Homemade Oat Milk Recipe - Real + Vibrant (2024)

FAQs

How do you fortify homemade oat milk? ›

To fortify homemade oat milk, you can blend supplements or vitamin powder (like vitamin D, B2, B12) into the milk. Alternatively, you can purchase the vitamin/s as drops (which will impact the flavor less but cost more).

However, if you are regularly consuming numerous foods that contain emulsifiers and additives such as oat milk in larger quantities, this may lead to a disruption of our gut microbiome, which has been linked to changes in our mood, metabolism and inflammation in the body.

Steel cut oats are too unprocessed and make less creamy milk. Rolled oats are just right and make nice and creamy oat milk. And quick cooking oats are too finely processed and tend to create slimier oat milk.

The oat milk you make at home will be good for 2 to 4 days in the fridge. Store-bought oat milk has stabilizers that give it a longer shelf life. Like dairy milk, oat milk should be stored in the coldest part of the fridge, not on the door. Be sure it's covered, and shake before using.

In the United States, milk is commonly fortified with vitamins A and D. However, depending on where you live, milk may be fortified with other nutrients or left unfortified.

Oat milk is a plant-based milk that's made from oats, so is free from soy, dairy and lactose-free. A great vegan milk alternative, it tends to be fortified with A, D, B2, and B12 vitamins.

Oat milk is typically made with vegetable oils like rapeseed, canola and sunflower oils, which cause inflammation in the body. Adding fats like this is known to increase the texture, but I like to avoid inflammatory oils as often as possible (I wrote more about this here).

Dairy milks typically have the most nutritional value. Among the plant options, soy milk comes closest to the nutritional profile of cow's and goat's milks. Many plant-based milks are lower in saturated fat and calories than cow's milk.

Critics warn that it will raise your blood sugar. Many people have turned their backs on oat milk, saying they've been duped into thinking it was a wellness ingredient. I had to get to the bottom of this so-called "sugar water" that claims to be a healthy alternative.

If you want your oatmilk to be thicker, similar to what you purchase in the store, you will need an added gum. Xanthan gum works great to thicken cold liquids and you don't need much for a batch.

Why is my homemade oat milk so watery? ›

If it's too thin, this is normally because you haven't squeezed out the sediment at the bottom enough. Simply squeeze the muslin tight to press some of the creamy liquid through, as this is what makes the oat milk thick and creamy.

You cook your oats in warm water, right? If you're using anything but cold water, you'll start to activate the oats to form that slimy texture we all know as oatmeal! And the third reason why your oat milk recipe is coming out slimy is that you're squeezing the oat milk out of the nut bag.

For 4 cups oat milk, combine 1 cup dry rolled oats (I used Bob's Red Mill, but any rolled oats will work—don't use instant or quick-cooking oats), 4 cups cold water, and a pinch of salt and blend for 20 seconds max. Don't soak the oats beforehand or overblend them—that causes starch breakdown, upping the slime factor.

Depends. If you're aiming to lose weight or are diabetic, almond milk with its lower sugar and calorie content might be right for you. On the other side, oat milk is high in fiber and nutrients, which boosts heart health and immunity, and helps muscle grow.

You can absolutely freeze oat milk, but freezing can affect its texture so it's best to freeze oat milk you plan on using in recipes rather than drinking straight-up. "Frozen oat milk will often become separated, and the texture may become somewhat grainy when thawed," says Revell.

'Where possible, opt for oat milk that does not contain added sugars,' says Hope. 'I also recommend choosing brands that are fortified with calcium, Vitamin B12 and vitamin D as a minimum. Some brands also now fortify their oat milk with iodine too, which is key to supporting a healthy thyroid function. '

Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of sugar/ syrup/honey/ jam/marmalade/fruit curds/chocolate spread/treacle/molasses/fruit coulis to breakfast cereals/porridge/ bread/ toasted goods/ crackers and biscuits/puddings/milk puddings/ cakes/scones/ appropriate fruit and vegetables.

Use dairy milk or soy milk instead of water

Cook your oatmeal in dairy milk or soy milk instead of water for a protein boost. All you need to do is bring one cup of milk to a boil, stir in a half-cup of oats, and cook for about five minutes. Add a handful of berries, nuts, or dried fruit for flavor.