What, you might ask, does instant cereal have to do with a kayak blog? Everything, when you are on an expedition, needing to get an early start for optimal weather / tide conditions and needing a hearty breakfast with minimal time prep. After going gluten free several years ago, quick breakfasts and some carbs at lunch to spread PB and J on or pair up with some cheese have been my biggest challenge. I’ve tried a few things… and am still tweaking and optimizing.
Aunt Nancy's "Oatmeal"
I had a brainstorm this week after reading the ingredient list on the GF instant cereal I recently found. It had rolled oats (for oats to be gluten free they must be specially grown and processed to avoid contamination) and multiple other grains, mostly listed as “flours”. In general, the smaller the grain is cut, the more “instant” it becomes. So..why not take the cereals I enjoy at home, grind them up into smaller pieces and see if they cook up quickly, and are edible (of utmost importance!) An easy task with a coffee grinder or a food processor. I used the former, which never grinds coffee and frequently grinds spices.
Instant Oatmeal - didn't try it yet!
This morning I tried Bob’s Red Mill Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal. By the way, couldn’t they come up with a better name? Several years ago, before gluten free oats were available, my niece dubbed it “Aunt Nancy’s Oatmeal”. May not work for marketing, but that’s what it is called in my sister’s house – and the kids request it frequently. But, I digress… it worked out great! Cooked up in about 1 minute – after boiling the water – versus 10. Add some nuts, dried fruits, spices and a little sweetener and it was mighty tasty. Maybe Bob is onto something. I also put some gluten free oats in the grinder and will try them soon to see how they taste.
