Pinteractive: Oats that will float your boat

If you read my recent Day in the Life post, then you know that time is a premium in the mornings. I’m mostly focused on getting Rowan out of bed, into clothes and out the door as quickly as I can, and rarely is there time for a civilized sit-down breakfast. Typically I eat breakfast at my desk when I get to work, but I’m always looking for quick-and-easy ways to get some food into my maw a bit earlier, especially on the mornings when we’re running late.

A few weeks ago, Sizz mentioned on Twitter that she was making overnight steel cut oats. I’m a fan of steel cut oats, but I’m not a fan of how long they take to cook, which is usually why we reserve them for weekend mornings. I was intrigued by this cooking method: bring a cup of steel cut oats to boil in three cups of water (with a pinch of salt), turn off the burner, cover, and let rest … ALL NIGHT. The first time I made them this way, Mr. Food Scientist Husband was skeptical, wondering what in the heck I was doing in the kitchen right before bed. I reassured him I knew what I was doing. I mean, surely the internet wouldn’t lead me astray.

The next morning I crept into the kitchen and peered into the pot with mild trepidation, but lo and behold, what I discovered were fully cooked steel cut oats! As suggested, I added a cup of milk and reheated until the oatmeal was soft and creamy, then enjoyed a bowl topped with butter and brown sugar. Delish! Roth had a bowl, too, and there was still enough leftover for another two or so bowls, which I stored in a plastic container in the fridge for the next day. A definite breakfast time-saver!

There are dozens of different muffin-type breakfast hacks on Pinterest. I keep seeing the same baked eggs recipe in my feed every couple of days. I immediately liked the idea of “baked oatmeal to go” when I first saw it, thinking it might be a good breakfast option for Rowan, too. I made a batch of 12 “muffins” on Sunday afternoon, and like the steel cut oats before, was pleasantly surprised by how awesome these mini-oatmeal muffins turned out, too. The only things I did different were to use cinnamon apple sauce and to add a couple pinches of pumpkin pie spice to the batter, which gave them a little kick.

This morning I grabbed two on my way out the door, popped them in the microwave at work for about 20 seconds, and enjoyed the heck out of these bite-sized oatmeal treats. I think these would be good cold, too, and with more cinnamon or raisins instead of the dried cranberries.

Both these oat-y recipes are now pinned to my Tried and True board.

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Linking up with Nanette and others for Pinteractive!

Posted on March 19, 2012 | Category: Pinteractive | 5 Comments