Protein Packed Carrot Cake Oatmeal

I love a hot breakfast on cold mornings and a girl can only eat so many cholesterol-filled eggs. I am also a stickler for  incorporating protein into every meal, especially breakfast. I used to love oatmeal and cream of wheat when I was kid, but haven't really eaten that much as an adult because there isn't any protein and it seemed like all good oatmeal recipes or packets had a ton of sugar.

A co-worker started raving about this new protein powder product she'd started having for breakfast called BSN Lean Dessert Protein. As a sweets enthusiast, I thought the idea of this protein powder sounded promising so I hopped on over to Amazon to check out what flavors it came in.

Guess what? It comes in more flavors than I even imagined. Gone are the days of getting to pick from boring Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry protein powder. The one that immediately piqued my culinary curiosity was the Fresh Cinnamon Roll. With 21 grams of protein in one scoop of the powder and only 150 calories, I was sold. All that I had to do between when I ordered it and when it arrived was to ponder what recipes I could sneak it in to amp up the protein.

My breakfast loving brain turned to oatmeal and the minute my tumbler of Fresh Cinnamon Roll protein powder arrived, I got to work!

Ingredients

2 cups Vanilla Silk Pure Almond Milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2 medium to large carrots

1 1/2 cups Quaker Oats (do not use the quick cooking variety)

4-5 scoops BSN Fresh Cinnamon Roll Lean Dessert Protein

Instructions

Peel and shred the carrots using the fine grating plane on a box grater.

Mix the almond milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium pot.

Add the shredded carrots and bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir frequently.

When the liquid is boiling, add the oats, and reduce the heat to medium-low. 

Your cooking time will vary based on your preference for runny or thick oatmeal. 

I cooked mine for just a couple of minutes and then moved the pot off of the burner. 

As the oatmeal begins to cool and thicken a bit, add the scoops of protein powder.

Stir to fully incorporate the protein powder.

The recipe makes between 4-6 servings, depending on how much oatmeal you want to eat! If you divide into 6 servings, the recipe yields the following nutrition details:

Calories: 213

Fat: 5 grams

Protein: 17 grams

Carbohydrates: 26 grams

I divided mine into 6 ball jars so that I can just grab one out of the fridge and head to the office each day. I do add a few splashes of almond milk to the jar on my way out the door so that it doesn't get super sticky when I reheat it. This is personal preference because I don't like super thick oatmeal. It reheats really well and even the guys in my office agreed that it smells delicious!