, the oats are plump and softened, but still have a bite. The carrots are soft and sweet. The currants are moist and have absorbed the oatmeal liquid. It’s pretty perfect!
Finish the oats by sprinkling with brown sugar, toasted coconut, and a drizzle of milk. It’s so comforting, hearty, and filling! This oatmeal is like the Winter version of my Muesli obsession.
I love that the recipe also notes that you can store this batch of cooked oatmeal in the fridge and reheat it in the morning with a bit more milk. I can make it once and eat it for four days! Now we’re talking!
Megan Gordon is the charming author of Whole Grain Mornings as well as the beautiful blog A Sweet Spoonful. She is also creator of Marge Granola and just a really lovely person in general.
Morning Glory Oats
adapted just slightly from Whole Grain Mornings
serves 4
3 cups / 720 ml water
1 cup / 240 ml milk, plus extra for serving
1 cup / 175 g steel-cut oats
1 cup / 100 g grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
1/2 cup / 90 g currants
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup / 25 g unsweetened coconut flakes
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
In a saucepan, bring the water and milk to a gentle boil. Stir in the oats, carrots, currants, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt and return to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and partially cover. Cook the oats stirring just once or twice until it begins to thicken and the oats are soft yet chewy, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut flakes and orange zest. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with an extra glug of warmed milk, if you’d like.
Nina Leontiev
Can I use old fashioned oats for this recipe? Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try!
joythebaker
yes absolutely!
Beck @ Goldenpudding
I made this yesterday and had leftovers this morning, really lovely! I’m thinking of making pancakes with the last of it :)
Wendy
I’m on a no sugar thing, but even without the sugar this was very good. Thanks Joy!
Kylie
Guys…
It’s sooooo good.
Stephanie
This is absolutely amazing. Enjoying a bowl on a leisurely Wednesday morning.
Ahntara
you lost me at sugar…
Chelsea
I came across this recipe while scouring my pins for an easy and relatively healthy weekday breakfast, and was so glad I had pinned it!! I got up early (ugh) to make some breakfast and surprise my boyfriend (yay) who has had a crappy week at work. This recipe was easy enough to make in a sleepy stupor, and quick enough to dish up before he had to be out the door. And of course, absolutely delicious.:) Love your blog and love discovering new – and old – recipes of yours. Thanks, Joy! Happy Friday from Alameda, CA. xo
martynjturner
This recipe is amazing! Absolutely fantastic for breakfast (or even lunch!) The carrots and the raisins add a sweetness so I usually omit the sugar. Highly recommended.
Katie
Wow the orange zest really takes these oats to another level. I am eating a bowl right now and I am in love! Think the cranberry orange almond oatmeal will be my next endeavor now that I know the revolutionary power of orange zest in oatmeal! Thanks for cheering up my -22 degree day, Joy! I didn’t even think it was possible :)
tara
This looks wonderful…any chance it can be done in a crock pot??? Could you imagine waking up to this?!
Emily
Saw the recipe on your roundup yesterday, cooked it this morning, and enjoyed a giant bowl after my long run today. Added golden raisins and a glug of orange juice while cooking. Absolutely ah-mazing! Making this a Sunday tradition. Thanks Joy!
krabbykrab
So good! This is the second time I have made these oats. The first time I made it, I thought the orange zest was too powerful, so I omitted it the second time around. Delicious!
Rebecca
I just wanted to let you know that I made this overnight in the crock pot and it was awesome. Just throw it in and set to “warm” and add the zest in the morning. Warm and tasty!
joythebaker
supreme!
Kathy in Los Angeles
Yumm! And, forget the garlic and go straight to scallions for your sore throat. It takes the pain away fast.
Michelle
Made this in the slow cooker and it was awesome. Used dried cranberries, which I should have waiting to stir in until after cooking; they were bloated, but still delicious. Cooked for about 5 hours on low, then re-heated servings for breakfast.
Diane, A Broad
Carrot cake in oatmeal form? Totes sold.
Jennifer | The Health Sessions
I just made these morning glory oats for the first time this morning – it tastes as good as it looks on your gorgeous photos! I substituted the sugar for a finely diced apple, which fitted perfectly with the other flavours. Thank you for this surprising recipe!
Ciara
I have made this the past two Sundays in a row, yielding the most amazing leftovers for early starts during the week. I’m thinking of making it into something of a tradition. Tomorrow, I’m going to get creative and try out banana and passionfruit steel cut oats!
hearthomemade
Made this yesterday morning. Delicious!
Barbara
Zinc! Cut a 7 to 10 day cold to 2 or 3 with zinc lozenges, throat spray, every darned zinc thing you can find, and be amazed. I’m an RN who has only had a couple of colds in the last twenty years, but I stopped them both in their tracks with zinc. You have to use it often, so keep all you need in your pockets and take it everywhere you go. It’s a wonderful thing! I have to watch out for what my visiting grandchildren bring me, and I’ll be more prepared with lots of zinc.
Emily @ Life on Food
Oh man this breakfast looks like heaven.
Joy Pyatt
Does this work with rolled oats?
Heather @ Curly Girl Kitchen
I’m sorry you’ve been sick. :( I’ve been battling a cold for the past week and it’s so not fun. Some people think oatmeal is boring, but it’s one of my favorite breakfasts! I like mine with almond milk, cinnamon and vanilla, a little brown sugar or Stevia, and a handful of raisins or blueberries.
samantha
So surprised how delicious this turned out. I didnt have currants or raisins, but did add mashed red yams to sweeten and reduced the brown sugar to 1/2 tbsp.
cheyenne
oh my, i need this, now!
xo, cheyenne
kcomekarolina
looks yummy!
xoxo from rome
K.
kcomekarolina.com
Arthur in the Garden!
Comfort food is the best!
Jen
I just made this for breakfast this morning! The spices are warming and the hint of sweetness marks the beginning of a great day. Thank you for this recipe! Oh and reading the part about adding a “glug” of milk made me smile :o).
Melissa @ Treats With a Twist
I make my oatmeal with shredded carrots every single morning. I love it! And I just recently made carrot cake donuts and used currants instead of the traditional raisins and they were so amazing. I love them! I hope these oats make you feel better!
Arlie
I just made this for our breakfast. My 18 month old loved it and my 4.5 year old was a bit more fussy because he had eaten an apple while it was cooking, but overall very good. I am sure this will make the rotation of our winter breakfasts. Thank you and as always gorgeous photography and styling–and with porridge that is a feat!
Holly Love
I made this today and it is OUTSTANDING!! One note, the recipe says 1/2 cup coconut (25g). I found that 1/2 cup weighed more like 50g, so I stuck with the weight measure and did only 25 g, or 1/4 cup.
joythebaker
oh! great note!
Greg Urbano
Wow, delicious and filling !
Ashe
Ohhhh yes. That truly looks like heaven in a bowl. It’s finally cooled down a little here in Sydney so I think I’ll have to make some of this now. And not share, of course. :P
Danielle
Morning glory muffins are one of my favorites – as oatmeal I’m sure it’s amazing! Thanks for sharing this. I can’t wait to try it! This looks like total comfort food to me!
PS – hope you feel better soon!
DessertForTwo
I love any excuse to sneak veggies into breakfast, and this is a great one for carrots. You do great things in that kitchen, girl. You know it.
Nancy@SeasonsOfJoy
This sounded so delicious, I couldn’t wait for steel cut, so I made my old-fashioned oats and wowsie, it was incredible! I just made one serving, approximating what to put in. It barely needed any brown sugar, as the raisins and carrots sweeten it. I also added chopped walnuts on top, and I like Walden Farms calorie free maple syrup. Love it, thank you!
Sarah
I made this for breakfast tomorrow! On Tuesdays it has to be quick because I take my daughter to play school. Now I’m so excited for breakfast in the morning.
Jessiker Bakes
Feel better Joy! I’ve done that whole swallowing garlic thing…and avoided people for days… Anyway these oats look sooo delicious! I need to get into making real oats and not the ones where you add milk and bam! done in 2 minutes. #foodbloggerconfessions
Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe
I’ve been making steel cut oats on the regular in my slow cooker. I’m totally trying this recipe with that method. There’s nothing more wonderful than waking up to a big pot of creamy steel cut oats without having to any work!
PS. Hope you feel better!
Larissa Arnold
I always make porridge (oatmeal) in the mornings, and I’m also fighting off a cold – this is my third week of it!! I usually just use oats and mush up banana and pomegranate, but this looks amazing! I’ll be buying carrots tomorrow and will try it out!
larissaingermany.blogspot.de
sundiegoeats
This sounds so amazing. Have leftover shredded carrots in my fridge and maybe I can candy them and throw them in with granola, cranberries and coconut flakes? I’m not a huge oatmeal person (except when its uncooked) but all those flavors together sound lovely.
Dusty.
I love that you added carrots, i have never thought of that! I bet that it is so yummy!!! I do love me some oatmeal. seriously, if I had to choose one food to eat for the rest of my entire life I would choose oatmeal. I am excited to try this recipe!
Jenny
Joy, you and I must be on the same wavelength! I have been battling a cold as well (darn this perfect 80-degree LA weather!), I have also tried the raw garlic thing (a decision I regretted immediately), and I randomly have a cup of grated carrot sitting in my fridge! I was also eating a bowl of muesli when I read this post. All I need is the energy to get out of bed and make this…oh, and steel cut oats :)
Debbie Feely
Yum… I think I would like this more than morning glory muffins! I would add apples. As someone said above, I never thought of adding carrots to oats. Awesome! Feel better fast, Joy. I love reading your blog, even on days I am not interested in the food.
Aimee Wimbush-Bourque
Aww, crapola. Feel better soon, Joy. We’re serious oatmeal fanatics in our house. Can’t wait to try this one. xox
Candice @ The Savory and The Beautiful
Mmmmmm enjoying a bowl of this goodness as I type this comment. Grazie mille Joy and Megan!
Rae
this looks so divine! even when not sick – what a perfect thing to eat on a lazy sunday morning in winter. such a cozy meal. i hope you get better soon! i too was recently sick (with the flu!) and googled home remedies which had me drinking this hot cayenne pepper, lemon ginger concoction!
rae at love from berlin
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
Oh yeah, I can get down with this business. Feel better soon Joy!
allie@sweetpotatobites
mmm i love morning glory muffins! definitely giving this a shot.
Haley
This looks lovely! If you’re still looking for a cold remedy, I call this “magic medicine,” because it takes away all of my cold symptoms within a day or two!
http://nancyvienneau.com/blog/articles/home-remedy/
I would advise taking it after a meal, because it makes me feel slightly ill on an empty stomach.
shelly@ohshellsbells
carrot cake oatmeal? omg omg. that sounds great! and sorry to hear youre sick! i was sick over thanksgiving and my friends parents kept feeding me this thick-fruity-whiskeyish alcohol, claiming it would cure me. i felt better temporarily but mostly i think that was because i eventually got drunk off the stuff. Feel better soon!
danielle
I would love a bowl of this right now.
Marzia @ Little Spice Jar
So i just made healthy carrot cake muffins and this reminds me of a carrot cake oatmeal. Totally loving it! Hope you feel better soon! =)
Taylor
this look absolutely delicious! And I keep hearing about this new book and I’m dying to buy it now!!
xoxo
Taylor
http://www.welcomehometaylor.com
Catherine
I was looking for a way to add veggies to breakfast that did not involve an egg. Thx for this, it is currently cooking on the stove.
Lily @ Life, Love, and Cupcakes
I’ve been trying to cook things at the beginning of the week that I can eat for breakfast all week, makes life so much easier! I was going to do some carrot baked oatmeal for this week, but I might have to try this instead!
Grace
These look amazing! Such a perfect dish for a cold and snowy morning! And I’m all about loading on the brown sugar.
http://sometimesgracefully.com
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
So much goodness in here – I love a big bowl of oats for breakfast!
lizytishknits
I’m sure this made you feel a little better, if not just comforted! Looks wonderful.
Christine @ 24 Carrot Kitchen
Looks delish Joy! I am always looking for new exciting oatmeal recipes and I love the addition of carrots. Who knew!
Carlinne @Cookmwith 2 Chicks
This sounds delicious. Your pictures are always so beautiful; amazing! Feel better soon ????
nic
Rub a little bit of Vick’s on the soles of your feet before going to sleep and you should be able to sleep without suffocating – a trick a doctor once advised for children with a stuffed nose. ?nic
Jessica (bakecetera)
wow! carrot cake oats – these would solve any type of cold!! they’re both delicious and nutritious!! i hope you feel better SOON!
Belinda Lo (Moonblush Baker)
Aww the bug seems to be going around. This bowl is definitely filled with those healthily thing you need to at least feel better. I am a guilty of making morning glory cakes and hiding them for myself. I do not know what this combo is but it makes carrots in cake delicious.
Sit down to bowlful Joy, you have been working too hard!
Ellen
I used to love those muffins. I have a surplus of carrots at home right now, I just need to nab some oats. I hope you start feeling better soon! I zicam the minute I think I’m getting anything…I too am a total baby if I have a cold:)
Averie @ Averie Cooks
I hope you feel better soon! I love that the title is a play on the old old recipe for morning glory muffins, which I have never made as written. I should though. Or actually just make this because it looks perfect! I love carrot cake, carrot muffins, carrot nobake bites, and I know I’d love this! And it makes me smile to see you use the word ‘glug’ in the recipe.