This Carrot Banana Protein Oatmeal is full of nothing but the good stuff and is super easy to make! The perfect healthy breakfast for those busy weekday mornings, you are going to love how these oats fill you up and fuel you on until lunch!
Guys, I am a morning person. Always have been and probably always will be.
I am up before the sun and find a lot of peace in starting the day on the couch with a cup of coffee and a good convo with my husband.
So, with this in mind, getting breakfast on the table usually isn’t an issue for me.
“Usually” being the key word in that sentence. Because even though I thrive in the morning, there are still some days when I simply don’t have my act together and need to make breakfast in a hurry.
Since our family transitioned to a real food way of eating years ago, oatmeal has become my favorite quick breakfast. Easy to whip up in one pot while I pack lunches or throw in my Instant Pot to cook while I get ready (check out my Instant Pot Morning Glory Oatmeal), oatmeal has been my busy morning go-to for years and years.
I love that oatmeal can be made sweet or savory (seriously, try oatmeal with a little wilted spinach and an over medium egg on top. Total heaven!) and that I can always make a crowd please breakfast no matter what I have on hand. Oatmeal is adaptable. It’s simple. And it can totally be veggie-loaded (check out Chocolate Zucchini Oatmeal)
One little trick that I learned years ago to up the protein in oatmeal and make it a really complete breakfast was to add a whisked egg into it while it was cooking! So simple and perfect since Alice isn’t the biggest egg enthusiast on the planet (unless they are scrambled and covered in cheese), I have been using this healthy little hack since Alice was a toddler and it has now become an oatmeal way of life for us.
This Carrot Banana Protein Oatmeal is currently on heavy rotation in our house. I love that it is filled with veggies, naturally sweetened from fruit, high in fiber and has a healthy dose of protein cereal often lacks. This is the way our family enjoys it best, but I encourage you to play with it and make it fit your own taste and style of eating!
Suggested Adaptations
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Make it egg-free. Skip adding the eggs and sub them for 2-3 tablespoons of hemp hearts instead! Hemp hearts are loaded with plant-based protein, so they are awesome for upping the protein without the eggs.
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Make it ahead! Not a morning person like me? Make a batch of of this ahead of time and reheat as needed! Or, freeze it in portions in a muffin tin for those surprise crazy mornings!
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Use whatever oats you have on hand! No rolled oats? Thats okay! You can easily make this with steel cut oats or quick oats, just adjust the cooking time according to instructions on the box/container! Just make sure you still add the eggs in at the end and give them a few minutes to cook in the hot oatmeal while you continue to vigorously stir.
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Swap the carrots for zucchini! Both work beautifully!
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Sweeten it up! I love using super ripe bananas as the only sweetener in these oats, but some people enjoy things a little sweeter. Add some honey or maple syrup to taste if that sounds like your jam!
Love veggie-loaded recipes as much as I do? Check out my ebook, Veggie-Loaded Love, for oodles of veggie-packed recipes…including Flourless Chocolate Protein Muffins (with greens) that will change your breakfast game….even with those picky eaters!
Also! Make sure to get veggie-loaded recipes and healthy living tips & tricks delivered right to your inbox by SUBSCRIBING to our email list!
Carrot Banana Protein Oatmeal
ingredients:
- 1 cups rolled oats
- 2 1/2 cups water or milk of choice
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 eggs
instructions:
- Combine water/milk, oats and carrots in a pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low heat and cook uncovered for 6 minutes.
- Add chia seeds, mashed bananas, cinnamon to the pot, stirring to combine. Cook an additional 2 minutes.
- While the oats cook. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and whisk them with a fork. This will allow you easily dump the eggs into the pot all at once.
- Once the 2 minutes is up, reduce the heat to low, pour the whisked eggs into the oats and stir them in vigorously! This is an important step, as the egg will cook in clumps if not quickly incorporated into the oats.
- Stirring continuously, cook over low heat for 2-3 additional minutes or until the eggs are cooked through.
- Top with your favorite nut butter, yogurt, berries, more bananas or a little honey/maple syrup and enjoy warm! Store leftovers in fridge an enjoy within 3 days or freeze in portions.
NOTES:
Suggested Adaptations Make it egg-free. Skip adding the eggs and sub them for 2-3 tablespoons of hemp hearts instead! Hemp hearts are loaded with plant-based protein, so they are awesome for upping the protein without the eggs. Make it ahead! Not a morning person like me? Make a batch of of this ahead of time and reheat as needed! Or, freeze it in portions in a muffin tin for those surprise crazy mornings! Use whatever oats you have on hand! No rolled oats? Thats okay! You can easily make this with steel cut oats or quick oats, just adjust the cooking time according to instructions on the box/container! Just make sure you still add the eggs in at the end and give them a few minutes to cook in the hot oatmeal while you continue to vigorously stir. Swap the carrots for zucchini! Both work beautifully! Sweeten it up! I love using super ripe bananas as the only sweetener in these oats, but some people enjoy things a little sweeter. Add some honey or maple syrup to taste if that sounds like your jam!
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