Overnight Carrot Cake Crock-Pot Oatmeal

When I try a new recipe that turns out yummy I try to come up with other variations, Overnight Banana Bread Oatmeal, meet your cousin, Overnight Carrot Cake Oatmeal. We love sweet juicy pieces of pineapple in our carrot cake, so why not in our oatmeal. The dried pineapple plumps up and adds sweetness to the spiced oats. The addition of the vibrant orange carrots the next morning are a treat for the eyes and the senses. I stir the carrot in when I first get up and by the time I finish my coffee its ready. As a bonus your house smells yummy like cinnamon and spice when you wake up!

Overnight Carrot Cake Oatmeal
Makes a 6 Qt Crock-Pot full
14 C Water
4 C Steel Cut Oats
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
6 oz Dried Pineapple- small pieces
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
3/4 tsp Ginger
1/2 c Rapadura Sugar
5 Carrots-grated
For Serving:
Maple Yogurt
Chopped Nuts
Raisins
Coconut

Combine all ingredients in a 6 quart Crock-Pot except carrots, stir to combine. Cook on low overnight. Add in carrots and cook for 30 minutes. Top with your choice of toppings.

Recipe can be halved or quartered. It can also be frozen and reheated!

On the Left is our Overnight Carrot Cake Oatmeal and on the Right is our Overnight Banana Bread Oatmeal that we served for breakfast at the Career Day at our local High School.

Overnight Banana Bread Crock-pot Oatmeal

“I don’t have time for a healthy breakfast.” -everybody

No more excuses, we are making oatmeal in the crockpot and it literally could not be easier! Take those over ripe bananas that you were going to throw away, add them to water, steel cut oats and spices in a crockpot, set it on low and wake up to a nutritious and delicious breakfast. It took me longer to type this than it did to make.

Overnight Banana Bread Oatmeal
makes a 6 qt crock-pot
14 C Water
4 C Steel Cut Oats
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
6 over ripe Bananas- peeled
For Serving:
Maple Yogurt
Chopped Nuts
Raisins
Coconut
Chocolate Chips

Combine all ingredients in a 6 quart Crock-Pot, stir to combine. Cook on low overnight. Top with your choice of toppings.

Recipe can be halved or quartered. It can also be frozen and reheated!

Game Time Chicken Wing Nachos

Want something “healthy-er” to serve while watching the game? Want to sneak in some greens to your kids and hubby? Try our Game Time Chicken Wing Nachos! The best of both worlds collide with these sweet and spicy nachos.

Game Time Chicken Wing Nachos
Serves 4
2 C shredded leftover Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings
1 Bag Blue Corn Chips
8 oz shredded Raw Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Onion-diced
1 medium Bell Pepper-diced
1/2 Jalapeño-diced
2 cloves Garlic-minced
1 small Zucchini-diced
5 oz Baby Spinach or other greens
1 Avocado-diced
Sour cream or plain yogurt to serve.

(My veggies ready to go)
Preheat oven to 400. In a large skillet sauté onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, garlic and zucchini until soft. Toss in spinach, cook until wilted. Line a 8x8 in baking dish with 1/3 bag of blue corn chips. Cover with 1/6th of cheese, then 1/3 chicken, 1/3 vegetables then 1/6 cheese. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used. Bake 10 minutes then top with diced avocado and sour cream.