I recently wanted to add more oatmeal to my diet. So I tried a method called overnight oatmeal. It's made by taking oatmeal (not quick oats) and putting it in a dish with milk and letting it sit overnight in the fridge. By morning it is ready to eat, it is a cold porridge. I make mine with a half cup of rolled oats, two tablespoons chia and almond milk to cover. Mix it up good and let it sit. In the morning I add a table spoon or so of maple syrup to it and mix it up real good. I like it, wasn't sure I would like it cold. I have been wondering how to adapt this to camping, I don't have a fridge when camping.
I also love oatmeal. I change up on my ingredients ever so often. Right now, I am having: 3/4 c. Old Fashioned Oats with 2 times the oatmeal with water. Microwave 3 1/2 minutes. 1 large T. raw, unfiltered, buckwheat honey 1 T. cinnamon 1/2 c. approx. un-sweet almond milk 3/4 c. blueberries, or blackberries, or mixture of both 1/2 c. walnuts or pecans Now with this I add: 1 slice of spelt flour bread, toasted, with coconut oil melted on top of the toast, then I add some honey and cinnamon. And of coarse a Large cup of coffee with stevia and un-sweet french vanilla coffee creamer. So yummy, I think I should go to bed now, so I can hurry up, sleep and get up to eat. My favorite meal of the day. Another of my favorite breakfast foods is grits. Oh my, I have to stop now, really now. Bye
I can see soaking oatmeal overnight could be an attractive option in a no power situation . Also many might find that building a wood fire to cook breakfast not much of a worth while effort plus expending water to wash up a smoke laden pot .
Interesting concept. I am not sure I would like cold oatmeal, but I would give it a try. If you are car camping you could always keep it in a cooler with ice. If you are in the woods you might try the cold compresses made for First Aid Kits. I don't know how long they would last, or if they will get the oatmeal cold enough. Depending on the time of year, snow or cold creek water might do the trick.
Modern-day rolled oatmeal is already cooked and processed for quick preparation right out of the box. The overnight "rule" is only for the sake of convenience, and looks a lot like this: Add liquid to oatmeal. Stash it in the fridge before going to bed. Boom. In the morning, breakfast is ready when you are. In reality, oatmeal only needs to be soaked long enough to soften. One hour or less is more than enough time to make it meal-ready. For food-safety reasons, it is not a good idea to allow prepared food to sit for longer than two hours above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4.44 degrees Celsius). Speaking of oatmeal, it makes a fantastic base for savory dishes. Most people who are accustomed to oatmeal on the sweet side are surprised to learn that there are many traditional oatmeal dishes that call for things like salt, pepper, sauteed mushrooms, and onions. Delish!!! .
Thanks for the replies. I have also heard of frying slabs of cold oatmeal like cold corn meal mush is fried. It sounds good
If you are away from a fridge, or don't have power, consider digging a hole to get some additional "coolness" to help store the oatmeal a bit longer. Using milk in the mix definitely adds some restrictions.
I don't carry milk or sugar when trekking. I find that water & sultanas & oats hot or cold work just fine. Keith.
I was in the kitchen doing some cooking and remembered your desire for more oatmeal. Just make a huge batch of no-bake otameal cookies and problem solved . Mine never last long enough to be considered trail food, but it's the thought that counts.
Here's a rabbit hole for us to go in. Some of my research indicates that soaking flour, grains and legumes overnight increases its "healthyness" compared to just cooking them right away. Something about releasing enzymes. My mom always soaked peas and beans overnight.
If you cook over coals rather than flames, there won't be any smoke. Rubbing the outside of the pots with a bar of soap before using keeps soot from sticking.
"Scotch Whisky - 'The Water of Life' " https://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk/about-whisky/making 1. Malting Best quality barley is first steeped in water and then spread out on malting floors to germinate. It is turned regularly to prevent the build up of heat. Traditionally, this was done by tossing the barley into the air with wooden shovels in a malt barn adjacent to the kiln. During this process enzymes are activated which convert the starch into sugar when mashing takes place. After 6 to 7 days of germination the barley, now called green malt, goes to the kiln for drying. This halts the germination. The heat is kept below 70°C so that the enzymes are not destroyed. Peat may be added to the fire to impart flavour from the smoke. 2. Mashing The dried malt is ground into a coarse flour or grist, which is mixed with hot water in the mash tun. The water is added in 3 stages and gets hotter at each stage, starting around 67°C and rising to almost boiling point. The quality of the pure Scottish water is important. The mash is stirred, helping to convert the starches to sugar. After mashing, the sweet sugary liquid is known as wort. The spent grains - the draff - are processed into cattle feed. 3. Fermentation The wort is cooled to 20°C and pumped into washbacks, where yeast is added and fermentation begins. The living yeast feeds on the sugars, producing alcohol and small quantities of other compounds known as congeners, which contribute to the flavour of the whisky. Carbon dioxide is also produced and the wash froths violently. Revolving switchers cut the head to prevent it overflowing. After about 2 days the fermentation dies down and the wash contains 6-8% alcohol by volume. The article continues. Do read. Big copper stills are involved. Fascinating, maybe even spiritual, if you follow. Question: Is it that I have gone too far off topic?! 'Twas that everyone was talking grains and the soaking of grains. Getting the benefit from such, don't'cha'know. Well, me mind were drawn for whatever reason to a topic near'n'dear to me heart ... and liver. Your forgiveness is implored. Maybe it were th'I went a wee bit off the true path. Do take into consideration me heritage. "Tell them wha hae the chief direction, Scotland an' me's in great affliction, E'er sin' they laid that curst restriction On aqua-vitae; An' rouse them up to strong conviction, An' move their pity. "Scotland, my auld, respected mither! Tho' whiles ye moistify your leather, Till, whare ye sit on craps o' heather, Ye tine your dam; Freedom an' whisky gang thegither! Take aff your dram!" the Bard of Ayrshire
Another thought on this oatmeal subject . Usually when I am on the hunt , I don't want a fire but will choose a cold camp . The reason being I don't want wood smoke smell on me or my clothing .
Me and the wife love Museli but like most brits we eat it 'raw' not soaked. Fresh oatmeal, diced fresh fruit, sultanas, crushed nuts, sugar and full fat milk. We pre mix it at home for camp, use dried fruit instead of fresh, nuts, sugar and Nido brand full fat milk. I've been told (might be a load of bollocks of course) that you feel fuller longer as the oats expand in your gut. Its good source of fibre and slow release energy.
Good choice duke, I used to have a close friend that carried the same when trekking, he made enough for both of us. Keith.
there is a book called Heart of the Hunter by Edison Marshall. In this book he talks of taking dry uncooked oatmeal along on his hunts and nibbling on by and by. also in the book Cache Lake Country by John Rowlands there is a segment about taking cooked, cold oatmeal and slicing it in srips and then frying it. I've done this with cornmeal mush but not oatmeal.
I have been carrying cut oats in my pack for about 30 years now. Light & filling & preserves well. Also dried peas & dried beans. Keith.