Oatmeal

Let's talk about oatmeal. I have been eating those packets of oatmeal you buy at the store to take medicine in the morning. When I started freeze-drying fruit I wanted to try doing my own DIY oatmeal quick packs. Here are some combinations

Every one serving size, you'll want:

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats or instant oats

• 2 teaspoons chia seeds (optional, but good)

• 2 tablespoon dried milk

• 1/2 teaspoon dried sweetener of choice (maple sugar, coconut sugar, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla sugar, sucanat, monk fruit or other sugar free option)

• A pinch of salt (not necessary)

• add-ins of choice

To cook, pour the contents into a bowl and add 3/4 cup water. Stir to combine, then microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, taking care to ensure the contents don’t boil over. Let stand for a few minutes to allow the oatmeal to thicken. The chia seeds and dried fruit will absorb some of the water, so if it’s too thick for your liking, you may want to add more liquid.

Strawberries and Cream: 2 tablespoons freeze-dried or dried strawberries 2 teaspoons powdered milk

Peaches and Cream: 2 tablespoons freeze-dried or dried peaches 2 teaspoons powdered milk

Blueberry Cream: 2 tablespoons freeze-dried or dried blueberries

2 teaspoons powdered milk 1 tablespoon sliced almonds for more flavor

Maple Pecan: 1 tablespoon chopped pecans 2 teaspoons maple sugar

Banana Walnut: 2 tablespoons dried bananas 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts Pinch of nutmeg

*Try different fruit and nuts, use the basic ingredients above to adapt your taste. You could also use sugar free syrups to replace sugar

Place all of the ingredients into a small resealable bag or container, then store them in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to use them.

Make sure you do some more research to expand your knowledge/recipes of DIY oatmeal. You can also do overnight oats, add yogurt instead of milk, add all sorts of mixins like nuts, seeds, fresh, frozen, dried, or canned fruit, sweeteners, spices, extracts and even things like apple cider, eggnog, etc.