Chai oatmeal bombs

One of the things that drives me bonkers about cooking is the fact that it never! ends! Seriously, you make a meal, eat it, maybe have enough for some leftovers, and bam you have to do it all over again.

I try to keep my frustration to a minimum by doing what I call “investment cooking”–like investment banking but more delicious and healthy.

(Check out the Food Advocate who got me started with my system.)

Here’s something I like to investment cook: the “chai oatmeal with soy milk” and berries that I had at Seattle’s Portage Bay Cafe and decided I had to re-create at home.

Chai Oatmeal Bombs
(instructions for busy people who can’t stand at the stove stirring for 30 minutes)

1. Boil 4 cups of water
2. Turn heat down to low
3. Throw in some chai tea bags (I like Tazo organic chai, or you might be super-awesome and have your own chai spice mix)
4. Add in 1 cup steel-cut oatmeal
5. Let everything brew for two minutes and remove the teabags.
6. Stir for a few minutes until oatmeal thickens (maybe 5-10 minutes)
7. Then turn the heat off, you can leave the oatmeal on the stove for a few hours as it absorbs the water. Come back when you remember.

To assemble the bombs:
Spoon a serving of oatmeal and some frozen berries (I like a raspberry and blueberry mix) into a container (glass pint mason jars work well and are super cute in your fridge too.)

Makes about six oatmeal bombs. They will do just fine in the fridge for a few days, so this works well cooking for two (you can obvs also make more or less as needed.)

To serve: grab one out of the fridge, dump in a bowl and microwave. Add non-dairy milk of your choice or a banana or both or neither. It’s all good.

Et voila! Six piping hot yummy oatmeal breakfasts for one time cooking oatmeal.

Investment cooking!