Frozen Single-Serve Oatmeal with Almonds & Dried Cherries

Makes about twelve 1/3-cup pucks (4 to 6 servings)

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3 1/2 cups water
1/8 teaspoon salt
Honey, brown sugar, agave or other sweetener, to taste (optional)
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup almonds, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Lightly grease a standard muffin pan and set aside. (No need to grease if you are using a nonstick pan.)

Combine the oats, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and ready to eat, 3 to 5 minutes. Mix in sweetener of choice, if using. Divide the oatmeal evenly into the cups of the muffin pan. Top with the cherries, almonds and pumpkin seeds, pressing lightly to make sure they are embedded in the oatmeal.

Place the muffin pan in the freezer until oatmeal is fully frozen, at least 3 hours. Remove and allow to thaw slightly, until the oatmeal can be popped out of the pan with an offset spatula or a thin butter knife. (You can dip the bottom of the pan in warm water to speed the process.) Wrap the oatmeal in freezer-safe packaging and freeze.

To eat, remove the desired number of pucks and warm in a bowl in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes