by Pajarita » Tue Aug 05, 2014 10:38 am
It doesn't really take me that long but maybe it's because I am so used to making it that I don't even register the work any longer.
I cook the grains in batches, mixing the ones that cook in, more or less, the same amount of time so wheat is cooked with kamut, rices are cooked with the lentils and oats are cooked with barley. I use frozen vegetables that are already chopped or the right size on their own (corn, peas and carrots, chopped broccoli and blue kale, hominy). I do have to chop the green beans and artichoke hearts or whatever else I am adding but it takes a minute in the food processor. I don't use raw anything in the gloop because of the mushiness factor -the gloop becomes too watery and mushy when you thaw it and the birds prefer it with a rougher texture.
I usually cook the grains while I am doing something else during the day, like cleaning, grooming dogs, sitting at the computer, etc. Once it's done, I split the cooked grains in two batches, I freeze one half and prepare the other by, again, splitting it in two (I can't fit everything in one container, I use two big buckets) and add all the veggies, seeds and beans, mix it well and freeze it into individual baggies (8.5 generous ladlefuls in each and I get about 10 baggies). When I am running out of the baggies, I take out the frozen grains baggies (about two gallon ones completely full), thaw them (takes 24 hours) and add the beans, seeds and veggies to it, making another 10 baggies so I only boil things once every three weeks (I also give them birdie bread for breakfast) and prepare the baggies every twelve days or so.
I think it took less time last time I made a batch but I put extra items in this time.
