Oat Milk

 Oat milk is an easy dairy-free milk that you can make at home in just minutes. I love that it’s nut-free, low in fat, and super-affordable!

The biggest challenge I’ve found when making oat milk at home is that sometimes it can come out with a “slimy” texture, for lack of a better word. There are a few things I’ve found that help you avoid the slimy outcome.

• Don’t over-blend the oat milk. If you have a powerful blender, like the Vitamix, I wouldn’t blend this for longer than 30 seconds.

• Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the milk. I usually use a nut milk bag for making almond milk, but squeezing oat milk through a nut milk bag makes it more slimy than using a fine mesh strainer or seive. You may want to strain the milk twice through your strainer if desired, but avoid pressing the oats in the strainer, as any sort of “squeezing” action seems to produce more slime.

• Don’t heat it up. You know how oatmeal thickens when you cook it? So does oat milk. I recommend using oat milk for cold recipes, such as over cereals, in smoothies, or in iced coffee drinks for best results. (See my note on coffee below for a hot option.)

• Don’t soak rolled oats ahead of time. I know many oat milk recipes call for soaking the oats ahead of time, to help wash off the “slime,” but I found that soaking the oats actually produces a more-slimy result than just using the dry oats right away.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups water
• 1 Medjool date , pitted (optional)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats  (certified gluten-free, if needed)
• pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

• Add the water and date, if using, to a high-speed blender and blend until the dates are broken down. (Blending them first ensures you won't over blend the oats later.) Add in the oats and blend again until the oats have broken down and the liquid looks creamy, about 20 to 30 seconds.
  
• Pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, and tap the sides of the strainer to make sure the liquid strains through. (Don't use a spoon to press the pulp into the sides of the strainer, or the resulting milk will be slimy. This is also why I don't use a nut milk bag in this case.)
  
• Use the milk right away, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.