To say I'm "not a morning person" would be an understatement.
I'm barely responsive in the first two hours after I wake up, and if I don't pack my bag in the evening, there's a good chance I'll drive to the newsroom without my laptop.
During the week, breakfast for me is at best limited to a slice of bread, but more often I don't even have time for that and I get a cheese pretzel from the bakery shortly before the office, which is so greasy that you can go through it in just a few seconds Paper bag can see through.
Of course, that's not an ideal way to start the day.
Even without farming wisdom or studying ecotrophology, I know how important a balanced breakfast is.
Balanced means that it contains the right mix of fiber and nutrients - and not just fat and carbohydrates like in my pretzel.
They only cause my insulin level to rise briefly, and when it drops again, I feel even more hungry.
Now I could use muesli, but that is (apologies in advance to all muesli fans) just incredibly boring.
My morning self is more like a whiny three-year-old: he throws cereal at the wall.
Luckily, I discovered a recipe that I can use to trick my child's mind.
Since I like it, I'm guessing other morning grouches (and whiny kids) will like it too.
Because if you throw a few healthy ingredients together and simply call them “cake,” you basically start the day with a little gift to yourself. All the better if you hide fruit, vegetables, nuts and oatmeal in the gift.
I love this recipe because it really tastes like cake, just without all the granulated sugar.
The sweetness comes mainly from the bananas.
The result is juicy, fluffy and still has a bit of a bite thanks to the seeds.
If I were an expensive café, I would sell the whole thing as “gluten-free carrot cake” for five euros each.
In fact, a home-made piece costs just around
50 cents
.
Yes, the yoghurt is already included on top.
And because the cake keeps well in the fridge, you can prepare a healthy breakfast for the whole week in no time on Sunday.
This is needed for four to six servings, depending on how hungry you are
2 bananas
1 large or 2 small carrot(s).
180 g fine oat flakes
50 g chopped nuts or seeds, e.g.
B. almonds or sunflower seeds
150 ml milk or milk alternative
1 packet of vanilla sugar
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, cardamom and baking powder
a handful of frozen berries, such as raspberries
Optional: some honey and Greek yogurt to decorate
How long does it take?
10 minutes of work plus 30 to 40 minutes of baking time
How much does it cost?
About 50 cents per serving
It's that easy to make breakfast carrot cake
Peel the
bananas
and mash them in a large bowl.
Wash the
carrots
and grate them into the bowl using the fine side of a square grater.
Add the oat flakes
,
spices
,
baking powder
,
milk
and about two thirds of the
chopped nuts or seeds
and mix everything into a creamy mixture.
Finally fold in the frozen
berries
.
Don't stir too much so they don't fall apart too much!
Pour the mixture into a small baking dish (mine is 21 * 15 * 7 cm, baking times may vary for other dimensions) and bake at 180 degrees (top/bottom heat) for around 30 to 40 minutes.
The top should be pleasantly browned and the inside should no longer be too runny.
The best way to test this is with a wooden stick: simply poke the cake briefly and then pull the stick out - if no wet dough sticks to it, the cake is ready.
Now you can let it cool down.
It tastes best with some
Greek yogurt
on top.
The remaining
nuts
and a few Jackson Pollock-like
drizzles of honey
also make it a visual treat.
Enlarge image
The yogurt is optional, but adds another layer of flavor
Photo: Sebastian Maas / DER SPIEGEL
The cake will last at least five days in the refrigerator, ideally in a sealable container to prevent odors.
So there's enough time to have breakfast in the house for every day of the work week.
Once it has cooled down, you can easily portion it into equal-sized pieces and take it with you to university or the office.
However, I would always add the yoghurt directly before eating, otherwise the cake could become soggy again.
If you like, you can modify the recipe and add dates or replace the carrots with apples.
The bananas, on the other hand, also serve as a binding agent, so they cannot easily be replaced.
I hope you have fun cooking and that everyone who grumps in the morning hopefully wakes up more pleasantly.
Are you looking for more recipes that cost little money? Then feel free to follow me on Instagram. Don't want to miss a new column? Then click here to subscribe to the “Cooking without coal” newsletter. Questions and annotations? Feel free to write to Kochenohnekohle@spiegel.de.