Oatmeal is a breakfast that seems to require more than humankind is able to give right now. There's a reason that most of the oatmeal people eat is instant -- breakfast is often a choice of convenience. Quaker even introduced the "Oatmeal to Go" bar, which sounds like an oxymoron.
But oatmeal has morphed into its current, lumpy sugar-aided form because the average person isn't necessarily sure to what to do with raw oats. Or believes (often correctly) that there's not enough time for them to cook. Like grits, it seems like something our mother would make. Even oatmeal cookies are the classic second-fiddle dessert.
Well, oatmeal lovers (with or without teeth) might appreciate Lifehacker's break down of the oatmeal-making process to ensure a bowl of steel-cut oats
are not the reason you're late for work. The idea is to begin cooking
the oatmeal the night before, leaving it to soak at room temperature
overnight.
The next morning, the pot will only take 10 minutes to cook
over low heat. That's not an unreasonable amount of time for a
home-cooked breakfast. Plus, it gives you the chance to stir in fruit
or cinnamon and sugar. If you have to bail, you can always resort to
making oatmeal pancakes.
The
best news is that the pre-cooked oatmeal will keep in the refrigerator
for up to a week. So you can prepare a week's worth of breakfast on the
weekend. And while you're cooking the night before, make some cold-brewed iced coffee. Suddenly, you've got a lot to look forward to in the morning.
