There’s been so much chatter about goals and resolutions lately that I started thinking about how I define my goal as a recipe blogger. And actually it is quite simple…
Make healthy food taste as decadent as possible. Make decadent food as healthy as possible. Use a heck of a lot of fruit in the process.
That is my mission. For now at least 🙂
If you’ve read my About page (or just looked through the recipe archives) you may know that I aim to use some form of fruit in each recipe. Well not the savory ones, but we all know those are a rare occurrence anyways. It could be anything from just a few of dates in a latte to an entire brownie made of nothing but fruit.
A few things to expect on FF in 2016…
– More videos! I’m going to try to keep cranking those out. If you aren’t subscribed to my YouTube channel yet it would mean so much to me if you would hit that red button.
– A few more nuts and seeds. I’ve been really into seeds lately, especially chia and hemp seeds, so those might be making some appearances. Nothing too nutty or overly seedy, I’m still high carb low fat. But I have yet to find the perfect HCLF base for frostings, and cupcakes can’t be naked because someone might mistake them for muffins!
– (Hopefully) more savory recipes. I’m gonna try.
– Easy recipes! I love them. You seem to love them. Whoever is doing the dishes loves them. It’s a win-win.
– And I’m sure there are other things that I haven’t even thought of yet!
One thing you are for sure going to see is Carrot Cake Rawnola because it’s right here, right now, today, in front of you, YUMMINESS!
Sweet cakey crumbles to snack or sprinkle or devour in any which way you like. Toss them on top of a bowl of something creamy (yogurt, ice cream, pudding) and it’s like carrot cake turned inside out–frosting on the bottom, cake on top.
Channel your inner fruit-loving bunny and lets make this!
Carrot Cake Rawnola
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded/chopped carrots (or 1 whole carrot)
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 8–10 pitted Medjool dates
- 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, blend the carrots by themselves until they are in small pieces.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Blend until clumpy. If using a blender, you may have to shake the blender a few times if it gets stuck.
- Refrigerate. Keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Did you see the basic 2-ingredient Oat Rawnola? I’ve already had a few readers join me in my addiction to this stuff…
Don’t fail me on my savory request 😉
Hahaha! Gosh, I love carrot cake!!! Birthday cake choice (yes even over chocolate!!) And You”re making me crave making my carrot cake granola! I haven’t made it in years!! AH!
Doesn’t carrot cake remind you of bunnies? Little Easter bunnies of soft fully happiness romping around in a field of daisies? (It does for me…..) 😉 xoxo
I am always torn between chocolate and vanilla can carrot for b-days. Maybe I should make a layer cake of all 3! That’d be epic! The savory recipe isn’t going so well yet :/ But I still have 11.5 months so that makes me feel better. And yes totally makes me think of frolicking bunnies 🙂 Happy thoughts from a yummy treat! <3
YUM!! Next time I make rawnola it’ll definitely be this kind!!
I’m looking forward to all things Feasting on Fruit this new year!
Your nicecream will thank you 🙂
This is such a gorgeous color Natalie! Loved the video (as always!) and I love the ginger, mmmmm. I am a HUGE ginger fan. I must admit I got REALLY excited when you said more nuts and seeds, haha! I use them a ton, as you know, and I love the richness and flavor they add to recipes, even just a tiny amount can do amazing things. Everything you make is awesome, so I look forward to what you create. One of my goals is to get my youtube channel going this year, I mean I started it over a year ago with just one loser video, haha, but it’s been practically impossible with my daughter at home but she will be starting school soon, so I should have a little free time (I think!). Anyways, beautiful healthy recipe!
I really really really hope you start making videos this year! You are so good with photos I know your videos will be amazing. Plus it’d be fun to see you a little bit more in them too (even though I’m not even very good about actually putting my face in mine haha :D) I can’t believe Olivia is almost in school though, that will be quite a big change for both of you. And I love the way you use nuts and seeds–in small amounts, just enough to make things rich but still keep it healthy and not too high fat. That’s my goal too! Like I said I really need more options for frostings. Thank you for watching and always commenting <3
You know what’s funny? I had a weird feeling one of your rawnola creations was going to be carrot cake! This looks SO good!!! Willow got super excited when she saw the dates in the video…literally screamed “DATES!” She won’t dare eat one on its own, but loves them in rawnola. I’m hoping to talk her into adding carrots to the next batch! What a great recipe, Natalie!
No way really!?! It must be our over cookie-d brains syncing up or something 😀 I share Willow’s excitement for dates, which I know is already obvious. But, ya know, it doesn’t sound as cute when I scream “DATES”, so I keep it to myself lol! They are way too creepy looking, it took me forever to like them on their own even though I like them in stuff. Good luck with the sneaky veggies 🙂
I’m making this TODAY!! Yum. @lo_tiugirl
Enjoy!
Rawnola?!!? Such a good idea! I MUST try this out – love your carrot cake twist!
Thanks Rachel! Everything needs to come in carrot cake flavor don’t ya think? 😀
Carrot Cake Rawnola is such a creative and awesome variation of your basic rawnola recipe! It looks so yummy. The preview photo of the video was so pretty! Love that carrot illustration – and your whole video of course! But that’s nothing new under the sun. I’m really looking forward to seeing more savory recipes from you. 🙂
Aww thanks! I spent way to much time on the video thumbnail, turning the cup green and all that fun photoshop stuff. But it was fun! I’m going to try on the savory stuff. Now that I put it on (virtual) paper it will hold me accountable to actually follow through 🙂
Oh wow! I’ve totally been craving carrot cake and was going to make carrot cake cookies soon! This looks sooooo yummy! ☺
Oooh carrot cake cookies sound good too! I vote both 🙂
Definitely! 😉
Ginger… raisins… carrots.. rawnola… hm… hmm… must find something to put this on IMMEDIATELY <3
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Well I’m sure you can guess my top choice for creamy-ness to put underneath 😉
I see a new addiction forming here:) I just finished hmmm perhaps the third batch of Rawnola (I just added some cinnamon to it last time), and now I have the perfect new recipe to try soon (tomorrow:). I can’t imagine life without rawnola haha. This Carrot Cake Rawnola is like a gourmet version of rawnola! Loving the ingredients, especially the ginger+carrot combo. Can’t wait to try this! So apparently you use your Vitamix to make this?
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Hahaha well your addiction certainly set in fast! I was the same way when I first tasted it, my freezer hasn’t been rawnola-less for months now. I can’t wait to see what recipe you are whipping up over there! Put our two creative rawnola loving minds together, and we could probably open up a gourmet rawnola shop haha! And yes I make it in the vitamix, I hate having to get out a food processor and have two machines to wash. I’m sure your special extra special Vitamix will do just fine with it!
I cannot have dates. Any idea what else might work? I was thinking pumpkin and then baking it?
Other dried fruit would work. All raisins or maybe dried figs would be my best suggestion. Pumpkin sounds interesting, not sure it will be sweet enough. Maybe if you add some coconut sugar or maple syrup and bake it, that could work. More like a typical granola. I’m not sure if that will work or not, but all raisin definitely will 🙂
Thank you! If I try it I’ll let you know! It sounds delicious and I really appreciate you getting back to me so quickly!
Hi Natalie !! I absolutely love the idea of this recipe 🙂 Sounds amazingly delicious! Would love to know how many does this recipe serve though, it’ll be awesome if u could get back to me on that! xoxo
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It makes about 2 cups, maybe a little more, so it depends on how you serve/use it. I eat it most often as a topping on smoothie bowls or nice cream and one batch is enough for 4-5 bowls for me. If you were to eat it more as a granola-like cereal then I’d say 2-3 servings about. Hope that helps!
It taste very delicious. How many serving in this recipe? I need some measure to control myself😋
I usually make 3-4 servings as a batch, but I use it mostly as a topping for smoothie bowls and such!
Hi! Love this creative combo! I don’t have a gut that can take the challenge of eating raw grains however. I do find that baking/cooking oats and other flours and grains is necessary for me (diverticulitis). So… What do you think? Any baking suggestions? With all that raw carrot should I do low and slow in my oven or 350/375 for 30 mins-ish? I just can’t eat raw stuff like you healthy peeps. Either way, just also want to say, LOVE your blog and your YouTube channel so much! Thank you for all your hard work, sharing such yummy wonders with the world. We are blessed to have you. <3
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Hi Nic! Totally understand, you could toast the oats and carrots (I’d do them on separate pans, the oats will toast much faster than the carrots since they have more water in them) before blending them together if that would be enough cooking for you. I’d recommend low and slow, 300°F would be great and probably 30 mins for the carrots and 10-15 for the oats (until they’re golden). Also if nuts are easier than oats for you, you could toast those and use them instead of the oats. Hope that helps and I appreciate the kind words💕
Oooh yes, that’s a great idea! I love a nutty -or seedy- chewy mix! Grrr…. So good. Thank you, I will try 300° and the longer run for the carrots. I have found toasting oats somehow seems to help a lot over raw, although it’s not as good as fully cooking them down. It is a compromise, but I need my chewy snacks, or else!! So partially cooked, with small servings, and I’m good (enough) to go! Thank you again and thanks so much for your thoughtful and prompt reply! You rock!!!🌟💓