For those of us who can’t tolerate dairy or anyone looking to switch things up, there are plenty of healthy milk-alternative options (almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, cashew milk, hemp milk, etc). Unfortunately, with a lot of these options there’s much left to be desired in the taste department. So which dairy alternative is the best?
Oat milk is relatively new to the non-dairy scene, but has already made quite a stir in coffee shops around the world. Let’s explore what exactly oat milk is, and what makes it so awesome.
What is Oat Milk?
Oat milk is made from steel cut oats or groats, that are soaked in water, blended, and strained trough a kitchen cloth or nut bag. Since oats absorb water better than nuts (think oatmeal), they provide a creamier texture than nut milks but without and unwanted thickeners. While this is extremely easy to make at home, various companies including Elmhurst, Pacific Foods, and Oatly, have come out with their own versions of oat milk, available in various flavors.
Why is Oat Milk the Best?
Besides the fact that it sounds fancy AF, oat milk has several key things that make it better than other alternatives *cue car salesman voice* :
1. It’s inclusionary! Oat milk is ideal for those who have a soy/nut/dairy allergy, vegan/vegetarian, as well as anyone who is gluten sensitive.
2. Its cheap! A pound of oats will run you less than $5. Where as good quality, 12 oz almonds and cashews will cost you closer to. $8.
3. It’s easy to make! I can’t stress enough how easy it is to make this at home. It takes 15 minutes max to soak the oats, blend, strain, and enjoy.
4. It’s healthy*! Oat milk is an extremely health conscious decision as it is very high in fiber and iron, low in calories, sugar, and fat, as well as having no cholesterol or saturated fat.
#Spoontip: *what works best for a lot of people may not work well for you and that’s okay, remember to consult your primary physician or nutritionist about your dietary needs.
How to Use It?
This is the really fun part, since oat milk is so flexible you can use it in pretty much anything. It can be used in smoothies, creamy soups, for dipping cookies, making baked goods, and even lattes and cappuccinos*. It can also be used as the liquid in pancakes, or in place of milk in mashed potatoes.
#Spoontip: *Whatever you do, do not heat up homemade oat milk, (again think oatmeal), it will turn into a gelatinous mess, we promise. Coffee shops use a special formula to prevent clumping.
How ever you choose to enjoy your new dairy free alternative, we hope you find much success and tasty times with oat milk.