This creamy spiced carrot cake overnight oatmeal gently cooks in the slow cooker in a jar. Ready when you are in the morning to grab and go!
However much I am trying to deny it, it is now officially autumn. There is only so much burying one’s head in the sand you can do about the changing seasons, so in a surrender to the speed at which the year is passing, my wardrobe has been rearranged, tees and short sleeved tops relegated to the top shelf and warmer long sleeved tops and roll necks are within easy reach.
The summer duvet has taken its annual trip to the dry cleaners and at night time we are snuggled under a warmer one topped with a quilt. It is not quite time for the super thick and snuggly duvet and the electric blanket, but I am sure it will only be a couple of weeks. Talking of electric blankets, we are treating ourselves to a dual control model so we can both be in charge and be as warm, or as cool as we like! I am really rather looking forward to this, Ed runs warmer than I do, so we’ll both have our half of the bed at the perfect temperature and hopefully have a more restful night.
As it gets cooler I am switching from my usual smoothie to a hot breakfast and my current favourite is a slow cooker overnight oatmeal cooked in a jar. They take about two minutes to prep the night before, then will gently cook all night, resulting in thick, creamy, comforting oatmeal which is like a hug in a morning. Clean up is a breeze too – the jars go through the dishwasher, and the slow cooker bowl needs a quick rinse and its done.
The jars are perfect for a grab and go fuss free breakfast – either decant into a small flask or insulated coffee mug, or wrap in a tea towel for children to have in the car on the school run.
This version is carrot cake flavoured, and in an effort to make these just a little bit healthier each portion contains half a small carrot and a little dried fruit – I try and go easy on the dried fruit as it contains so much sugar – the long slow cooking makes them plump and tender with them sweetening all of the porridge, so you really need a tiny amount.
The first couple of times you make this you are going to have to check how your slow cooker behaves, mine is a 160-190Watt model and holds a steady temperature of just over 60C on the warm setting, others will be hotter or cooler. If yours runs hotter then try filling it with cold water and add a little more milk to the porridge. If your slow cooker is cooler then use the low mode and experiment with starting with cold water rather than hot. With just a little experimentation you will find the perfect setting for your porridge.
- 2/3 cup Oatmeal I use a mix of pinhead and rolled oats
- 2/3 cup Milk
- 2 tsp Raisins
- 2 tsp Dried apricots - chopped
- 1 small Carrot (grated)
- 1 tsp Mixed Spice - ground
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Add 1/3 cup oat mix and 1/3 cup of milk to each jar, top up with a half cup of water.
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Add the carrot, dried fruit and spice, stir well then firmly screw the lids on.
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Cook overnight for about 10 hours in the slow cooker or crockpot set to low. Make sure that the lids of the jars are above the water level in the pot.
I used a2 milk for my porridge, which is ideal for many people who cannot tolerate the A1 protein in regular milk. I’ve written about the A1 and A2 protein in milk before, but to summarise there are two types of beta-casein protein, A1 and A2. Historically cows only produced the A2 protein, but as they were domesticated the A1 protein, which some people are intolerant to, appeared. a2 milk is made from cows who naturally only produce the A2 protein and many people who have problems digesting regular milk find they can drink a2 milk with no problems.
Really interestingly a new study shows that if you drink milk with the A2 protein, so a2 milk there is a significant increase in the natural production of antioxidant glutathione, which is important in the regeneration if immune cells, and has to be produced by the body rather than taken as a supplement. The results also showed that consuming any type of cows milk raised the levels, but the level was approximately twice as high for those who consumed the a2 milk. (Read more in this paper from Nutrition Journal).
a2 milk – new packaging
a2 milk now has new packaging – so look for the purple labels on the shelf!
To learn more about a2 milk visit their website here. Please also consult your GP for advice if you are concerned about food allergies or intolerances. I am not a medical professional and this post does not contain medical advice.
For some delicious ideas using a2 milk you may like: –
Post sponsored by a2 Milk. All opinions our own.
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Interesting recipe! I would never have thought to put carrot with oats – gives it a nice middle eastern feel. Love a2 milk, its the only milk I drink!
Thanks for commenting Natasha, I do try and add a little extra veg to all my recipes – baby steps to an overall better diet.
Wow that sounds delicious! I love the idea of carrot cake oatmeal :) Now that the weather is cooling down, I’m craving more warm breakfasts like this!
Warm breakfast is the way to go, as long as it has some veggies in it!
My daughter has sensitivities, so I’ll be on the lookout for A2 milk — and I’m definitely making this porridge!
Hopefully the a2 milk will work for her Lisa.
This is a really great idea! I would never thought to cook oatmeal in the slow cooker in a jar! Very clever! I have problems with milk. I have heard of A2 but still haven’t seen any locally. I would like to try it.
Thanks Beth, it makes a great grab and go breakfast – we make it this way all the time in the winter. The science behind a2 is really interesting with the different proteins.
oh how yummy, the apricots and raisins would make this sweet enough for me. Great healthy breakfast!
It is perfectly sweet – but I did add a spoon of date syrup.
I’ve never heard of a2 milk before. The oats sound super delicious, though! My family loves oatmeal, and I’m always trying to find new oatmeal recipes to try on them. :)
The science behind the a2 milk is really interesting. We love our crock pot oats.
I love oatmeal, this looks so delicious! Definitely a lovely winter breakfast – I need to try a2 milk! Also – definitely recommend a dual control electric blanket, I couldn’t live without ours!
Good to hear that the dual control blankets are popular!
This looks yum – love overnight oats. Also love the sound of a dual control electric blanket – never heard of that but it’s genius!
I cannot wait to get the dual control electric blanket, especially one with super speedy heating.
This is such a clever idea! I reckon I could easily get 4 jars into my slow cooker so we’d all be sorted for breakfast and no worries that we all eat at different times.
BTW you will LOVE the dual control electric blanket!!!
Yay for making your life quicker in the morning. if you have different lids you can all have a variation of the same porridge too.
This is on my breakfast list, I love the thought of adding carrot and dried fruit to my brekkie porridge to bring a new take on something I love to eat on cold mornings. Spices definitely make a difference too :)
#ExtraVeg all the way. And no effort breakfast in the morning.
I haven’t ever thought about putting the jars in a slow cooker; this is a lovely idea. What a warming breakfast.
It works really very well. Or of course you could use a sous vide.
I love carrot cake and I love overnight oats so I’m definitely trying this!
So easy and delicious.
Overnight oats are so delicious, particularly with carrot cake flavours! My daughter seems to be a bit sensitive to milk, so we’re going to try her on A2 milk to see if it eases her discomfort.
I am fascinated by the science and history behind a2 milk. So interesting.