Oat milk has been gaining popularity in a big way, in part because so many formulations are made especially for baristas, with extra additions that help them foam and froth, and the slightly nutty, grainy flavour pairs well with coffee. We talked about the increasing number of options out there and tasted a few non-dairy milks on last week’s Eyeopener. But if you want to make your own oat milk, it’s easy: simply blend a 1:3 ratio of rolled (old-fashioned or quick) oats to cold water in a blender, add a pitted date (for a bit of sweetness that mimics the lactose in milk) and a pinch of salt if you like, blend for 20-30 seconds, and strain. Don’t let them soak, or your milk could get gummy — and the same thing can happen if you over-blend. Just put the oats and water in the blender and go. (Don’t try steel cut—they’re too hard to blend.) I like to double strain — pour it through a fine sieve to get rid of the bulk of the ground oats, then through a few layers of cheesecloth or a clean thin tea towel — or use an old shirt or the corner of an old pillowcase (well cleaned, of course) and there you go—you have oat milk! Keep it in the fridge for up to a week, and give it a shake before using.

The spent oats can be simmered into a kind of porridge, added to pancake or waffle batter, used to make dog treats, or used in the muffins below. (And if you don’t have time to bake, toss them in the freezer until you do.) Of course even if they wind up in the compost bin, it’s far more inexpensive to make your own oat milk—and you avoid all that packaging.

This is a great way to use up the ground oats you’ve strained when making oat milk—but even if you’re not making oat milk, you can start by soaking (or even grinding) 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats in 3/4 cup milk, until they soften.

Spent Oat Muffins

AuthorJulie