I love the idea of Freezer meals; just pull something out and heat it up. It's home made fast food. Actually making the food takes time, but the time saved when I am hungry is totally worth it.
I eat steel cut oats everyday for breakfast, and if you've made them before you know they take about thirty minutes to prepare. That doesn't work for me everyday. According to the package directions, prepared steel cut oats last 5 days in the fridge, so I used to make them in 5 day intervals. That didn't work for me either. I first thought about freezing them while watching my friend Betony freeze meals for her daughter using ice cube trays. I did some internet research and discovered that prepared steel cut oats can be kept for 30 days in the freezer and that adults get to freeze their foods in cupcake pans.
Start with Steel Cut Oats. Have you tried them? I think they have so much flavour and I love the texture.
Cook oats as per package directions. I cook 5 cups at a time, in two different pots, so I end up with 25 portions for the freezer.
Scoop hot, cooked oats into freezer containers. I use a cupcake pan and a mini loaf pan, each portion measuring about 2/3 cup.
Freeze for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer for about 5 minutes to loosen edges. Remove portions from cup cake pan and put in a resealable Ziploc bag and return to the freezer.
Pop in microwave when ready to eat and enjoy quick steel cut oats. I eat mine with cinnamon, 1 tbs dried cranberries, and 2 tbs chopped walnuts.
I eat steel cut oats everyday for breakfast, and if you've made them before you know they take about thirty minutes to prepare. That doesn't work for me everyday. According to the package directions, prepared steel cut oats last 5 days in the fridge, so I used to make them in 5 day intervals. That didn't work for me either. I first thought about freezing them while watching my friend Betony freeze meals for her daughter using ice cube trays. I did some internet research and discovered that prepared steel cut oats can be kept for 30 days in the freezer and that adults get to freeze their foods in cupcake pans.
Start with Steel Cut Oats. Have you tried them? I think they have so much flavour and I love the texture.
Cook oats as per package directions. I cook 5 cups at a time, in two different pots, so I end up with 25 portions for the freezer.
Scoop hot, cooked oats into freezer containers. I use a cupcake pan and a mini loaf pan, each portion measuring about 2/3 cup.
Freeze for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer for about 5 minutes to loosen edges. Remove portions from cup cake pan and put in a resealable Ziploc bag and return to the freezer.
Pop in microwave when ready to eat and enjoy quick steel cut oats. I eat mine with cinnamon, 1 tbs dried cranberries, and 2 tbs chopped walnuts.
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Great idea!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of freezer meals - I just haven't been able to put aside that day I need to prepare them. I live in hope though; one day! :)
Love Irish oat (pinhead, steel). Fantastic stuff. I ground them into meal and bake with it. I also cook them in stock and make a chicken dish with them.
ReplyDeleteEndless fun.
That looks good! I'm lazy & usually use quick cooking oats, which take 2 minutes in the microwave, but freezing some ahead of time is a good idea!
ReplyDelete@Skwishee: I hope you can too. Sometimes I do too much on the one day (oats, buns, chopping lettuce) and it becomes less fun. I am trying to do things in small bursts - I don't want chores to feel like chores!
ReplyDelete@Whisk: Baking with them sounds like something I should explore. Endless fun indeed!
@Tasha: Thanks!! They say oatmeal is good for you no matter which kind you eat.