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My Favorite Noatmeal (aka Low Carb Oatmeal)
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My Favorite Noatmeal (aka Low Carb Oatmeal, which is actually oat-free porridge) is a hearty warm breakfast that can be made on the stovetop or in the microwave for a healthy, quick breakfast that only has 5g net carbs per serving.

Like many of us, I’m a creature of habit who craves routine. I get up, make coffee and a quick breakfast, and get to work early before breaking for my mid-morning workout. Routine keeps us centered, but the downside to this is that I’m prone to falling into eating ruts, particularly with breakfast.
Seasonal fruit with yogurt is a long-time favorite, and cottage cheese and fruit is another mainstay. Sometimes a toasted slice of my favorite paleo bread, or occasionally homemade granola. Eggs are rare for me at breakfast, although they’re a favorite for lunch.


I also enjoy a hot breakfast of some kind of porridge…it always reminds me of mornings as a kid when my mom would make oatmeal for my sister and I. Because my mom’s favorite way to eat it was topped with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar, in turn, this became mine and my sister’s favorite way to eat it as well.
Oatmeal is still one of my favorites, but lately I’ve been cutting back a little on carbs and even dabbling in keto (aka nutritional ketosis) recipes (so heads-up, you can probably expect to see a couple more of them here soon). One of my favorites that I’ve come across, which seems to be huge in the keto world (at least, I’ve noticed it a lot on Pinterest and Instagram when searching for keto recipe ideas), is something called “noatmeal”, which is nothing more than oat-free porridge. (Truth be told, it very much reminds me of paleo cream of wheat-style porridge that I’ve been making for years now.)

My version of “noatmeal” is full of healthy fats and fiber, with 15 grams of vegan protein and just 5 grams of net carbs per serving! (Remember, net carbs are calculated by subtracting the grams of fiber from the grams of carbohydrates.) For the sake of comparison, compare those nutritional stats with a serving of old-fashioned rolled oats, which has 27 grams of carbohydrates and only 5 grams of protein per serving! (Side Note: There is absolutely nothing wrong with oatmeal, in fact I thoroughly enjoy it as a heart-healthy whole grain. However, my only point is that a bowl of regular oatmeal isn’t low-carb and doesn’t contain as much protein as this low carb oatmeal or “noatmeal”.)
You can cook this either on the stovetop or in the microwave (I give instructions for both in the recipe below). I like to pre-mix several batches of this recipe (adding everything except the water and vanilla) and store each serving in a small glass bowl in the pantry so that this literally comes together in minutes on busy weekday mornings. You can also pre-mix the recipe, pack it up, and microwave it at work for a quick, delicious breakfast at your desk!
A bowl of this keeps me satisfied until lunchtime, even with a mid-morning workout. And maybe the best part about this recipe is that there are endless ways you can change it up (several variations are pictured in this post), so it never gets boring. Although I have to say, I don’t mind falling into a breakfast rut with this.
Low Carb Oatmeal
Low carb oatmeal is actually not oatmeal at all because it contains no oats! Instead, it’s a porridge-like dish that resembles oats in texture. It’s rich and creamy, and you can eat it the way you’d eat a bowl of oatmeal, topped with anything you’d put on your oatmeal.
Keto Oatmeal (Oat Free Porridge)
Keto oatmeal or noatmeal can be made with a variety of nutrient-rich keto-friendly ingredients, and takes just a few minutes to make.
Ingredients in Keto Low Carb Oatmeal
There are a lot of ingredient options when you’re making low carb oatmeal. The main thing is to get a creamy, porridge-like consistency that has some texture in it, to simulate regular oatmeal. Here I use a combination of the following keto and low carb-friendly ingredients:
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This recipe is pretty forgiving though, and it allows for a few substitutions. For example, if you’re allergic to coconut, use double the amount of almond flour. Or if you don’t have chia seeds on hand, use double the amount of flaxseed meal.
How to Make Keto Oatmeal
My version of keto n’oats can be made in two ways: 1) on the stovetop, or 2) in the microwave. For the stovetop method, add all ingredients (except the vanilla, which gets added once it’s removed from the heat) to a small pot over low heat and cook until thickened, stirring constantly, about 3 to 5 minutes. Finally, stir in the vanilla, transfer to a bowl, and top with anything you like.
To make this low carb oatmeal in the microwave, add all ingredients except the vanilla to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until thickened, about 2 minutes. And then stir in the vanilla, add any goodies you like on top, and devour.
Regular Oatmeal (Made From Oats)
Nutrition in Oatmeal
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, a ½-cup serving of old-fashioned rolled oats (which is what is mixed with liquid, such as water, and cooked to make oatmeal) has the following nutrition information:
150kcals
5g protein
2.5g total fat
27g carbohydrates
4g fiber
Oats are also a good source of quite a few vitamins and minerals, like manganese, copper, phosphorous, iron, selenium, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins. (Read more about the nutrition in oats on Health Line.)
Is Oatmeal Good for Weight Loss?
When you’re trying to lose weight, like anything else, keep portion size in mind. Once you measure your portion to make sure you’re not taking in more calories than intended, be careful about your toppings. A lot of people fall into the trap of adding lots of sugary things to their oats, which can be problematic when you’re trying to lose weight.
It’s thought that one of the best things about oatmeal in terms of weight loss is its fiber content. Fiber helps make you feel satisfied longer, helps prevent constipation, and assists in lowering blood pressure.
If you’re craving oatmeal, but trying to lose weight, I definitely recommend giving this noatmeal recipe a try! It’s very satiating, delicious, and quite nostalgic if you grew up eating steaming bowls of oatmeal on cold mornings.
Can You Eat Oatmeal on a Keto Diet or Low Carb Diet?
We all know that oats are a gluten free whole grain with a lot of nutritional benefits, but if you’re following a ketogenic lifestyle, the real question is whether you can eat them and stay in ketosis. For people just starting keto, the standard keto diet recommends a daily carb intake of between 20 to 50g.
Of course if you’re already fat-adapted or if you exercise frequently and/or intensely, your carb needs could vary. Also, if you’re trying to lose weight instead of maintain your weight or even gain weight, your carb requirements could vary. Once you determine your fitness goals as well as your body’s needs and then calculate your macronutrients, you can see if you can fit a serving of oatmeal in. (For information on how to calculate your macros without an indirect calorimetry device, check out this article on The Keto Queens.)
Which Fruits Have the Least Carbs?
When it comes to eating a bowl of oatmeal, the nutrition and carbs in oats aren’t the only factor that come into play. This is because most of us top a bowl of oats with sweet things like brown sugar, maple syrup, or fruit! Even if you skip the obvious sugary things like honey, maple, and brown sugar, it’s good to know how many carbs you’re adding when you add fruit.
Low Carb Fruits
Here are a few good low carb fruit options for topping your low carb oatmeal. You can probably fit a lot of these fruits into a keto way of eating, just make sure they fit into your macros. Additionally, note that if a full serving doesn’t fit into your meal plan, you might be able to easily fit in half a serving. I’ve also included serving size and nutrition information for each.
- Shredded Unsweetened Coconut: Serving size 3 tablespoons (15 g); 100kcals; 1g protein; 9g total fat; 4g carbohydrates; 3g fiber; 1g net carbs
- Peach: Serving size ½ medium (about 75g): 29kcals; .68g protein; .19g total fat; 7.15g carbohydrates; 1.1g fiber; 6.05g net carbs
- Blackberries: Serving size 1 cup (144 g); 62kcals; 2g protein; .71g total fat; 13.84g carbohydrates; 7.6g fiber; 6.24g net carbs
- Red Raspberries: Serving size 1 cup (140 g); 70kcals; 2g protein; 0g fat; 17g carbohydrates; 9g fiber; 8g net carbs
- Strawberries: Serving size 1 cup (144g); 46kcals; .96g protein; .43g total fat; 11.06g carbohydrates; 2.9g fiber; 8.16g net carbs
- Blueberries: Serving size ½ cup (74g); 42kcals; .55g protein, .24g total fat; 10.72g carbohydrates; 1.8g fiber; 8.92g total carbs
More Low Carb Breakfast Ideas:
- Low Carb Pumpkin Spice Gluten Free Granola from Healthy Sweet Eats
- Keto Low Carb Quiche Lorraine from An Edible Mosaic
- Keto Vanilla Cream Bulletproof Coffee from The Keto Queens
- Low Carb Overnight Black Forest Mocha Chia Seed Pudding from Healthy Sweet Eats
- Almond Vanilla Chia Pudding with Peach Pie Topping from An Edible Mosaic


My Favorite Noatmeal (aka Low-Carb Oat-Free Porridge): The Basic Recipe
and 6 Variations
My Favorite Noatmeal (Low-Carb Oat-Free Porridge) is a hearty warm breakfast that can be made on the stovetop or in the microwave for a healthy, quick breakfast that only has 5g net carbs per serving.
Ingredients
- ½ cup water (see Note)
- 2 tablespoon hemp hearts
- 2 tablespoon almond flour
- 2 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon golden flaxseed meal
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ¼ teaspoon granulated stevia/erythritol blend (or any kind of sweetener you like, to taste)
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Stovetop Method: Add all ingredients except the vanilla to a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly, about 3 to 5 minutes; stir in the vanilla. Serve warm.
- Microwave Method: Add all ingredients except the vanilla to a large cereal bowl that’s microwave-safe. Microwave on high until thickened, about 2 minutes; stir in the vanilla. Serve warm.
Notes
Net Carbs: 5g per serving
Water: You can use your favorite kind of milk instead, or just stir in a splash of your favorite kind of milk or cream once it’s cooked for a creamier texture. (But IMHO, it really doesn’t need it!)
Variations:
- Mango Cardamom: Add ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom to the noatmeal; top with ¼ cup mango puree.
- Maple Walnut: Top with 1 teaspoon maple syrup and 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts.
- Blueberry Pie: Add ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; stir in ⅓ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen) right before serving.
- Cinnamon Brown Sugar: Add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; top with 1 pat grass-fed butter and ½ teaspoon coconut sugar.
- Pina Colada: Top with ⅓ cup cubed fresh pineapple and 1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut.
- Almond Joy: Top with 1 tablespoon chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon chopped toasted almonds, and 1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links to products we believe in, which means that even though it doesn’t cost you anything extra, Healthy Sweet Eats will receive a small amount of money from the sale of these items.
Comments
Dawn Reagan
Glad I found this recipe! I was getting tired of eggs and breakfast meat every day. This adds some variety. I toasted the unsweetened coconut, which changes the flavor a bit.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
faith December 18, 2016 at 2:00 pm
Dawn, I LOVE the idea of toasting the coconut, I’m going to try that!
Elizabeth Miller December 07, 2017 at 4:37 am
ummm…yum!!!!! I tried two recipes…the “overnight one” for this morning and yours for dinner… dinner dinner winner winner!!!! This is the delicious and satisfying. I made the recipe as noted in the microwave. I added a little coconut/almond milk after it cooked, because thats the way I used to like my oatmeal. Halfway through eating it, I was reading your variations, so I added a few walnuts and a splash of the walden farms pancake syrup to try something else. PERFECT! I like the texture of your noatmeal and it was very satisfying. I’m going to do what others have recommended, which is prep all of the dry ingredients ahead of time as a shortcut. THANK YOU!
Sarah December 11, 2016 at 6:12 pm
Wow! I just made this with half a cup of mixed frozen berries (thawed) and almond milk instead of water. It was amazing!!! I’m definitely going to pre-mix a few jars for the work week! Thank you! I’m trying to eat less carbs and it’s difficult as a vegan. This was perfect!
faith January 08, 2017 at 11:58 am
Lisa, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! It’s my absolute favorite when I want a low-carb version of oatmeal. I also like to measure out the components ahead and store the pre-mixed ingredients in a glass jar so I can grab it on the run and just add water. The (lack of) vanilla does make a difference, but not so much so that it’s not worth eating, lol. I was thinking about picking up some powdered vanilla and adding that to the pre-mixed ingredients, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I love your idea of making this into a bread! Sort-of like a dense, seedy nut bread; I think it would be quite hearty, and probably fantastic toasted. I might try to work on that, and please let me know if you have any success turning this into a bread recipe!
Christine ivy February 14, 2019 at 4:46 pm
My mom said when she was a little girl she did not like cream of wheat. So, my grandma used to make it the day before for her let it get solid, then sliced it and fried it in a pan for her and she would eat it that way. Maybe something like that would work as a bread?
faith February 19, 2019 at 6:28 pm
Christine, I haven’t tried that with this recipe, but it might work! It sounds like it might be a bit dense for bread though. I have a couple wonderful gluten free bread recipes that you might be interested in; here’s my paleo bread: https://www.anediblemosaic.com/best-paleo-sandwich-bread/ and here’s my keto bread: https://theketoqueens.com/keto-bread/
Gina March 26, 2017 at 6:34 pm
This was awesome! I used 1/4 cup each of HWC and water. Cut back sweetener to 1/8th tsp. And added a couple of unsweetened dried cranberries. Thanks for the recipe. One more high carb meal switcheroo for me. I’ll never have to crave oatmeal again.
JL April 20, 2017 at 12:03 am
Have you ever tried added a bit of chocolate or vanilla protein powder? Thoughts?
faith May 10, 2017 at 12:58 pm
JL, I haven’t tried it, mostly because this is filling enough (for me) on it’s own. If you give it a try, let me know how it is!
Jeff May 06, 2017 at 2:16 pm
Great recipe, thank you!!! I added a handful of frozen blueberries and a scoop of my vanilla flavored 100%whey protein shake powder and it was amazing!
Angelina Crosby-Pigott May 18, 2017 at 3:12 pm
This is exactly what I needed this morning. Delicious
Charlene May 23, 2017 at 3:46 am
Just made this with some stevia sweetened chocolate and dollop of pb. So good!!!
Aida January 09, 2022 at 6:33 am
I was getting tired of eating eggs for breakfast everyday, so this recipe is exactly what I needed. I added almond milk instead of water and a handful of berries and skipped hemp hearts as I did not have them – still the porridge turned out delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Danielle June 28, 2017 at 4:53 pm
Danielle June 28, 2017 at 4:54 pm
Oh I see the whole recipe is one serving!? ?
Sharon July 06, 2017 at 4:41 am
What could you replace the flaxseed & chia seeds with to help thicken the cereal. I do not use flax or chia
faith July 06, 2017 at 1:51 pm
Sharon, I haven’t played around with this recipe, but you could try it using an egg instead of the flaxseed meal and chia seeds (maybe cooked using the stovetop method). If you try it this way, please let me know how it goes!
Tracy February 12, 2019 at 12:12 am
hi. I use an egg instead of chia seeds and it’s thickens up really well. what I do is scramble up the egg before I add it in with everything and keep stirring so it doesn’t turn into scramble eggs. so yummy! thank you!
faith February 12, 2019 at 8:57 pm
Tracy, My pleasure, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Grainless Wonder September 09, 2019 at 7:32 pm
Another option is Organic India’s psyllium husks. Fiber galore, no flavor, and it thickens like chia does without the bitterness that sometimes comes with chia.
sharon July 16, 2017 at 6:02 pm
omg sooooo happy i found this recipe …. so healthy and low carb …. i used coconut milk instead of water … so tired of eating eggs every day and was looking for alternatives …. <3 Thank you
faith July 19, 2017 at 1:54 pm
My pleasure, Sharon! I’m so happy you like it! 🙂
nat September 19, 2017 at 4:33 am
I am so so happy I found this recipe, I replaced 1/2 water with coconut milk and added berries and banana to the cooking and its delicious. I miss oatmeal and was debating adding it again with so many food restrictions and now no need…Thank you 🙂
Asa October 12, 2017 at 4:51 pm
This is an amazing recipe! Thank-You for sharing! I have been keto for a while and just can’ t do eggs every day, this scratched the itch. I’ll be making up several ‘pre-made’ containers to have on hand and checking your blog often.
Jes October 13, 2017 at 9:56 pm
The recipe states that this only has ‘2 g net carbs per serving’, but the nutritional information states 14g. Am I missing something?
faith November 08, 2017 at 3:15 pm
Jes, Net carbs are total number of carbohydrates minus fiber minus sugar alcohols. I hope this helps!
Update 12/15/2018: I used an API calculator to recalculate the carbs for this recipe and it came up with 5g net carbs.
Karen October 27, 2017 at 5:02 pm
I am with you! I also grew up eating comforting hot cereal mom made for us kids and this is perfect for me trying to eat keto. I am SO excited someone told me about your awesome food recipes!
I am not a huge egg person for breakfast either.
So thankful I already have everything on hand for “nooatmeal”?
Can’t wait to try all of your recipes!
Thank you:)
Andrea October 27, 2017 at 6:12 pm
I was a bit leery about making this, but decided to give it a go based on all the good comments. I’m happy to report that it was pretty tasty! I made a few mods…
-subbed unsweetened, carton coconut milk for the water
-subbed 1/2 tbsp coconut flour for the flaxmeal
-only used 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
-added 1/2 tbsp grass-fed gelatin to up the protein
-made a pumpkin pie version by adding 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 tbsp grass-fed butter
Yummy!
Laura November 29, 2017 at 7:37 pm
OK, just made this for the first time. Had high hopes because I really miss my steel cut oats!! Choking it down, sorry! Did not have any vanilla, but not sure it would have helped any. Added liquid stevia and ceylon cinnamon. Next came some cocoa and then some blueberries. Trying anything here to get this down. Any suggestions? Really like a hot bowl in the winter.
Amanda Kelsey December 11, 2018 at 12:22 pm
Try walnuts, coconut, cinnamon, butter, and sweetner! Yum, I make a simpler version every morning and top with these items. My version, 2tbs Chia, 2 tbs ground flax seed and 1/4 c unsweetened almond milk. Cook on stove top just a couple minutes then top with the items listed above. Yum! I’ll be trying this new recipe too
Amy December 06, 2017 at 4:44 pm
I love this recipe. I used to eat oatmeal daily and no longer have those carbs. Now that it’s cool outside again this i s perfect. I love mine without sweetener and I replace the water with almond milk. I’m going to make a big batch of the dry ingredients and keep it in the fridge.
Tracy G December 16, 2017 at 11:53 am
What are hemp hearts? I’m in the UK so not even sure I can get them.
T x
faith March 07, 2018 at 10:33 am
Tracy, Hemp hearts are shelled hemp seeds (similar in size to sesame seeds). They’re considered a “superfood”, rich in protein with all 10 essential amino acids, as well as omega-3, omega-6, stearidonic acid (SDA), and omega-6 Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). I would check at a local health food or supplement store, and they’re available on Amazon UK as well.
Sue Story December 16, 2017 at 11:53 am
I’d love to try this asap but live in UK too, where hemp hearts not easily available. Is there a substitute or can other ingredients be increased to compensate for absence of hemp? Thanks!
faith March 09, 2018 at 3:06 pm
Sue, To omit the hemp, I would add an additional 1 tablespoon shredded coconut, 1/2 tablespoon almond flour, and 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds. I hope you enjoy it!
Analiz April 10, 2018 at 4:25 pm
I don’t like coconut, can I omit the shredded coconut?
faith November 13, 2018 at 10:05 pm
Analiz, Yes! If you omit the shredded coconut, you can use double the amount of almond flour. Hope you enjoy it if you give it a try!
Diane Young July 03, 2021 at 9:56 am
I managed to get hemp hearts on my ocado order which surprised me.
faith March 09, 2018 at 3:06 pm
Sue, To omit the hemp, I would add an additional 1 tablespoon shredded coconut, 1/2 tablespoon almond flour, and 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds. I hope you enjoy it!

Hi, I'm Sarah! I believe you can have your cake and eat it too. For breakfast. If you're looking for healthy dessert recipes that are gluten free, refined sugar free, paleo, vegan, low carb, and/or keto, grab a spoon and pull up a chair!








Am I missing the serving size??