Nikki Burst

I love regular old carrot cake, but I have to say, carrot cake oatmeal is even better than the dessert that inspired it. This version just so happens to be vegan, too. I loved this oatmeal — it had all the things I expect from a good slice of carrot cake: lots of raisins and coconut, plenty of carrots, and warm spices. The coconut milk is optional, in my mind; while it adds a luxurious creaminess, I also really liked the oatmeal before it was added.

This cake-to-oatmeal conversion is so simple and easy, but really brightens up the morning. (I recommend making this one on Mondays). You could make your own sprinkles (they will keep in your pantry) or simply look for a box of the all-natural variety, which is what I did. What a fun recipe! This is a very basic formula for stovetop oatmeal, livened up by sprinkles. Use as much as you like — the more the merrier on a Monday, I say.

German chocolate cake is not German at all, but originated in the United States. It was named after Sam German – the developer of the type of baking chocolate commonly used to make the cake. I don’t employ his chocolate bar here – I prefer my favorite cocoa powder – but if you want to be authentic, stir in a tablespoon of grated German’s Sweet Chocolate bar in place of the cocoa powder and maybe use a little less maple syrup. Chocolate for breakfast? Twist my arm.

Pineapple upside-down cake is hands down one of my favorite porridge recipes. It’s super simple to make – cook the oats in a bit of juice while caramelizing slices of pineapple in a skillet. Caramelizing always sounds a lot fancier than it is, but it’s really just sizzling something until the food’s natural sugars are released. I used ghee for this because it already has the nutty, caramel flavor that I am going for, but you could use regular butter or coconut oil.

The best part of red velvet cake, besides the brilliant color, is definitely the icing, so I couldn’t make this cake-inspired oatmeal without it. You might panic at the thought of topping your healthy bowl of oats with a big scoop of frosting, but remember, this one is made with cream cheese, and cream cheese is totally in the breakfast food group. What an amazing way to eat more vegetables for breakfast!